VII. A Case of Human Monstrosity, with a Commentary. 



By W. CLARK, M.D. &c. &c. 



LATE FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, AND PROFESSOR OF ANATOMY IN THE 

 UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE. 



[Read Mai/ 16, 1831.] 



Of late years no subject has more incessantly occupied the 

 labours of learned continental Anatomists, than the investigation 

 of the steps by which the rudimentary organs of embryos advance 

 to their perfect form. Nor has any proved more fertile in results 

 the most valuable. It was observed that in all vertebral ani- 

 mals at least, that process is effected according to a plan which 

 is uniform for all : that in the lower orders, the full development 

 of this plan is arrested in its progress; whilst in the higher, ac- 

 cording to their place in the scale, it is constantly advanced to 

 a still increasing degree of perfection. By a skilful application of 

 this general principle it was, that Cuvier and GeofFroy St. Hilaire 

 were so successful in explaining the osseous system in the crania 

 of reptiles, fishes, and birds — which, up to their day, had been 

 nearly unintelligible. And thus also, that Serres and Tiedemann, 

 and Gall and Spurzheim, succeeded in assigning their true import 

 to the different portions of the brain in birds and in fishes, by 

 shewing to what parts of the rudimentary brain of the higher 

 class they are analagous. The nature of such enquiries necessarily 



EE 2 



