PREFACE 



To the First Edition, published in 1826. 



THE many additions that, of late years, have been 

 made to Descriptive or Special Anatomy; the improved 

 views on the collocation of its objects; the alterations and 

 amendments in the method of description; and the non- 

 urgent call for some greater information on General Ana- 

 tomy than what is commonly introduced into the scho- 

 lastic systems; require in the English language, for the 

 benefit of the medical student and of the practitioner, a 

 new work on the structure of the body, executed by one 

 who is in the habit of pursuing anatomical inquiries by 

 constant dissection. It would have been pleasant to me 

 if some gentleman, whose time, opportunities, qualifica- 

 tions, and spirit ofresearch were better suited to the en- 

 terprise, had stepped forward for its accomplishment. 

 While meditating on this subject, I had a strong desire 

 to remodel the excellent work of Dr. Wistar,* on a plan 

 more suited to the actual state of the science ; but, upon 

 reflecting that it was a justly celebrated monument to 

 his reputation, I became dissatisfied with the project of 

 cutting and carving it into a more modern figure. In 

 addition to which consideration, having frequently de- 

 parted from his authority, the alternative was presented 

 either of suppressing his ideas to substitute my own, or 

 of giving currency to opinions differing from my own 

 convictions, neither of which was agreeable. The la- 



* A system of Anatomy for the use of Students of Medicine. 

 Philadelphia, 1817. 



