The First Anatomists
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چکیده
ANATOMY has been considered to have had its beginning in the Egyptian practice of embalming the dead, and indeed the practice of preserving dead bodies from corruptioni could hardly fail to excite some interest in the structure of the humanl body. But little real anatomy could have been acquired by this means, for the ceremonies of embalming, as told by Herodotus (c. 400 B.C.) and Diodorus Siculus (C. 80 B.C.), were not such as to allow of a very careful examination of the parts. The incisioni through which the viscera was to be removed was relatively small, and moreover, was made in rather a hurried manner. "The Cutter," who made the incison in public, used a knife of Ethiopian stone, and he was obliged to get up immediately after committing the deed, and run for his life; for the Egyptians held as odiotus anyone who did violence to a body of the same nature as their own, and it was customary for the onlookers to maltreat "the Cutter," and to chase him, and pelt him with stones. The actual embalmers were men of a better standing in Egyptian society, and belonged to a special sect of priests. The abdominal and thoracic viscera were removed by these priests, through the opening made by "the Cutter." This, however, would only allow of the most elementary examination of the anatomy of the different organs, and moreover, the use of such a rude instrument as a knife of Ethiopian stone could not have resulted in anything but the simplest ideas of the subject. 'rhe employment of such a primitive knife was probably founded on ancient custom, since it is the very essence of superstition, and the act of embalming was based on superstition, to adhere with the most pertinaceous obstitnacy to established practices anad cutstoms. Instance after instance might be given in support of this statement. Even as late as the time-of Livv it was the custom of the Romans, in ratifying treaties, to slay a victim, usually a hog, by means of a sharp flint, although it is kniowIn that brass and iron instruments were in common use at the time. At the genieral circumcision of the Israelites ordered by Joshua, after their arrival in the promised land, the operation was performed with a stone knife, yet it is well known that the Jews were skilled in all the arts of metallurgy. The …
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ورودعنوان ژورنال:
- The Ulster Medical Journal
دوره 7 شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 1938