igai ¥x / ilK* mm. tA ^ .^i»W IRSRi^^ j®^ »i H;.,' " ' ' ' . .] .■ '■■■■i.'' I ■■ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 4 https://archive.org/details/onabsolutenecess01rowl ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF ENCOtJRAGIN INSTEAD OF PREVENTING or EMBARRASSING THE STUDY OF ANATOMY,- WITH A PLAN TO PREVENT Violating the Dormitories of the DefunB* ADDRfeSSED To THE ■ I.EGISLATURE op GREAT BRITAIN. ^ EY WILLIAM ROWLEA', ' M. D. ' MEMBER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, THE ROYAIB college of physicians in LONDON, AND FHYSICAN TO THE ST. MARY-LE* BONE INFIRMARY, &c. &C, HantJon : Printed in ths Ycac .X79J. “Zi- ^ A .1 ; : : : -s*. : ■ C.T-* VV • ' .-L'-W ✓. -' „ ■' ' 401 ^^. " ^ i I/i 4 > 1 . A ' i ■ - j- . ■n»-^ r>, ’ t*, ^ i. TW 5 I V 5 ■ ' ,^-!t,>f^"*..jii H Wx-K •'"■ '. • " t . * .'.'y.i-v 50 . ■.» i- ' i.s . ..- , j v '_■ bos ?ex>.Kc'u- V: fe.RX-.^^ . ^'- ' . » fM -iii Hi: Ito ' .^xcj Mii> - ..■ S nO^Tijl OJ -^.O T'O ’•_■ ■■ '■' '• "bi '■-' :•'»-- ibiii Ub nb v o •■'■ ’’ ■'’ -^'•' 1 '-' •’ •••-•^•-4 <* • t / ON THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITT THE STUDY OF ANATOMY. HEN prejudices and errors are likely to operate againft mankind in general, it be- comes the indifpenfable duty of every man, capable of giving ufeful information, to freely deliver his fentiments. Whatever is likely to obflrucl the progrefs of medical fcience, deferves the ferious at- tention of every pradtitioner in medicine. Anatomy is allowed by every learned man in the profeflion, to be the molt ufeful and certain of any the furgeon or ph}dician lludies ; it reduces to adtual demon- ftration, what was formerly obfcure and ambigu- ous ; it teaches the dodtrines and ufes of all the parts of the human body, fecures to the furgeon a confidence in all operations, and to the phyfician the power of diftinguifhing difeafes, with all their varieties, caufes, and probable confequences. A 2 The C 4 1 The legiflature of Great Britain^ and the public in general, therefore, fhould be informed of the neceffity of eneouraging, inftead of impeding ana- tomical ftudies.* * It may be folemnly alTerted, that anatomical ferutiny is car- ried on, in general, with' the greatell decorum and circumfpec- tion ; the ferutinifed parts of the dcfnnft are generally buried, unlefs preferved for (keletons or other demonftrative purpofes. What furgeon v/puld befldlfully able to reduce fractures or diflo- cations without an accurate knowledge of the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, &c. ? How could fradures of the Ikull be treated without a knowledge of the bones of the head, their fu- tures, &c. ? How could the vrounded foldier or failor have balls, or extraneous bodies extraded, or the lacerated wounds of the latter be treated judicioufly, if furgeons did not previoufly know and refied on the courfe of the large vefiels, nerves, mufcles, tendons, &c, in the neceflary dilatations of gun-fliot wounds, and all operations ? Is the brave foldier or failor, after the well- fought battle, to be left a facrifice to the ignorance of uninformed furgeons, or rather pretenders to furgery ? There have lately been poured forth lamentable complaints on this fubjed ; and to what can this be attributed, but the true caufe, the want of due encouragement and opportunities of becoming expert anatomifts’ and pradical furgeons, before young artifls are fent into the fer- vice ? One of the greatell objedions to the medical education at Edinburgh, w’here are many ingenious profelfors, is, the want of fubjeds for anatomical dilTedion, without which, no perfon, however ingenious and learned in other refpeds, can be a fkilful pradical furgeon or phylician. Indeed, to fpcak truth, univerH- ties are not the belt places for acquiring medical knowledge ; but large cities, where the obfervations of numbers ©f praditioners concentrate, and, as it were, form one ufeful whole, that adds to our daily ftock of knowledge. For anatomy clears up doubts, purges the mind from all vifionary or fanciful prejudices, pe- netrates and difeovers the fallacy c^f various hypothefes and injuri- ous fyftems. With that knowledge the art of phyfic is a blef- fing, without it a pelt or curfe to mankind. [ 