578 
SOME ERRORS IN THE DIVISIONS OF THE 
BONES AS GIVEN IN PERCIVALL'S ANATOMY. 
By J. J. Lupton, Student of Veterinary Medicine R.V.C. 
Dear Sirs, — In studying the bones, I have been struck 
with several divisions of parts of bones which Percivall has 
made which I think improper, especially in the humerus. 
For instance, he divides the condyles by an eminence. Now 
an eminence, in an extremity, should fit into a concavity in 
the bone it articulates with, but it happens differently ; there 
are two eminences on the radius which fit into two canals in 
the humerus. 
Mr. Percivall also mentions two scabious fossa. It seems 
to me to be a canal, and I have, therefore, called it Scaber 
Canalis. 
I have called the deep ovoid fossa, mentioned by Percivall, 
the piscina, because it so forcibly reminds me of the piscina 
which you may now see in all the churches built before the 
reformation. It consists of a basin placed in an excavation in 
the wall, just by the altar table. In this piscina the priest 
used to wash his hands. 
The accompanying paper will explain itself. I have put 
the derivations to many of the words. I beg you to pardon 
this egotistical letter, and do not deem me presumptuous, 
since I send it in all humility ; thinking that remarks which 
carry some truth with them will be received just for what 
they are worth. 
I remain, dear sirs, 
Yours truly. 
The Cloisters, Westminster ; 
Sept. 6 , 1856 . 
The Humerus . — (Latin n ., signifying the shoulder). 
Situation. — Between the scapula ( L . n. blade-bone), and 
the radius and ulna ; whereby an angular space of consider- 
able extent is left between the two bones. 
Form. — Cylindroid ; presenting the appearance of having 
been twisted on itself. 
Division . — Into a body and two extremities. 
Body. — Angular; with expanded, flattened sides, con- 
tracted and rounded inferiorly. From its outer, fore, and 
upper part, projects the tuberosity (from L. n. tuber, a 
swelling). From the tuberosity, proceeding inwards, forwards, 
and downwards, is a slight eminence, which terminates in a 
