1868.] Mr. J, Wood on Variations in Human Myology. 483 



XVII. "Variations in Human Myology observed during the Winter 

 Session of 1867-68 at King's College, London." By John 

 Wood, F.K.C.S., Examiner in Anatomy to the University of 

 London. Communicated by Dr. Sharpey. Received June 10, 

 1868. 



On giving the results of our observations in this branch of scientific 

 inquiry, my thanks are again due to the zeal and increased experience of 

 my assistants in the dissecting-rooms, and especially to Mr. J. B. Perrin, 

 by whose constant labour and vigilance my work has been most materially 

 aided. Of the 36 subjects dissected, not one has been found totally 

 wanting in departures from the standard descriptions of the muscular 

 system given in anatomical text-books. Some of the more common varia- 

 tions, which are usually mentioned by our best authors, have been included 

 this year with a view of determining their relative frequency. Others 

 have been comprised which seem to show the first evidences of a tendency 

 to the more complete and striking abnormal forms. 



These I have deemed of much importance in throwing light upon 

 the origin of the more complete variations. Many of them have been 

 found so often as materially to add to the total number of abnormali- 

 ties in the Table, and also to the labour of searching out and classifying 

 them. 



With few exceptions, the lines of variation have been found in the 

 same grooves as in former sessions, as will be seen by comparing the Tables. 

 Our observations have still been confined to the muscles of the head and 

 neck, arms and legs, not noting those of the face, back, or abdomen, 

 except in the case of unusual eccentricity of formation. All the more 

 important formations have been sketched by myself from the subject ; and 

 the greater part of those which have been simply noted have also been 

 previously examined by me. The proportion of the two sexes happens 

 this year to have been exactly equal, giving us a fair opportunity of com- 

 paring the proportionate frequency of muscular abnormalities in each. 

 For the sake of greater convenience of reference, they have been placed 

 separately in the Table. 



In the 36 subjects, 18 males and 18 females, we have the large number 

 of 558 muscular variations, of which 20 were found in the head and neck 

 proper, 390 in the arms (including those lying in the neck which act upon 

 the upper extremity), and 148 in the legs. But although the absolute 

 number of specimens found is so much greater than in former years, the 

 lines of variation are not proportionably increased, amounting to 72 as 

 compared with 61 of last year. Of these 13 were found in the head- and 

 wec/c-muscles proper, 3/ in the arm, and 22 in the leg — the greatest 

 increase being in the arm. 



In the first section of the accompanying Table will be found 20 speci- 



VOL. XVI. 2 T 