5 1 On the general Utility of Anatomy. No medical or chirurgical author can be under- ftoodwithout a previous acquaintance with anatomy. Surgery, that inetlimable art, on the Ikilful adminif- tration of which, the lives of all ranks, from the higheit to the loweft, the foldier and thefailor, fre- quently depend, would be totally incapable of per- formingitsfalutarj^fundlions without thefafeguide of anatomical fcience. From the common operation of bleeding, to the higher and more difficult opera- tions of furgery, the knowledge of anatomy guides the hand of the artift, to avoid fatal errors, and enfure probable fuccefs. In thofe moments of alarm and danger attendant on childbirth, whei'e frequently both infant and mother mud periffi in difficult labour, a fkilful artid, fraught wdth previous anatomical knowledge and rededtion, fre- quently faves the lives of both. An ignorance in anatomy, therefore, mud produce ignorance in the pradlice of furgery, midwifery, and phydc ; an ignorance in thefe may prove fatally dedrucHve to every individual at one time of life or other ; for who can with truth declare, while men areliable to dcknefs, accidents, or wounds in war, that he ffiall be exempt- ed from requiring medical affi dance ? The human fa- cridces to ignorance in anatomv mud have been innumerable in former ages, and if anatomical purfuits be, by law, prevented or abridged, barba- rous ignorance mud again return, and all mankind fuffer from the officious, though well-intentioned projedls of the uninformed few. A 3 A know- L « ] A knowledge of anatomy cannot be acquired by reading books, by ftudying impreffions from cop- per plates, by hearing ledtures, nor by viewing anatomical preparations. A. fuperficial acquain- tance of the parts of the human body may be ob- tained by thefe means conjointly ; but fuperficial knowledge is by no means fufficient for medical Icience, and much lefs for the operations of fur- gery. No ; the ftudent who would with to dif- charge his duties with a confcientious rectitude, mull repeatedly, with his own hands, difrect dead human bodies ; mufr breathe for many months in the unpleafant, and frequently deftruCtivc air of a dilledcing room ; he niufr rifle his own life to be Icrviceabie to others; and frequently fome of the brigiitefl ornaments of the profefTion have fallen vidlims to their ardour in thefe neceffary, though hor- ridly difagreeablc purfuits*. Nothing but a laudable ambition for excellence ; nothing but a determined relblution to brave all dangers ; nothing but an abhorrence of ignorance, could induce men to lit up whole days and nights in purfuit of thofe rc- fcarches, of which, all the world, except them- In thefe purfuits, a (light fcratch on the finger of the clif- •feftor has ablorbed puciidit}- fufficient to rapidly prove fatal. Magnus Fakonar, who dilfeiTTed at my houfe, when I taught anatomy and furgery, above twenty years ago, ufed to fit up whole weeks in purluic of his favourite objeift, anatomy. He died very early in life, after arriving at an uncommon degree of excellence. The ingenicus Mr. Hewfon, Dr. Walfli, a promifing young phyfijian, Dr. Peckwell, and many others, have fliared the fiune fate. 3 felves. [ 7 ] felves, frequently reap the benefit. The inquefls -for murder or accidental deaths ; the trials of.cri- minals, in many cafes, require preciie anatomical knowledge, or the guilty might often efcape and the innocent fufFer, iVhat impedes the Progrefs of Anatomy. The principal impediment to anatomical fludies, is the difficulty of obtaining dead human bodies to difTe61. There is no power in the medical profef- iion of England, as in other countries, to inlift on the mfpc6lion, after death, of thofe extraordinary cafes of difeafes that occur in practice, which might be the moft eligible means of preferving the health, and faving the lives of the living. In this country, narrow prejudices muft be baniflied, liberality and fcience embraced, the people mildly informed of how much confequence it is to themfclves and pof- terity, to fufter anatomical inveftigations to be more frequently pradlifed, that thofe who live may benefit by the dead.