1881.J ^-^^ [Wilder, 



embody a brief statement of "the objects of the present revision, the con- 

 siderations upon which it is based, and tlie methods which have been pur- 

 sued :" 



"To facilitate the acquisition and communication of accurate anatomi- 

 cal knoAvledge, by rendering the vocabulary equally applicable to all ver- 

 tebrates, ancl equally intelligible to all nations. 



" That the convenience and preferences of all existing anatomists should 

 be held of little moment as compared with the advantages which reform 

 may ensure to the vastly more numerous anatomical workers of the future. 



"That the test of the accuracy and completeness of a description is, not 

 that it may assist, but that it cannot mislead. 



"That brevity is an especially desirable characteristic of such names as are 

 most frequently employed. 



"To include in this vocabulary, so far as practicable, only such terms as 

 are brief, simple, significant, of classical origin and capable of inflection. 



"To propose as few changes as possible, and to introduce new names 

 only for parts apparently unknown or unnamed before (e. g., crista for- 

 nicis), or in the place of semi-descriptive appellations undesirably long or 

 incapable of inflection, as e. g., cimbia for tractus transversus peduncuU, 

 porta for foramen Monroi. 



" When a part is known by a descriptive phrase, to select therefrom some 

 characteristic word as the technical designation ; e. g., iter (a tertio ad ven- 

 triculum quartum). 



"When two or luore parts are similar, or have similar relations, to dis- 

 tinguish them by joining to some common title already in use prefixes in- 

 dicative of their relative positions ; e. g., postgeniculatum, prcegenicu- 

 latum. 



"To shorten the names of several parts by omitting the word corpus, 

 and using the neuter adjective as a substantive. 



"To discard terms which indicate size, those which refer to the natural 

 attitude of man or animals, most vernacular names, and all names of the 

 reproductive organs which have been applied needlessly to other parts of 

 the body. 



"To keep modern usage, and the rules of classical etymology con- 

 stantly in mind, but not to be hindered therebj^ from the emploj^ment or 

 even the formation of terms which are eminently desirable from the prac- 

 tical standpoint." 



At my request, the publisher of "Science" kindly sent copies of the 

 two numbers containing the article to leading scientific, medical and lite- 

 rary journals, and to about 22 naturalists or physicians who make more or 

 less use of anatomical terms in their writings. There has been scarcely 

 time for any extended criticism of the proposed changes, but as the article 

 contained a very distinct request for suggestions, I am disposed to infer that 

 anatomists are at least willing to let the new terms have a fair trial in the 

 present paper, the preparation of which was announced at the head of the 

 article. 



The following are the only published comments upon the subject, which 

 have come to my notice :— * 



In The Nation for April 12, 1881, is a brief notice of the article, evidently 



* Since this was written, The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease for July . 

 1881 (652-661), has reprinted from the paper (9) the List of names of encephalic 

 parts, and regards the new nomenclature as supported bj' " rather satisfactory 

 arguments." See also p. 562 of this paper. 



