364 ON THE PROGRESS OF ANATOMY. 



the College of Surgeons the collection you may now see in 

 their museum. Numerous as were the physicians and sur- 

 geons who studied under Dr. Barclay, he had also pupils who 

 have distinguished themselves as comparative anatomists. 

 Professor Owen, the worthy successor of Cuvier in the field of 

 comparative anatomy and palaeontology, and deeply deserving 

 of our regard for the energy with which he has brought into 

 view the hidden treasures of the museum of John Hunter, as 

 well as Dr. Grant, of University College, were both his pupils, 

 and doubtless were incited and encouraged by the kindred 

 tastes and enthusiasm of their teacher. 



Such were the directions in which anatomy advanced dur- 

 ing the first thirty years of the present century. At the ter- 

 mination of this period we enter on the present times, which 

 are not yet sufficiently advanced to enable us to see by what 

 character they will ultimately be distinguished. One feature, 

 indeed, which had begun to show itself in the last period has 

 become very prominent in the present. 



Our science has become cut up into numerous depart- 

 ments, studied by different individuals, who in general care 

 little, and know less, of any department of the subject but the 

 one of their own choice. Muller, Eetzius, Eschricht, Hyrtl, 

 Henle, Schwann, Vrolik, and others, still grasp the science in 

 its totality, as was done by Haller, Hunter, and the Meekels ; 

 but in general the title of anatomist in the present day does 

 not indicate this extent of knowledge. 



He may be merely a comparative anatomist, or only a 

 human anatomist ; his knowledge may extend no further than 

 the relation of parts in surgical regions, or the general struc- 

 ture of the viscera ; or, still worse, his knowledge may consist 

 of that heterogeneous kind — facts grouped together, not by the 

 harmonious laws of nature, but by the circumstance of their 

 being observed by means of the microscope. You will at once 

 perceive that such a one-sided knowledge as this can possess 



