Essays and observations on natural history, anatomy, physiology, psychology, and geology / by John Hunter, being his posthumous papers on those subjects, arranged and revised, with notes ; to which are added the introductory lectures on the Hunterian collection of fossil remains delivered in the theatre of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, March 8th, 10th and 12th, 1855 / by Richard Owen.
- John Hunter
- Date:
- 1861
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Essays and observations on natural history, anatomy, physiology, psychology, and geology / by John Hunter, being his posthumous papers on those subjects, arranged and revised, with notes ; to which are added the introductory lectures on the Hunterian collection of fossil remains delivered in the theatre of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, March 8th, 10th and 12th, 1855 / by Richard Owen. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![that, reading (which, is like going through the operations a second time) will be very useful; and, as we get by the former a general knowledge, we are now able to understand, by reading, what we did not know before, nor could have known without that previous knowledge. Progress of the Study of Anatomy. Anatomy, or the knowledge of the structure of an animal body, may be said to be, first, [acquired] for the good of the animal itself; secondly, for a variety of purposes which have a relation to that structure, such as sculpture, painting, &c. An animal body is to be considered in two ways; one in a mechanical point of view, the other as regards the internal economy. The first mentioned is the first to be considered. In the examination of the parts of the animal structure, the best method is to begin with the most simple or the least connected, and to proceed in that order; for, how- ever an animal body may seem to be compounded, all its particular parts having a dependence upon one another; yet in an anatomical sense they are more or less distinct, so as to admit of distinct examina- tion. This connexion or interdependence is not in an equal degree, some parts being immediately connected with a greater variety of other parts than others are. The order or degree of connexion is progress- ive, and will not admit of being reversed; for, although the second in that degree has connexion with the first, and cannot be understood without also understanding that connexion, yet the first may be under- stood without the second; and so on. Therefore, the parts that have the least degree of connexion, should be first considered; because, when perfectly understood, those which have immediate connexion with them will be more easily understood. I am not speaking of their constituent parts, but of the whole part as formed; and of the way of examining each part as it is compounded. The bones, in a mechanical view, appear to be the first that are to be considered. We can study their shape, connexions, number, uses, &c, without considering any other part of the body. When they are well understood, it will be a great step towards studying the parts that have an immediate connexion with them. The next thing is their connexion with the cartilages and ligaments, forming the first step in the composition : these, when understood, will give us the motions of the bones one on another. But the ligaments and cartilages have but little dependence on each other. The size, shape, number, connexions, and motions of the bones having been considered, we shall find that they are for the support, shape, and motion of parts, and of the whole body. 2b2](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21182656_0397.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
