The development of Greek anatomy / by Ludwig Edelstein.

  • Edelstein, Ludwig, 1902-1965.
Date:
1935
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The development of Greek anatomy / by Ludwig Edelstein. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    7/18 (page 239)
    . . . the man immediately expires and thus the praecordia and all the viscera never come into the view of the butchering physician until the man is dead.” 13 The empiricists say further, “ If there be anything which can be observed in a person, that yet breathes, chance often throws it in the way of such as practise the healing art; for that sometimes a gladiator on the stage, a soldier in the field, or a traveller beset by robbers, is so wounded, that some internal part, different in different people, may be exposed to view; and thus a prudent physician finds their situation, position, order, figure, and the other particulars he wants to know, not perpetrating murder, but attempting to give health; and learns that by compassion, which others had discovered by horrid cruelty. That for these reasons it is not necessary to lacerate even dead bodies . . . the dressing of wounds shows all that can be discovered in the living.” 14 The empiricists believe, then, that fortuitous knowledge is sufficient, and frankly call it an “ anatomy by chance.” 15 The dogmatists alone continue to practise anatomy as the dissec¬ tion of human bodies. They do so until the 1st century A. D. From that time on, human dissection becomes impossible even for them, though they still consider it essential. During the 2nd century A. D. Alexandria is the only place, now, in which such dissections can be performed: “ Make it your earnest business, then, not only to learn exactly from the book the appearance of each of the bones, but to become yourself by the use of your own eyes an eager first-hand observer of human osteology. At Alexandria, this is very easy, since the physicians in that country accompany the instruction they give to their students with opportunities for personal inspection (autopsies). Hence you must try to get to Alexandria for this rea¬ son alone, if for no other.” 16 But in general, it is now said, “ Listen, then, and look at this slave, and you shall commit to memory first what is superficially visible. Next, I will try to teach you what the interior parts are to be called, by dissecting some 13 Celsus, loc. cit., pp. 11, 12. 14 Celsus, loc. cit., p. 12. 15 Galen, ed. Kuhn, XIX, p. 357, fr. 67, Deichgraber, Die griechische Empiriker- schule (Berlin, 1930). 10 Galen, avaro/JUKai eyxeiPVa’eis, I, Ch. II, translated by A. J. Brock, Greek Medicine (London), p. 161.