 (L-R) Parotid gland Parotid duct Thomas Wharton noted the existence of this gland and gave it the name parotid in 1656. The discovery of it’s duct (ductus stenonianus) was described by Stensen in his observations ‘Anat. de Gladdulis Oris, Etc Sec.13’ in 1661. Stensen is also known as the 'Father of Geology'.  (L-R) Thickening of right ventricular wall (hypertrophy) Ventricular septal defect (opening between right and left ventricles) Pulmonary valve narrowing (stenosis) Overriding aorta Niels Stensen:
Etienne Louis Arthur Fallot (1850-1911), the French Physician gave a further description in 1888. The first surgical repair for the defect was performed by Alfred Blalock in 1944 at John Hopkins.
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 (L-R) Atlantoaxial joint Body of axis (C.2) Odontoid process Lateral mass The Atlas and Axis: The atlas so named from supporting the globe of the head. In Greek mythology , the Titan Atlas was responsible for bearing the weight of the heavenly bodies on his shoulders as a punishment from Zeus. Atlas is also known as the 'Founder of Astronomy'. The axis, (Latin ‘axle’ or ‘epistropheus’) is so named form forming the pivot upon which the head rotates. The term ‘epistropheus’ was first used in the the mid 17th century by Nicholas Culpeper (1616-1654) who was an English physician.  (L-R) Delphian lymph node Right lobe Esophagus Isthmus Left lobe Cricoid cartilage Thyroid cartilage Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) is credited as the first person to draw the thyroid gland (C.1510 -11) . The thyroid gland was named by Thomas Wharton (1614-1673) in 1656. The delphian lymph is situated above the isthmus in relation to the cricothyroid ligament. The delphian name is taken from the historical oracle of Delphi of Phocis, Greece, 4th century BC Temple of Apollo. The node drains the thyroid and larynx, it is the first lymph node exposed during surgery. It often foretells the surgeon what he may find in the thyroid just like the oracle at Delphi foretold the future.  (L - R) Posterior horn Posterior nerve roots Dorsal root ganglion Spinal nerve Anterior nerve roots Anterior horn Lateral horn Central canal Sir Charles Bell (1774-1842) is the first person to attribute the anterior nerve roots with motor function. Francois Magendie (1783-1855) was the first to demonstrate the sensory nature of the posterior nerve roots. This is known as the ‘Bell-Magendie Law’. Where the motor fibers leave the spinal cord in the anterior roots, the sensory fibers enter the spinal cord in the posterior roots.
Caroline Gramachi (1815AD-1824AD) is the Sicilian who died aged 9 years old and her skeleton is in the museum of the Royal College of Surgeons England. When she died, her skeleton was measured as only 19 inches tall so her body was anatomised and studied. Caroline Gramachi was housed in the same glass cabinet as that of the 'Irish Giant' Charles Byrne (1761 - 1783); a man who stood 7ft 10inches tall. When Charles Byrne realised he was going to die, he didn't want the Anatomists of the time to acquire his body. The reason Charles Byrne is so famous is because his body was in fact acquired by John Hunter (one of the greatest Anatomist's of all time). John Hunter collected the body, took it back, stripped it all down and prepared the skeleton, which today is housed in the Royal College of Surgeons in England. Now we will talk about the skeleton. The skeleton of Charles Byrne, had the calvarium removed because in those days they didn't know what he actually died of. When the calvarium was removed, the size of the sella turcica area of the sphenoid bone (where your pituitary gland is), revealed the giant actually had a pituitary tumour, hence his enormous growth. The calvarium (top of the skull) was removed by Professor Arthur Kieth at the Royal College of Surgeons England. The history of variations in human anatomy is the history of anatomy itself. In Andreas Vesalius’s book ‘Humani Corporis Fabrica’ (1543) there are references to variations of bones, muscles and blood vessels. In order to recognise Anatomical Variations it is necessary to establish the ‘normal’ ( normal means ‘within the normal range of variation’) pattern of the human body. No two human bodies are exactly alike in the details of organisation and medical progress needs more accurate knowledge of the variability of human morphology to improve diagnosis. Advances in new imaging techniques, surgery (re-constructive and minimal invasive surgery) has opened a new field of research. Anatomical variations represent an embryological and comparative background for medicine, in order to understand the morphological (pertaining to morphology):
Kasper Fredrick Wolff (1773-1794) the great German anatomist said that the internal viscera are more variable than the external part. “Nulla particula est quae non aliter et aliter in aliis su habeat hominabus” “There is no part whose condition does not differ in different men” (St Petersburg, 1778) Since the systematic study of the human body, most of the anatomical variations were discovered during dissection of the body (cadaver) or incidentally during surgery. Anatomical variations are as important today at both under/postgraduate levels, along with the advances in surgery and the teaching of surgically applied anatomy. |
AuthorThe Anatomist 
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