Star.
London, England, 1829-07-13 00:00:00

STUDY OF ANATOMY IN INDIA.

We have been much gratified by the inspection of an anatomical
figure, which has been recently constructed with great skill by Mr.
G. Simpson, surgeon, of Charles.-street. Middlesex Hospital, under
the auspices of the East India Company. The circumstances which
gave rise to this ingenious work are these—ln the year lB2m, it
was represented to the Indian Government that the supply of
ilea pears medical practitioners in India was quite insufficient for
the *odes which they bad to perform in the field and in hospitals.
and hi consequence, two institutions were established, one at
Canna and another at Madras, for the instruction of natives.
llUndo°. and Mahomedans, in medical knowledge. To the utility of
NO establishments, Dr. Breton, the superintendent of the native
amancal institution at Calcutta, bean testimony in these words—
".
_Of all the sciences studied by the Asiatics, that of anatomy and
omplicine is the least understood and cultivated; and therefore it'
balk, It is universally admitted that the Government could not
111100 established an institution calculated to be of greater public be-
asks not only to the civil and military branches of the service, but
OD the natives generally, than the native medical institution. The
bastilesige which the natives at present possess of anatomy borders
car ilenentity, and their skill in physic is not far above their ana-
modal knowledge." The plan of establishing institutions which
wield enable the natives to improve themselves in the modern art
of surgery was highly approved of by the Marquis of Hastings.
Lord Amherst, Sir R. Paget, and indeed by the chief members eat
the Geiveranient of India; but the religious prejudices of the
natives, both Hindoos and Mahomedans, together with the extreme
heat of . the climate, interposed very serious obstacles with respect
to the study of anatomy. Those circumstances prevented, in a
great measure, the procuring of the human subject. To obviate
this difficulty as mob as possible Mr. Simpson has constructed
the anatomical figure, which we shall briefly de.cribe. The figure
is of the natural use. and presents, on one side of the body, the
external muscles of the human frame • and on the other, the
seeded coat of muscles, correctly moulded, as they appear on dis-
section. The veins, nerves, and tendons, ot the arms, thighs. legs.
and feet, are laid down with beautiful precision. By removing
that part of the figure which represents the sternum, we obtain •
via* of the lungs plated in their propel position, and of the natural
inagoltade and colour. The lungs, which are also removable. being
&OW, the heart appears, surrounded by all the great vessels—
ths the stem costa, the internal jugular veins, the carotid, the
subclavian veins, the subclavian arteries, and the thoracic duct.—
To render the distinction between the arteries and v.-ins snore
evident. the former are painted red, the latter blue. On removing
the diaphragm, or membrane which divides the upper cavity of the
belly !run the lower. the liver, with the biliary process, the stn.
ameh, and the intestinal canal, with all its involutions, appear as
hi s natural subject. We can scarcely imagine a mere perfect
:I=tics of the complicated, but admirable, and tearful,
derful mechanism of the human frame, than alt.
elltpaon has predated. esThe natural gales and alleys of
the body" are, so far as it is possible by art to represent that which
Is so intricate, clearly indicated. A person may, we think, with
the aid of such an apparatus, impart to his students no inconsider-
able portion of anatomical science. It will enable him to point out
the seat of the great veins, arteries, muscle, and tendons, sod to
demonstrate their several uses. The figure is formed entirely of
paper, prepared in a particilar manner. Its construction must
have required not only an intimate acquaintance with anatonty, but
a most patient and persevering spirit. We are happy_ to hog 'bat
Mr. Simpson's talents are net likely to go unrewarded. The Nast
India Company bays conualssiened him, we understood, to make
ID similar figures, which are to be teat M India immediately fur
the benefit of native practitioners.