Prelace. 



The appearance of Spalteholz's Atlas a few years ago was welcomed 

 alike by teachers and students of anatomy. So useful is this book to students 

 who desire to study anatomy in the dissecting room that without any effort 

 on my part it has become the favorite aid to the students of anatomy at the 

 Johns Hopkins University. Its value to English and American students not 

 acquainted with the German language is now greatly increased through the 

 admirable translation of the text into English by Professor Barker. 



The main object of studying anatomy is to obtain a mental image of the 

 human body rather than to memorize numerous terms as is too often the aim 

 in our medical schools, especially in America. When the study of anatomy is 

 transferred from the lecture room, text book and quiz-compend to the dissecting 

 room it becomes one of the best disciplinary studies for medical students and 

 at the same time gives them most useful knowledge by the inductive method 

 of study. In the dissecting room the student obtains the greatest aid from the 

 instructor who teaches him the art of dissection and guides him in methodical 

 study. Next in importance is a good text book which should always be at 

 the student's side in order that he may study the dissection of the body as 

 it proceeds. 



The study of anatomy would be relatively easy were the student familiar 

 with the subject before he begins it. The rule that the student should acquire 

 as much knowledge as possible of a region before he begins to dissect it is 

 good but has its limitations because it is only through the work itself that 

 the interest of the student, and thereby his instruction, can be kept up. Just 

 at this time an Atlas proves to be of the greatest value. Pictures of dissections, 

 true to nature, aid the imagination of the student enormously and thus guide 

 his work from the known to the unknown. It follows that the illustrations 

 of an anatomical atlas must be typical, giving all stages of the dissection of 

 the body from its beginning to its completion. The Atlas of Spalteholz meets 

 this requirement. In addition to the superior quality of the illustrations it 

 may be stated that they are all carefully marked with the new anatomical 

 nomenclature. 



