406 ANDROPHYSICS. 



was the first who treated Physiology as a distinct science ; though 

 his work involves all the elements of Anatomy. Haller maintained 

 the doctrine of animal irritability, proposed by Glisson ; and re- 

 garded it as a power distinct from sensation. The nomenclature of 

 descriptive anatomy was improved by Dr. Barclay, in 1803 ; parti- 

 cularly by the introduction of terms for describing more precisely 

 the relative positions of the parts and organs. More recently, Bichat 

 has proposed an excellent classification of organic structures ; and 

 has made the important distinction of a cerebral, and a ganglionic sys- 

 tem of the nerves. To Sir Charles Bell, and Mr. Mayo, we are in- 

 debted, for the discovery that the nerves are of two distinct classes, 

 one for the exercise of volition, and the other for sensation : a dis- 

 covery which has been termed the greatest, in this branch of know- 

 ledge, since the time of Harvey. 



General Anatomy, is that division of Andronomy which treats 

 of the different kinds of structure, found in the human body, as re- 

 gards the mode of organization. These structures, or systems, are, 

 according to Bichat, the osseous, or bony, constituting the bones ; 

 the cartilaginous, composing the cartilage, or gristle of the joints ; 

 the fibrous, forming the ligaments of the joints, and the coverings 

 of the kidneys, and other organs ; the muscular, found in the mus- 

 cles ; the vascular, in the heart, arteries, and veins ; the nervous, in 

 the nerves ; the mucous, forming the inner lining of the nose, wind- 

 pipe, and other parts ; the serous, enveloping the stomach, lungs, 

 and other organs ; the glandular, occurring in small rounded organs 

 of secretion ; the adipose, or fatty, forming the inner covering ; and 

 the cellular, forming the outer covering, of the kidneys, and other or- 

 gans ; and the dermoid structure, occurring in the skin. The study 

 of the particular parts and organs of the human body, has been 

 termed, Special Anatomy ; and this, with the corresponding parts 

 of Physiology, will constitute the remainder of the present branch, 

 under the commonly received divisions of Osteology, Myology, Neu- 

 rology, Angiology, and Splanchnology. 



1. Osteology, is that division of Anatomy which treats of the 

 bones ; their structure, shape, number, and position. Bones, are of 

 a porous structure ; the hard part consisting chiefly of carbonate and 

 phosphate of lime ; but the pores being filled with vessels and fluids, 

 which supply the materials for their growth. When fully developed, 

 in the human body, they are about 250 in number ; and collectively 

 they form the framework which supports the body, called, in tech- 

 nical language, the skeleton. The skeleton is generally divided into 

 the head, trunk, and extremities. In the head, the cranium, or 

 skull, is composed of eight bones, united by serrated joints, or 

 sutures, the upper front bone being called the sinciput, and the 

 hinder bone the occiput. The face, has fourteen bones, besides 

 thirty-two teeth ; the incisors, or cutting teeth being in front, four 

 in each jaw; the canine, or cuspid teeth next; the bicuspid, or 

 small molars, next to these ; and the molars, or grinding teeth, com- 

 pleting the series, on each side. Eight small bones of the ears, 

 might be added to the above enumeration. 



The trunk, of the skeleton, is composed of the vertebrae, the ribs, 