* The prefent improved ftate of forgery, the moft fatisf^ftory principles for the pradtice of phyfic, the moft indubitable conclufions from induftive reafoning, all originate in anatomy. Anatomy exhibits fadls after death ; juft reafoning ciiftoyers the caufes as, they happened in life ; j^aft * I have, during my whole life of medical ftudy, felzed all opportunities to obtain anatomic^ fadls ; from being con- vinced, after long experience and refledion, that it is the moft rational and decided mode of obtaining an accurate knowledge of difeafes and their effefts. A 4 experience’ I 8 ] experience on the powers and effe6ls of medidna in various difeafes, united with the former determines the eji agendum, in every difficult cafe of difeafe. The attainment, therefore, of all this ufeful knowledge forms the able phylician ; but if ana- tomy had never been cultivated, if that demonftra- tive art had not been protected by royal authority, and well-regulated governments, excellent phyli- cians, or furgeons, never could have appeared ; the differerit branches of the art would have re- mained in their former miferable date, and man- kind, labouring under the moft ferious difeafes, left a prey to ignorance, artifice, and impofture. Can any human being, after a knowledge of this true date of facts, with to obiiruct the progrefs of a fcience, in which the welfare of all fociety is fa materially concerned, fo importantly interefted ? * The * A pafTage from the Rational and Improved ^tate of Phyfic, I lately publiflied in four volumes, containing the caufes and cure of nervous bilious difeafes, with many other interefting fubjefts of medicine, furgery, &c, will fliew tlie prefent writer’s opinions on the art of medicine. “ As the modes of reafoning adopted by the author, in many parts of thefe works, may appear new, particularly to thofe who are not accuftomed to reafon logically, it may be necelfary to give a fliort explanation of the manner in which the reafonings are conducted. “ Mathematical, geometrical, mechanical, and many chemical hypotheles, formerly and lately in vogue for conltrudling the va- rious and vifionary theories in medicine, in a great mealure, are excluded, and fads, originating from the evidence of the fenfes, from ocular demonftrations, are exhibited to explain the caufa cf [ 9 ' } The laws pimifh ignorance in medicine and gery ; the ignorant pretender is hindei'ed- from prac-^ of difeafes, aqd to fearch for adequate reipedies to remove thofe caufes. Firjl. The anatomical ftriiftnre and ph} flology of the parts or, fiindlions, are explained in different treatiies, by connedled fadfs and reafonings, as, far as were thought expedienu SccoutUv. From the appearances after death, thp impediment^ and morbid affcdfions, that had happened in life, are attempted to be afcertained by inductive reafonings. Thirdly. Propofitions from thefe fources of true intelligence are formed, in many inlfances, both theoretical and praiffical. Fourthly. From confidering the origin and rnagnitude of dif- eafes, explained by the foregoing means, their Pages, real and probable efl'edfs in the living human body, are all the prognoftics difcovered, and what benefits may be expedfed from the art of medicine in various difeafes ; by which fadfs and refiedlions, ra- tional expedfations are encouraged, and rafli boaftings and irra- tional promifes difcountenanced ; medicine, thus conceived, and pradfifed, ftridfly adheres to reafon and truth. Fifthly. By concentrating all the foregoing fadls, and confi- dering, from long and paft experience, the force, power, and probable confequences of a difeafe, with its flages, whether it be chronic or acute, the age, fex, ftrength, and conftitution of the individual affedfed, are afcertained the powers and mode ne- ceflary for the removal of the caufcs of difeafe. Sixthly. In the eledfion of remedies, thofe that are important are adopted and prefcribed, wdrere they .can be exhibited with fafety and rationality to the patient, and palliative methods of treatment are never propofed, but in cafes wherein radical cures cannot be with any hope of fuccefs attempted. “ Amongfl the great variety of prefcriptions for the rohujl and florid., pale'ccnA debilitated, irritable or more torpid, &c. theie arq few wliich the author’s own experience has not proved fafe and