INTRODUCTION TO

ANATOMY
MIT L 200
BRIEF HISTORY OF ANATOMY
• Anatomy- From Greek “to cut open”, Study of the structure of the
body, either regionally or systematically.
• The earliest anatomy book was NEICHING book.
• Probably began with early examinations of sacrifice victims
• First documented by Egyptians ~1600 BC , Egyptian anatomical
papyrus showed organs (including blood vessels) .
Ancient Egyptian
• Mummification in Egypt
• Removal of putrifiable organ
• The study of anatomy begins at least as early as 1600 BC, the date of the
Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus. This treatise shows that the heart, its
vessels, liver, spleen, kidneys, hypothalamus, uterus and bladder were
recognized, and that the blood vessels were known to emanate from the
heart. Other vessels are described, some carrying air, some mucus.
• The Ebers Papyrus (1550 BC) features a treatise on the heart. It notes
that the heart is the center of blood supply, and attached to it are vessels
for every member of the body.
Ancient Egyptian, cont.
• The Egyptians seem to have known little about the function of the
kidneys and made the heart the meeting point of a number of vessels
which carried all the fluids of the body – blood, tears, urine and
semen.
• However, they did not have a theory as to where saliva and sweat
came from.
• Alexandria school burned and the glory was lost
Mummy and Mummification in Ancient
Egypt
Alcmaeon of Crotona

• He made significant contribution in biology in the 5th century. His aim

was not anatomical, for his interest was trying to find the
whereabouts of human intelligence
• Alcmaeon reasons that since a blow to the head can affect the mind,
in concussion, this must be where reason lies.
Alcmaeon of Crotona, cont.
• In dissecting corpses to pursue this idea, he observes passages linking
the brain with the eyes (the optic nerves) and the back of the mouth
with the ears (Eustachian tubes).
Hippocrates of Kos (460 – 370BC)
• Father of medicine
• Founder of Anatomy
• Gave guidelines to dissection and the use of the scapel
• Dissected cadavers from the battle field
Aristotle of Stagira (384 – 322 BC)

• Gave the term Anatomy

• First ever account of embryology
• Name different arteries and veins
• But believes the heart is the center of intelligence and emotions
Herophilus and Erasistratus
• C.300 BC Early in the 3rd century BC two surgeons in Alexandria,
Herophilus and Erasistratus, make the first scientific studies designed
to discover the workings of human anatomy.
Herophilus (325-255 B.C.) and Erasistratus
• Father of Anatomy (Herophilus)
• They carried out vivisection on criminals in public.
• Define parts of the brain and spinal cord
• Also regarded brain as the seat of intelligence
• He divided nerves into motor and sensory components.
• Distinguished between cerebrum and cerebellum
Erasistratus (290BC)
• A Physiologist
• Described the cerebral ventricles in great details.
• Associated the convolutions of the brain of man with higher
intelligence
ROMAN EMPIRE (50BC – 50AD)
• This era saw the rise of Christianity and the decline of anatomical
research.

• Pope Boniface l prohibited human dissection

Aelius Galenus or (129 – 199AD) or
Claudius Galenus

The newly appointed chief physician to the gladiators in Pergamum, in

AD 158.
• Dissected animals
• A Roman Physician.
• Gave public anatomical demonstrations
GALEN
• Importance of spinal cord and Nervous System
• Studied and described the human skeleton and classified joints.
• Gave an accurate description of the form and functions of muscles.
• Classified cranial nerves
• Through his experiments Galen is able to overturn many long-held
beliefs, such as the theory (first proposed by the Hippocratic school in
about 400 BC, and maintained even by the physicians of Alexandria)
that the arteries contain air - carrying it to all parts of the body from
the heart and the lungs. This belief is based originally on the arteries
of dead animals, which appear to be empty
THE DARK AGES (AD 200 – 1050)
• During this period, the body was considered contemptible and
unworthy of study.
• Anatomy was also considered the most vain of the pagan sciences
MIDDLE AGES AND RENAISSANCE
(1050 – 1543 AD)
• During this period, many Universities with Medical Faculties were
founded.
• Anatomy was therefore resurrected
Mondino de Luzzi (1270 – 1326 AD)
• The Restorer of Anatomy.
• He described various organs in the body.
MODERN TIMES (AD 1543 -)
• Leonardo Da Vinci contributed immensely to the development of
Anatomy.
Dr. Nicolaes Tulp
• 16TH CENTURY CONTRIBUTIONS Began to compile extensive drawings
of dissections of executed cadavers
• Discovered the physiology of circulatory system
ANDREAS VESALIUS 1514 - 1564
ANDREAS VESALIUS 1514 - 1564
• Father of modern Anatomy
• Discarded most previous theories
• De Human Corporis fabrica (Published a monograph titled “On the
fabric of the human body”)
• Dissected the human body.
• Gave lectures to large audience
Marie Francois Xavier Bichat [1771-1802]
• First used the word tissue (from French Tissu = weave, texture) in the
biological sense.
• Anatomist who pioneered histological study of organs.
William Harvey
• Circulatory system
• De motion cordis ( the motion of the heart and circulation)
• Capillary circulation
Marcello Malpighi (1628 - 1694)
• Italian anatomist & physiologist
• First to use a microscope in the study of anatomy
• Discovered the capillary system in 1661.
• Led the study of the microscopic structure of animals and tissues
during the 17th century.
• Johannes Evangelista Purkinje (1787 - 1869)
• Czech Physiologist
• Invented the microtome
1750 – 1832 AD
• Body snatching and stealing
• BURKE and HARE ( Williams)
Other contributors include:

• Gregor mendel, father of genetics

• Charles Darwin
• Watson and Crick( DNA double helical structure)
• Wilhem von Roentgen( x’ray)
• Dutch optician Zacharias Janssen invented the compound microscope
• In 1675 Dutch Natural Scientist Anton van Leeuwenhoek developed
the first of 400 simple microscopes
DIVISIONS OF ANATOMY
• Anatomy is traditionally studied as:
• Gross Anatomy.
• Microscopic Anatomy (Histology).
• Developmental Anatomy (Embryology).
• Neuroanatomy.
GROSS ANATOMY
• It is the study of the naked eye appearance of the body.
• It is studied by two main methods, namely:
• Regional Anatomy: The study of structures located in various regions
of the body: Head & neck, Upper limbs, Thorax, abdomen and pelvis,
Lower limbs
• Systemic Anatomy: The organization of the body into functional units.
Nervous system, Cardiovascular system, Respiratory system, Digestive
system, Genitourinary system.
MICROSCOPIC ANATOMY/HISTOLOGY
• This is the study of cells, tissues and organs by light and electron
microscopy.
DEVELOPMENTAL
ANATOMY/EMBRYOLOGY
The study of the development of the organism from fertilization onwards.
NEUROANATOMY
• The study of the development, composition and evolution of the
nervous system
• Thank you for your patience