skeleton
THE RULE OF OCTAVES AND THE HUMAN SKELETON.
The human skeleton is configured according to The Rule of Octaves, so that its elements tend to be grouped in multiples of EIGHT.
The following information is taken from Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, Edition 19, Published by F.A Davis Company, Philadelphia, 2001, page 2142 and pages 1986 to 1987.
The human skeleton is composed of the following:-
Upper extremities = 64 bones (8 x 8 = 64)
Vertebrae:- Cervical 7 and Thoracic 12 and Lumbar 5 – Total = 24 (3 x 8 = 24) (Note:- This does not count the sacrum and coccyx, which are not really true vertebrae.)
Ribs = 24 bones. (3 x 8 = 24)
Wrists = 16 bones (2 x 8 = 16)
Teeth:- There are 32 permanent teeth. (4 x 8 = 32)
Cranial bones – There are eight.
Ankles 14 bones, but 2 patellae have migrated to the knee joint. This makes 16 bones in all. (2 x 8 = 16)
Legs:- 2 Femurs, and 2 Tibias, and 2 Fibulas, and 2 Patellae = 8 in all.
You can verify the above information by perusing the scans below, taken from Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, Edition 19, Published by F.A Davis Company, Philadelphia, 2001, page 2142 and pages 1986 to 1987.