( xiv )
physician, anatomy appears very conspicuous and
methodical. He gives the situation and uses of all
the parts of the human body, whether animal, vital,
or natural. What discoveries he made, cannot be
ascertained; but Galen was the first author who
seems to have digested, in regular order, the human
functions, the brain and its membranes, the senses,
the contents of the thorax and abdomen, osteology,
a complete myology, and neurology, in which are
the origin and insertion of the muscles, their action,
&c.; and the distribution of the whole nervous sys-
tem. The lacteal vessels, likewise, were well
known: though the extent of their effects, their
passing through the thoracic duct and subcla-
vian vein, to the blood, were not comprehend-
ed. The exhalant arteries and inhalants were men-
tioned, both by Hippocrates and Galen ; but the
principles of action were unknown. The circula-
tion of the blood, the real uses of the liver, glands,
heart, diaphragm, pancreas, kidney, ureters, blad-
der, universal cellular structure, the power of the
nervous system over the arteries and veins, the
lymphatic absorbent system, were to him unknown.
From the time of Galen to the fifteenth century,
anatomy was rather on the decline, anatomists being
considered learned or ignorant in proportion to
their knowledge of his works. The destruction of
physician, anatomy appears very conspicuous and
methodical. He gives the situation and uses of all
the parts of the human body, whether animal, vital,
or natural. What discoveries he made, cannot be
ascertained; but Galen was the first author who
seems to have digested, in regular order, the human
functions, the brain and its membranes, the senses,
the contents of the thorax and abdomen, osteology,
a complete myology, and neurology, in which are
the origin and insertion of the muscles, their action,
&c.; and the distribution of the whole nervous sys-
tem. The lacteal vessels, likewise, were well
known: though the extent of their effects, their
passing through the thoracic duct and subcla-
vian vein, to the blood, were not comprehend-
ed. The exhalant arteries and inhalants were men-
tioned, both by Hippocrates and Galen ; but the
principles of action were unknown. The circula-
tion of the blood, the real uses of the liver, glands,
heart, diaphragm, pancreas, kidney, ureters, blad-
der, universal cellular structure, the power of the
nervous system over the arteries and veins, the
lymphatic absorbent system, were to him unknown.
From the time of Galen to the fifteenth century,
anatomy was rather on the decline, anatomists being
considered learned or ignorant in proportion to
their knowledge of his works. The destruction of