Makcii 2-2, 1895.] 



SCIENCE. 



313 



■ that it is desirable to clear the field as far 

 as possible at the veiy beginning of our dis- 

 cussion In' the elimination of those points 

 uj/ou which there is substantial agreement. 

 I assume that there is no diversitj- of opin- 

 ion ou the places ■which should be occupied 

 by histology and topography. It is to my 

 mind perfectly manifest that the student 

 cannot profitably or comfortably receive in- 

 struction in gross anatomy until he has 

 learned the elements of histology : has be- 

 come ftvmiliar with the characters of the 

 various textures which make up the parts 

 and organs of the body, and to which, of 

 necessity, references are constantly made 

 in macroscopic anatomy. By identically 

 the same method of reasoning the conclu- 

 sion is reached that topography should be 

 taken up latest of all : for it cannot be in a 

 high degi'ce useful to the pupil to work at 

 the relations in space which different organs 

 sustain to each other, until he has acquaint- 

 ed himself with the facts of their shape, 

 size and consistency. To attempt descrip- 

 tive anatomy without histological knowl- 

 edge is comparable to studying architec- 

 tural structures in perfect ignorance of the 

 qualities of building materials, such as stone, 

 brick, wood, iron and mortar ; and to under- 

 take regional, before being well grounded 

 in systematic, anatomy is about as possible 

 as reading sentences before acquiring words, 

 or studying the relations of any other 

 things without knowing something about 

 the things themselves. Besides, there is a 

 marked advantage in the incidental, Init 

 searching, review of every preceding por- 

 tion of gross anatomy involved in the pur- 



■ suit of typographical ; and all teachers 

 recognize the vast importance of such repe- 

 titions for the student, even if they do not 

 admit that they themselves retain their fa- 

 miliarity with this .science of innumerable 

 details only by virtue of incessant review 

 in one way or another. 



There is certainly room for difference of 



opinion concerning the most advantageous 

 marshaling of the remainder of tlie topics 

 with which we have to deal ; but our de- 

 cision should probablj^ be in largest measure 

 determined by the circumstances in which 

 it is necessary to pursue the studj'. If the 

 pupil is to devote himself to anatomy onlj', 

 •no great objection is to be raised to the order 

 of subjects adopted in the text-books in 

 most common use — the order which, I 

 think, the majoritj- of teachers employ — be- 

 ginning wdth osteology, and following in 

 regular succession with arthrologj-, mj'ologj', 

 angiologj', neurology and splanchnology. 

 Much can be said in support of this arrange- 

 ment. The knowledge of vessels, their 

 origins and terminations, can be of little 

 avail, if there is not a precedent acquaintance 

 with the muscles and other structures which 

 thej- flush with nourishing blood, or drain 

 of unneeded and effete material ; and so, 

 before undertaking angiology, we need 

 especially to studj* muscles, which consti- 

 tute so large a part of the human bulk out- 

 side of the great cavities, and in which are 

 found so considerable a proportion of the 

 tubes of supply and waste with wliich we 

 have to deal in the practice of medicine and 

 surgery. The nerves, too, cannot be studied 

 to advantage without antecedent familiarity 

 with the muscles, which are the objective 

 point of their motorial function. In their 

 turn, also, the active organs of locomotion 

 are never learned unless there is a well-laid 

 foundation of skeletal knowledge, upon 

 which to build them ; for, in absence of this 

 basis, they are but impotent, flabby, almost 

 shapeless masses of flesh, but little amen- 

 able to description, and quite elusive of com- 

 prehension. Arthrology is plainly out of 

 the question without osteologj', which slwuld 

 immediately precede it. The studj- of the 

 viscera and organs of special sense concludes 

 the series. 



This arrangement is not altogether free 

 from objections. For instance, even after 



