themselves. These are nothing but the initial parts 

 of the embryo in an acceptable form. All that, at 

 first, appears to be of a semi transparent composition, 

 sticky like jelly. After two weeks it is possible to 

 distinguish in it the head and even the features of the 

 face. The nose is represented in the form of a small 

 raised perpendicular line, the eyes appear in the 

 form of two small black points, the ears in the form 

 of small orifices, the mouth opens, the internal 

 structures appear in the form of soft and delicate 

 parts .... In six weeks the embryo has a length of 

 about two inches; at that time movement of the heart 

 is noted in the form of a moving spot, and the signs 

 of its sex are clearly distinguished . In two months . . . 

 the bones start to form in the shape of rounded carti- 

 laginous spots appearing in the middle of the clavicle, 

 elbows , hips , and others . Bones serving for the 

 enclosing and protection of the body's sense organs 

 get their form more quickly than the others, (pp. IV - V) 



In the given extract it is possible to observe without doubt 

 the attempt to describe the processes of bone histogenesis; 

 in particular, the appearance of ossification is noted. 



In still more detail Maksiraovich-Ambodik described 

 bone histogenesis in another work, his ANATOMICAL - 

 PHYSIOLOGICAL DICTIONARY, which had seen the light of 

 day four years before. The corresponding place in this book 

 reads as follows: 



It is impossible to determine for certain that time 

 in the embryo in which the conversion of the soft parts 

 into hard bones starts. It is only known that in each 

 embryonic body, in the parts where bones are located, 

 in the middle of the soft substance a white spot first 

 develops, from which fibers gradually extend in different 

 directions. Hour by hour they get new extension in 

 length, width and thickness? then in an unrecognizable 

 manner they are turned into actual bones. 10 



10. ANATOMICAL-PHYSIOLOGICAL DICTIONARY, in which are 

 named all parts of the human body which relate to anatomy 



( . . . contd on next page) 



130 



