A compendious system of anatomy : in six parts : part I : Osteology ; II. Of the muscles, &c. ; III. Of the abdomen ; IV. Of the thorax ; V. Of the brain and nerves ; VI. Of the senses ; from the Encyclopaedia : illustrated with twelve large copperplates.

  • Fyfe, Andrew, 1754-1824.
Date:
1805
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A compendious system of anatomy : in six parts : part I : Osteology ; II. Of the muscles, &c. ; III. Of the abdomen ; IV. Of the thorax ; V. Of the brain and nerves ; VI. Of the senses ; from the Encyclopaedia : illustrated with twelve large copperplates. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    been the first who applied to physic alone as the business of his life. He is likewise gene- rally supposed to be the first who wrote upon anatomy. We know of nothing that was writ- ten expressly upon the subject before; and the first anatomical dissection which has been recorded, was made by his friend Democritus of Abdera. If, however, we read the works of Hippo- crates with impartiality, and apply his ac- counts of the parts to what we now know of the human body, we must allow his descrip- tions to be imperfect, incorrect, sometimes ex- travagant, and often unintelligible, that of the bones only excepted. He seems to have stu- died these with more success than the other parts, and tells us that he had an opportunity of seeing an human skeleton. From Hippocrates to Galen, who flourish- ed towards the end of the second century, in the decline of the Roman empire, that is, in the space of 600 years, anatomy was greatly improved; the philosophers still considering it as a most curious and interesting branch of natural knowledge, and the physicians, as a principal foundation of their art. Both of them, in that interval of time, contributed dai- ly to the common stock, by more accurate and extended observations, and by the lights of improving philosophy. As these two great men had applied very particularly to the study of animal bodies, they not only made great improvements* es- pecially in physiology, but raised the credit