Page:Structure and functions of the body; a hand-book of anatomy and physiology for nurses and others desiring a practical knowledge of the subject (IA structurefunctio00fiskrich).pdf/102

 CHAPTER VII.

THE CHEST.

The chest or thorax occupies the upper part of the trunk in front and is a dome-shaped cavity containing and protecting the heart and lungs. Its walls are formed by the dorsal vertebræ at the back, the ribs at either side, and the sternum and costal cartilages in front, all well covered with muscles. The floor is formed by the diaphragm. Through the upper opening of the chest pass the trachea, the esophagus, and many important vessels and nerves.

—Thorax (anterior view.) (Ingals.)

The shape of the chest may vary in disease. Thus, in