360° Scientific Reviews. 
The merit of having given to this branch of the study of animal 
beings the character it now bears, is certainly due to Bichat, whose 
extensive acquaintance with the structure of animal bodies in the 
sound and diseased state, together with his many opportunities, 
enabled him not only to arrange and generalize what had been done 
by the labours of preceding eau but to add many additional 
ebservations and discoveries of his own. For although ‘Carmichael 
Smyth in England, and Pinel in France, had reniarked the influ- 
ence of raierare in modifying disease, and had from thence ferm- 
ed a nosological arrangement, “and although Bonn had, long before, 
treated of ne limits el continuations of the sas in a ne 
sis which evinces much acuteness of observation, yet it was Bichat 
who wrote the “ Traité des Membranes,” and “ (Anatonue Generale.” 
Since Bichat wrote, much has been added to this subject, as well 
by the anatomists of France as by those of Germany and England. 
We shall not now inquire how far the name General Anatomy 
comprehends all that the subject embraces, because, hke many 
others, it is a conventional name, and is understcod te mean 
what in a strict acceptation it would not; but we shall merely 
state, that by General Anatomy is understeed a particular and mi- 
nute account of the structure and properties of the different tissues 
or textures of animal bedies, and an examination into the general 
characters of the organs ich these tissues compose. 
Having made fess prenmnary remarks, we preceed to speak 
of the books, the perusal of which has given rise te them. 
The first, then, is a translation al the French of the late Pro- 
fessor Béclard, the editor and continuator of Bichat’s General Ana- 
tomy. This has, in its original form, already passed the ordeal of 
criticism, and has been written down a good book. As for the 
translation, it is perhaps enough to say that it has been prepared 
and published under the superintendency of Dr. Knox, who has 
added a few notes and an appendix illustrating his views of the 
pathology of Necrosis, and the means followed by Nature in the 
regeneration of bone. 
“The second is by Mr. Grainger of London, and is a compilation 
which he has made for the use of students. In compiling we ought 
to convert into our own words what we take from other ee 
for it is by this means only that we can express ourselves clearly, 
and speak with precision from beginning to end. Now Mr. Grain- 
ger has perhaps not rigidly enough adhered to this, especially in his 
eed an. the greater part of hi, relating te the human orga- 
nization, he thes very literally wanes < from Béclard and M peer 
In the compositien of the bedy of the work, he seems to have 
borrowed with more moderation, but his descriptions are neither se 
full nor so precise as those oF Béclard ; and deviating from the 
method followed by other systematic ier on General Anatomy, 
he has passed over in silence the alterations effected in the texture 
by disease,—a subject of very great importance, and indeed the 
elucidation of which is one of hic chief ends of the study of Biss 
ral Anatomy. 