efficacious in the cafes, and under the circilmftanres'they are re- B com- C ] |)ra(^!ling the art without undergoing an exami- nation. The Legiflature has provided penal lavvs againft ignorance in the medical profeffiori ; will it be conliftent with wifdom and humanity t© pre- vent the ftudent from becoming learned, and then punidWaim for involuntary ignorance ? Every mode, which can obftruct anatomical ftudy, muft induce the groffeft ignorance ; every invention, which can excite an ardor in dudents to become excellent anatomifts, will be the only means of producing tkilful furgeons ; the abfence of which lately in our armies, though it be a delicate fub- jc6t to mention, has been owing to the want of dead human bodies to diffcdt, and for performing the various operations of furgery, previous to pradtice on the living fubject. Whoever does not comprehend the exa6l courfe of the veffels, nerves, the directions of mufcular fibres, and, in fhort, anatomy, and who has not practifed on dead fub- je> J parts to the different chirurgical irifrruments ne* ceflary in operating, with all the minutiae, and accidents common to different operations, will be a timid, ralTi, or ignorant pradlitioner, and mifera- ble muff be the lot of thofe who become patients, to fuch an inexperienced, untaught novice^i. The foundation of all the requifites for faccefsful prac- tice is chiefly in anatomy ; the judicious applica- tion of which, in human life, is only found in large hofpitals, and acquired by pradtical obferva* tions. In the extenfivenefs of thefe fields offcience, the French are quite fuperior to us ; their hofpitals give a latitude for anatomical invefligation far above all the countries in Europe. ^ * Louis Fourteenth was the grand protestor and encourager of the ufeful arts, and he left monuments of medical learning that render his name Immortal. Engaged in wars, this monarch foon found, that Jkilful furgeons were very ufeful to the ftate, and accordingly erefted public academies, and gave liberal immuni- ties and privileges for the attainment of that and other branches of medical fcience, which his anceftors, and all other princes, had fliamefully neglefted. There is no public eftablilhment in this country for anatomy; but the fooner one is eftabliflied, and the fooner means are devifed, for obtaining a fufHrient number of dead bodies for difleflion, fo much the fooner will the army, navy, and the whole country, be furniflied with excellent fnrgeons, whofe united labours will daily improve the art, and pour down bleflings on fociety. r ] How to remove tie difficulties, which at preffint exijl, in acquh ing anatomical knowledge. The removal of the dilTculties, which oppofe or impede anatomical fcience, is eatier to be con- ceived than pi;adtically executed. Firft. Mankind in general iTiould be convinced of the neceffity and utility of practical anatom}’, as it is univerfally beneficial. Secondly. Thofe luperftitious fears and prejudices, that have excited horror and oppofition to the ad- iniffion of opening dead bodies, for the benefit of the living, fhould be chaced away by the lights of found reafon and truth. * It is a curious invelligation for philofophic minds to reflect on the various opinions of various ages and countries concerning the bodies of the dead ; the Egyptians preferved the bodies of their anceltors, after having them prepared as mummies, and deco- rated with gilding, varnifhing, and painted on their coverings the myftical hieroglyphica! figtires of their deities, &;c. The Greeks, Romans, and other nations, burnt their dead ; the Englifli in London often bury their poor, twenty or thirty together, in a vault opening with two folding doors, uncovered even by earth, to the no fmalJ annoyance of the neighbourhoods contiguous to church yards. This pradfice calls aloud for the interference of the legif- lature ; for it has been lately proved, that an halitus, or air aiifing from the putrefaffion of dead bodies thus corrupted in numbers, is the moft deleterious of any known by pneumatical ex- periments. The notions about dead bodies are certainly caprici- ous, as clearly appears by the different opinions of different ages ; it mufl; be confefled, that neither the laws nor the dormitories of the defun(ft fliould he violated ; nor would fuch violation ever be pra6tifed, were rational plans adopted to prevent the comnulfion of thefe crirhes. 