316 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. I. No. 12. 



on the physiological side the benefits com- 

 ing from the adoption of the order which I 

 advocate. In this manner the course pro- 

 ceeds ; and no portion of the field is entered 

 upon by the physiologist which has not 

 been explored and surveyed as far as struc- 

 ture is concerned by the anatomist in com- 

 pany with the same set of pupils. After 

 the study of the viscera, including the cere- 

 bro-spinal centres and the organs of special 

 sense, comes the consideration of the re- 

 maining branches of systematic anatomy, 

 beginning with the skeleton and proceeding 

 in the conventional order. 



That much advantage accrues to the 

 class in physiology by the execution of this 

 plan seems to me to be perfectly clear. 

 That any anatomical sacrifice is made by it 

 I do not believe. On the contrary, a dis- 

 tinct benefit is gained even in anatomji" ; 

 for the learning of the function of an organ 

 immediately after the study of its structure 

 serves to emphasize and deepen the impres- 

 sion made by the earlier lesson, and quick- 

 ens with a living interest what otherwise 

 might remain in the mind only as dry and 

 arbitrary fact, if, indeed, it did not lapse 

 altogether from memory beca\ise of its lack 

 of significance. 



Incidentally, too, there results great profit 

 of a practical kind, which is lost in follow- 

 ing the common order. Students usually 

 know less about visceral anatomy than 

 about any other section of the science. This 

 comparative ignorance depends upon three 

 causes. The first is the fact that the ordi- 

 nary text-books are far less accurate in the 

 description of the viscera than in that of 

 other parts — a statement which it is un- 

 necessary to substantiate in this learned 

 presence. Second, the study of the viscera 

 is much more difiicult than that of other 

 parts. In their best estate they present ap- 

 pearances which are liable to be misleading 

 even to the most careful and experienced 

 observers, as witness the conspicuous errors 



which for generations passed muster regard- 

 ing the form of the liver and the position 

 of the stomach — points still misstated in. 

 some of the text-books of the day. But 

 another obstacle is often more serious 

 than this. If the organs are fresh, much 

 that is valuable can be learned from them ; 

 but when they are the seat of advanced 

 putrefactive changes, as often happens when 

 the muscles and associated parts are still 

 useful for somewhat prolonged examination, 

 they must be removed speedilj', without af- 

 fording the slightest opportunitj^ for care- 

 ful observation. Third, as the subject of 

 the viscera is usually placed last in the 

 study of systematic anatomy, it is more 

 likely than anything else to be slighted. 

 We all doubtless know from observation, 

 and some of us probably from personal ex- 

 perience, that the enthusiasm of a novice 

 in a study rarely is sustained to the end. 

 In fact, it ma.y be said without incurring 

 the imputation of exaggeration that a large 

 majority of students in any class flag very 

 noticeably towards the close of the term, 

 however eagerly they may have started out. 

 Unquestionably most medical men, young 

 or old, know more about osteology than 

 about any other branch of anatomy. The 

 reasons of this are not far to seek. The 

 skeleton is less perishable than the soft 

 parts and hence the opportunities for the 

 study of it are vastly greater ; and, what 

 seems to me to be of quite as deep signifi- 

 cance, it is generally the first branch of our 

 science which the student attacks. It is 

 his memorable, first step mside the mighty 

 and mysterious domain of medicine, and, 

 consequently, every detail makes a power- 

 ful impression on his plastic mind. Al- 

 though he sees that his book contains much 

 besides osteology, this is the first and, by 

 inference, the most important of its con- 

 tents. The common people sometimes speak 

 of a skeleton as an anatomy ; and the young 

 student almost deludes himself with the 



