The Essence of Structure

Early attempts to understand the structure of the human body were initially limited to direct observation. This was followed by a long period of investigation to establish normal anatomy and by rudimentary forms of autopsy. Anatomic discoveries resulted from (a) dissections for art, (b) dissections for teaching, and (c) dissections to find the cause of death. The teachings of Galen controlled the thinking of the entire medical community from the second century until the time of the Renaissance.