7 bird. [ '3 1 ^thirdly. All condemned criminals, after execution, Iftouldbe delivered to an academy of anatomy, for the foie purpofe of inftrudting ftudents. Fourthly, The phylicians and furgeons of public charities ftiould have an unlimited power to in- tpedt dead bodies, and be obliged to publilh their obfervations, or tranfmit the fame to the academy of anatomy. Public expence fhould be converted into public benefit. Fifthly, It is not uncommon forperfons of rank to have their nearefl; relations and friends opened to in- fpedt the caufes of death, and to afcertain, whether in life, more might have been done in the attempts to cure, as likewife for the purpofe of embalming the body. If fuch rational inquiries, and the prac- tice of embalming, were more univerfal, they would tend greatly to promote the future welfare of fo- ciety. Such examples would be more generally followed, if they became more frequent ; and the horrors expreffed by the ignorant, or timid, would daily diminifh. Sixthly. The academy of anatomy fhould be de- frayed at the public cofi:, in which cafe the flu- dents fhould be exempt from all expence ; if not, the emoluments arifing from pupils fhould be ap- propriated to that purpofe. Seventhly, As it has been found, by long expe- rience, that corporate bodies form individual cabals, and often deflroy the laudable intentions of their original infiitutions, by purfuing private interefl, inftead of public benefit ; the plan for conducing the ■ . r H T the academy of anatomy fhould be fo cautioufly arranged, as not to fuffer the felf-interefted to overturn the wife intentions of the learned femi- nary. Eighthly. There Ihould be fome honourable en- couragement to every pupil, who dittinguifhed. himfelf by either indufiry, or by making any new difcovery or valuable improvement, whether in ana- tomy or practical furgery ; for true genius, and the moft fuperlative talents, are often allied to necefli- tous want. Afpirit of emulation would thus incite the parties to labour, and additions to the prefent fiock of knowledge would be the refult of inquiries, when thus conducted by a fpirit of philofophical rctearch, candour, and liberality. Ninikly. Every pupil, who dedicates his talents to furger}’, after having obtained a fufficient know- ledge in anatomy by ditfedting, fhould perform, in the prefence of refpectable furgeons, all the operations of furgery on the dead body; thus would the fleetsland armies be fupplied with able furgeons, when every practitioner would be forced to difplay his knowledge and abilities, before he en^ tered into the fervice, or practifed the art. Ttnthly. Phyf cians fliould not only be obliged to diffedt and perform the operations, &c. but fhould be compelled to know theoretical and practical mid- wifery, and give pcfiti^ e proofs of their knowledge in phyf ology, $£C. It is but juft, that thofe vyho retide at the head of a profefion, fhould be fupc- rioi’ to all ttiofe who only practife a particular branch of the art. Thus [ «5 ] Thus it lias been fully proved of what confe- quence the fcience of anatomy is to the pra6tice of phylic, furgery, and midwifery, to individuals, and to the community of every rank. The impe- diments to its cultivation, and fome general modes of removing them, have been intimated, and it is hoped that the Legillature, and mankind in general, will attentively and ferioufly conlider, and weigh the important truths advanced. Princes and go- vernments cannot ihew a more afFe6iionate con- cern for the welfare of the people than by the en- couragement of every branch of knowledge that can alleviate the mifery of difeafe ; nor can there be conceived a more wanton barbarity than to check the progrefs, or frutlrate the humane ofEces of this falutary fcience. Thefe obfervations have not originated in vk lionary hypothelis, nor chimerical conceits, the offspring of unbridled fancy and inexperience ; but from a lincere love of truth, a regard for the ho- nour of the medical profeflipn, and from nearly forty years continued ftudy and practice in the healing art. The refle