iv PREFACE TO FIFTH EDITION 



regular and definite than that hitherto in use, and, therefore, it 

 tends to inculcate greater definiteness of idea and statement. 

 Secondly, because it has been very generally adopted in Canada, 

 Australia, and America, and will be adopted in the new anatomical 

 department of the South African College. Therefore, if we in Great 

 Britain and Ireland retain the old terms, it will not be long before 

 students and graduates who have been educated in the British 

 Colonies and America will have difficulty in understanding the 

 terminology in use in this country, and the blame for the un- 

 necessary confusion which will result will lie with those of us who 

 refuse to adapt ourselves, and fail to encourage our students to 

 adapt themselves, to changing conditions. 



It is not for a moment suggested that the Basle anatomical 

 terminology is perfect, indeed in many respects it might easily be 

 improved, but on the whole it is simpler, more definite, and more 

 instructive than the old terminology, particularly for the beginner, 

 to whom the old terms are unknown ; moreover, it uses only one 

 designation for each structure and, therefore, avoids the superfluity 

 of terms which is one of the great drawbacks of the older nomen- 

 clature. Thus it presents several advantages, and its deficiencies 

 can easily be remedied, with a minimum of trouble, by the altera- 

 tion of a few terms ; for the main principles are sound and are 

 easily applied to details which were not considered at the Basle 

 congress. 



It is admitted that the adoption of the Basle nomenclature will, 

 for a time, be a source of some trouble to medical men to whom 

 the old terms are familiar, but the difficulty can be alleviated by 

 the frequent repetition of the old term after the new, when the 

 former differs considerably from the latter a plan which has been 

 adopted in this volume. 



To further facilitate the transition from the older to the newer 

 terminology, the glossary of the more important terms, indicating 

 the differences between the old and the new, which was introduced 

 in the last edition, and for which my thanks are due to Mr. 

 J. Keogh Murphy, has been retained, but whilst the old terms 

 were placed first, and the new last, in the old edition, the position 

 has been reversed in this. Our experience in Edinburgh, during 

 the past two years, encourages the belief that under the system 

 outlined above, and adopted in this volume, the transition from 

 the old to the new terminology will be the source of very little 

 trouble to the student, whilst it will excite his interest and lead 

 him to appreciate the value of terms which themselves convey 

 instruction in anatomy as contrasted with others which have only 

 historical associations. 



ARTHUR ROBINSON. 



