OCR Text |
Show iv INTRODUCTION. INTRODUCTION. absorb in the human body; the Author of Nature never could have formed two sets ofvesselsto do the same thing. To obviate all these and some other objections, was Dr. Hunter's in- tention in projecting this work. In some part or other, they will be seve- rally replied to. Mean time, I have chosen to quote a passage from his in- troductory lectures to his course ofanatomy, lately made public; partly, because it explains the intention ofthe work; partly, because the difierent assistants he. had in collecting materials for it, are there mentioned; and partly, because it, will explain how I come to be employed in composing it. " Inour own times, after schools of anatomy have long flourished, in all the civilized nations olil‘iurope, and when, from the number of men em- ployed in such researches, it might have been imagined, that discoveries were exhausted, l‘rovidence has allowed me a greater share of that sort ol‘honour, which is generally given [0 discoverers, than I could have ex- pected. " Ithink I have proved, that the lymphatic vessels are the absorbing ves- sels, all over the body; that they are the same as the lacteals; and that these, all together, with the thoracic duct, constitute one great and general sys- tem, dispersed through the whole body, for absorption; that this system, only, dOt-s absorb, and not the veins; that it serves to take up and convey whatever is to make, or to be mixed with, the blood, from the skin, from the intestinal canal, and from all the internal cavities or surfaces whatever. This discovery gains credit daily, both at home and abroad, to such a de- gree, that I believe we may now say, it is almost universally adopted: and, if we mistake not, in a proper time it will be allowed to be the greatest dis- covery, both in physiology and pathology, that anatomy has suggested since the discovery of the circulationl-The anatomists of all liurope, for a hundred years, in the most improved state of our art, from all their enquiries, were of opinion, that the lymphatic system was wanting in birds and fishes. But having, found out the importance of the absorbent system, in man and in all quadrupeds, we could not rest satisfied that it was wanting in the other two great classes of animals; and kept that object, and every thing which could throw light upon the absorbent system, constantly in view. " Accordingly, my brother, Mr. John Hunter, whom I bred to practieal v tieal anatomy, and who worked for me, and attended my dissecting room, and read some lectures for me, many years, found some lymphatics, first in birds, and then in a crocodile. " Next, Mr. Hewson, whom I bred to anatomy, and then took into my house to work for me, and under my direction, in practical anatomy, to attend my dissecting room, and read some lectures, as my partner, which he did for a number of years; Mr. IIewson, I say, by a continued course of observations and experiments made in this house, discovered, and fully demonstrated, the lymphatics and lacteals, both itt birds and fishes; which confirmed the use and importance of the absorbent system in the human body, and, in comparative anatomy, was one of the greatest improvements which could have been made, to establish the universality of Nature's laws in animal bodies. . " And, laIt of all, Mr. Cruikshank, whom I likewise bred to anatomy, and took into my house, upon the same plan, with the opportunities he had in this place, and by being particularly attentive to the lymphatic syilem, at my desire, has traced the ramifications of that syllem in almofl every part of the body; and from his dissections figures have been made, which, with what I had before, will enable us to publish, we hope, in a little time, a full account of the whole syltem, illustrated by accurate engravings." In consequence of Dr. Hunter's death, this business has now fallen on me. I should have had no small share in it, if he had lived; for I had made almost all the preparations, from which the drawings were made, and from \\ hich the description would then have been, and still is, taken. The, description I have here given of the absorbent vessels, is nearly the same with that which I have given in public, in the anatomical leCtures in "'indmill Street, in 1773, and ever since that time. There I not only shewed the gentlemen who attended, such parts of the system as I ocea- sionally discovered, but also in what manner I succeeded in detecting them, and how they would be able to succeed themselves. How far others have been indebted to me for their descriptions, will appear by comparing them with this work. In the present publication we have many reasons to regret the loss of Dr. Hunter. It has so happened, that we shall be able to derive no advantage |