(seq. 5)

Lectures upon Anatomy:
Lecture 1^st. Dec 10^th

Gentlemen, It is usual to introduce a Course of Lectures
upon natomy by giving a comleat History of its Origin
& Progress. I shall however content myself with a short
Account of this Matter. The Term anatomy was first ap-
plied to Cutting only. It afterwards obtained a more exten-
sive Signifcation and comprehended the Dissecting of animal
Bodies in order to know their several parts: the Structure of
those Parts, their Situation & Use. It seems reasonable to sup-
pose that Mankind obtained at first the Knowledge of the
Parts of the human Body & their Use from Observation only.
But, as there was an evident Resemblance between the Bodies
of Men, & those of other Animals, this Knowledge was enlarged
by opening & Dissecting the Brutal Creation. The Priests &
the Butchers, therefore, in the first Ages claimed the credit of
best understanding this Science. The former opened & in-
spected the Bodies of Animals for the Purpose of Sacrifice
to the divine Being. The latter for the support of Man.
Anatomy, as well as was the Case with every other Branch of Physic does not
appears not to have been reduced to a regular System, till the
Days of Hippocrates, who was born in the Island of Coos
about 450 years before the Christian Era. This great Man
on Account of the Improvements he made in Physics