PRE-ALEXANDRIAN ANATOMY-1000 TO 300 B.C. 43 



For centuries, the basic text of Hindu medicine was the 

 Susruta. According to this ancient classic, the human body was 

 composed of 300 bones, 90 tendons, 210 joints, 500 muscles, 70 

 blood vessels, 3 humors, 3 secretions and 9 sense organs. Other 

 structures were also known. The suture of the skull was regarded 

 as the place where the spirit entered man after creation (Castig- 

 lioni, '41; Hammett, '29). 



There is, however, some evidence that the early Hindus may 

 actually have examined the human body. Physicians enclosed sub- 

 jects in a bag and allowed them to decompose for nine days in a 

 river. By this method, the internal organs could be disclosed 

 without utilizing a knife; the use of this metal instrument was 

 forbidden by Hindu religious laws (Castiglioni, '41; Bacon, '03). 



There is unanimous agreement among authorities that all 

 dissection was utterly excluded by Arabian religious beliefs (Chat- 

 ard, '08). In addition, the physician felt no need for a knowledge 

 of the subject (Coleman, '50). Otherwise, these people were ad- 

 vanced in medicine although they subordinated anatomy and 

 surgery (Haggard, '29). Khairallah ('42) states that Mesiie, Sr. 

 anatomized a monkey and wrote a book on his observations; he 

 threatened to do the same to his weak-minded son after his death. 

 Like peoples of other countries, the Arabians were interested in 

 localizing the soul; they believed it was situated in the liver. 



The Babylonians likewise had some knowledge of anatomy. 

 Their book, Talmud (5th Century B.C.), contained a number of 

 interesting anatomical facts. Described therein were parts of the 

 gastrointestinal, respiratory, genitourinary, cardiovascular and 

 other systems. They also localized the soul in the liver. 



