COM 



COM 



teen such companies, one of which is al- 

 ways grenadiers, and posted on the 

 right . next them stand the eldest compa- 

 ny, and on the left the second company ; 

 the youngest one being always posted in 

 the center. 



Companies not incorporated into regi- 

 ments are called irregulars, or indepen- 

 dent companies. 



COMPANY of ships, a fleet of merchan- 

 men, who make a charter party among 

 themselves, the principal conditions 

 whereof usually are, that certain vessels 

 shall be acknowledged admiral, vice-ad- 

 miral, and rear-admiral; that such and 

 such signals shall be observed ; that 

 those which bear no guns shall pay so 

 much per cent, of their cargo ; and in 

 case they be attacked, that what damages 

 are sustained shall be reimbursed by the 

 company in general. In the Mediter- 

 ranean such companies are called Con- 

 serves. 



COMPARATIVE anatomy, is the sci- 

 ence which examines the structure of 

 the body in animals. It includes, in its 

 most extensive sense, a view of the cor- 

 poreal organization of all classes of the 

 animal kingdom. 



This science, which is very aptly 

 denominated comparative anatomy, af- 

 fords the most essential aid in elucidat- 

 ing the structure of the human body, 

 and in explaining the doctrines of phy- 

 siology. 



The want of any organ in certain 

 classes of animals, or its existence under 

 different modifications of form, structure, 

 &c. cannot fail to suggest most interest- 

 ing conclusions concerning the office of 

 the same part to the human subject. 

 Thus our physiological reasonings, which 

 must necessarily be partial and incom- 

 plete, when deduced from the structure 

 of a single animal or class, are extended 

 and corrected by this general compara- 

 tive survey, and may therefore be relied 

 on with the greater confidence. We are 

 indebted to such investigations for the dis- 

 covery of the circulation and of the lym- 

 phatic system ; for the elucidation of'the 

 functions of digestion and generation ; 

 indeed, there is no branch of anatomy 

 or physiology, which has not received 

 most material benefit from the same 

 source. Hence Haller has very justly 

 observed, that " physiology has been 

 more illustrated by comparative anato- 

 my, than by the dissection of the human 

 body." 



The study of comparative anatomy is 

 moreover of the greatest importance in its 



connection with veterinary science, and 

 with that highly interesting pursuit, na- 

 tural history. It would be an affront to 

 our readers to enlarge upon its utility in 

 the former point of view ; but we may 

 be allowed to observe on the latter sub- 

 ject, that anatomical structure forms the 

 only sure basis of a natural classification 

 ofthe animal kingdom; and "that any ar- 

 rangement, not founded on this ground- 

 work, will lead us into the most gross and 

 palpable errors 



Lastly, this study opens to the mind a 

 great source of interest and satisfaction, 

 in exhibiting such numerous and unde- 

 niable proofs of the exertion 'of contri- 

 vance and design in the animal struc- 

 ture ; in displaying those modifications 

 of particular parts and organs, by which 

 they are adapted to the peculiar circum- 

 stances of the animal, and become sub- 

 servient to its wants, its necessities, or its 

 enjoyments. 



The importance of the subject, from 

 the above-mentioned circumstances, is 

 now so fully recognised, that it begins 

 with justice to be considered as an essen- 

 tial part of a regular medical education. 

 Public lectures have been delivered on it 

 for some years in Germany and France ; 

 and lately the example has been followed 

 in this metropolis. 



Hitherto there has been rather a defi- 

 ciency of good works on this science, 

 and particularly of elementary books. 

 Blasius has given a collection ofthe writ- 

 ings of several authors on the anatomy of 

 particular animals, in one volume 4to., 

 . entitled " Anatomia animalium figuris 

 variis illustrata," Amstel. 1681; which 

 may still be consulted with advantage, 

 particularly on account of the plates. 

 Cuvier's "Lecons d'Anatomie comparce," 

 in five large 8vo. volumes, form a very 

 valuable and useful repository of facts in 

 comparative anatomy ; but the subject is 

 treated at such length, and with so many 

 uninteresting details, that the book is by 

 no means adapted for the use of students. 

 The only compendious and scientific 

 view of the subject, which we can recom- 

 mend to beginners, is the short system 

 published by Blumenbach of Gottingen, 

 and translated from the German by Mr. 

 Lawrence, who has accompanied it with 

 numerous additional notes. 



The necessity of confining this arti- 

 cle within a given number of pages 

 renders it impossible for us to give a 

 general view of the subject: we shall, 

 therefore, select such parts as are 

 either particularly interesting in them- 

 selves, or such as become important frolm 



