Not man, but man-like : a reply to Not like man of the Professor of Anatomy in the University of Melbourne / by Wil. Thomson.

  • William Thomson
Date:
[1863]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Not man, but man-like : a reply to Not like man of the Professor of Anatomy in the University of Melbourne / by Wil. Thomson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    9/36 page 7
    single glance, it is plain that tliey are the very counterpart of the tibialis anticus in man. Taken together, if it must be admitted for the sake of the argument that they are separate muscles, they are essentially the equivalent of the one in man—the same in origin, relations, insertions, and in. actions. This will be in a moment apparent by comparing the description here given with that in any manual of human anatomy. But to restrict the test to the insertions and actions only. In the lecture we are told that the first portion of the muscle is inserted into the internal and plantar aspect of the internal cuneiform bone. Its action is to turn the sole of the foot inwards. Of the second portion of the muscle it is said, its tendon passes down close to that of the former muscle, and is inserted into the inner side of the base of the metatarsal bone of the thumb — that is, of the macaque's hind thumb, or great toe. The name expresses its action. From the lecture let us turn to any work on anatomy, say Gray's, because of the well- defined diagramatic illustrations, and it will be found stated that the tibialis anticus is inserted into the inner side of the internal cuneiform bone, and base of the metatarsal bone of the great toe. Eeferring to the drawing of the bones of the human foot, these two separate insertions are marked as distinctly as they can be shown in any monkey. For a similar blunder, the examiner in anatomy will reject the first junior student who goes up before him. Furthermore, the actions of the muscle in man are twofold. It turns inwards the sole of the foot, and raises the metatarsal bone of the great toe. Let any one try this upon himself, and he will find the tendon start out before the instep: or let him try to balance liimsclf upon his heels, and he will see how the same muscle acts in maintaining the body in the erect posture. If this character of the muscle be taken in conjunction with what Dr. Ilumphray says of the variations
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3