Human Body TOMBSTONES In many New England graveyards the skull can still be seen on many tombstones as shown Sometimes it is used with a pair of angel wings as in this picture symbolizing flying away from mortality Here lies buried the body of The skull has appeared in many films and plays perhaps most famously for the part it played in Hamlet by William Shakespeare The skull belongs to Yorick a court jester whose skull is dug up by a gravedigger When Hamlet sees the skull he makes a famous speech about the effects of death Alas poor Yorick I knew him Horatio a fellow of infinite jest of most excellent fancy he hath borne me on his back a thousand times and now how abhorred in my imagination it is My gorge rises at it Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft Where be your gibes now Your gambols Your songs Your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar Ahoy me hearties Another famous use of the human skull was when it appeared colored white with two crossed bones on a black background This image known as the Jolly Roger was used on ships flags in the 18th century to signal that they were a pirate ship Pirates were sailors that conducted criminal robbery or violence at sea against other ships The Jolly Roger was often a way for pirates to signal their intentions and to scare other ships One record of the Jolly Roger skull flag being used by a pirate ship was in 1822 in the USA The Massachusetts brigantine called the Belvedere reported that it had fended off an attack by a schooner boat while sailing in the Florida Straits
EWW Most modern doctors no longer practice trepanning as a cure for cranial diseases Trepanning is the act of drilling or scraping a hole into the human head through the skull Evidence has been found that this procedure has been carried out since the Stone Age and has continued as a form of treatment ever since making trepanning the oldest surgical procedure supported by archaeological evidence Believe it or not trepanning is still carried out today for certain brain injuries but rather than using old knives like they did in the Stone Age they now have diamond-coated drills to make the process quicker and provide a cleaner cut Useful Pirate speak Sea dog old pirate or sailor Y'argh an expression of disgust Ahoy Hello Aye yes Cat o’nine tails a whip with nine strands Dead men tell no tales phrase indicating no survivors left behind Landlubber big slow clumsy person who doesn’t know how to sail Pieces of eight silver coins found in pirate stashes Shiver me timbers an expression of surprise Skull
Human Body mouth The mouth is a wonderfully designed machine Not only is it one of the key parts of the digestive system but it also helps us to communicate The mouth is lined with mucous membranes which protect the inside and keep the mouth moist The mouth is made up of the following parts The upper jaw that is part of the skull The lower jaw connected with the upper jaw with ability to move up down and from side to side The teeth and gums help to break down food The cheek muscles muscles which keep food in the correct position when chewing The tongue a large muscle in the mouth which aids eating and talking The salivary glands these pour saliva into the mouth Why does THE mouth water The mouth waters due to a slimy liquid called saliva Three pairs of salivary glands in the walls and floor of the mouth secrete saliva to moisten the mouth which makes it easier to chew and swallow food when we eat Saliva contains a digestive enzyme that helps to break down carbohydrates which are found in pasta and bread for example and makes food easier to digest DID YOU KNOW The average person in the West eats 50 tons of food and drinks 11,000 gallons of liquid during their life It takes food seven seconds to go from the mouth to the stomach via the esophagus DID YOU KNOW Humans produce about 10,000 gallons of saliva in an average lifetime
Mouth Why do we have lips The lips perform many tasks such as helping to eat food positioning food in the mouth chewing and speaking The lips are made up of muscle which allow mobility They are covered with skin on the outside and with slippery mucous membranes on the inside The reddish tint of the lips comes from blood vessels lying just under the surface which is why the lips can bleed so easily if you hurt them DID YOU KNOW Licking your lips makes them drier When the lips get dry licking them may make them feel better in the short term but it doesn’t last long Exposure to water actually takes away moisture from the lips when the saliva evaporates just like repeatedly washing your hands dries out your skin Lip balm is much more effective What Are Tonsils The tonsils are two balls of lymphatic tissue found at the back of the mouth Their job is to help fight germs that come in through the mouth and nose before they cause infections in the rest of the body FUN FACT People whose mouth has a narrow roof are more likely to snore This is because they have less oxygen going through their nose
