An Account of a Book

VII. An Account of a Book. Myotomia Reformata: OR, A New Administration of all the Muscles of Humane Bodies; wherein the true Uses of the Muscles are explained, the Errors of former Anatomists concerning them confuted, and several Muscles not hitherto taken notice of described: To which are subjoined, A Geographical Description of the Bones, and other Anatomical Observations. Illustrated with Figures after the Life. By William Cowper, Surgeon. London: Printed for Sam. Smith and Benj. Walford, at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard. 1694. In Octavo. The Author in his Preface, after premising something in Vindication of Anatomical Enquiries, proceeds to a short History of the Advancements of Muscular Anatomy in several Ages; in which he takes notice little or no Improvement has been made therein since Vesalius and Falloppius's time, and that the greatest part of latter Writers of Myology have rather increased than diminished the Errors, especially those who have written in English. This considered, and he having discovered divers Muscles which hitherto had escaped the Observations of others, induced him to think a Reformation mation of so considerable as well as useful a part of Anatomy, might be acceptable to the Publick at this time. And to render his particular Enquiries more intelligible; those Muscles which have not been taken notice of by others, are not only delineated, but those also, which are not well express in the Figures of Vesalius, Casserius, and those of Bidloo, and others. And to the end the Description of each Muscle should be the better understood, by so small a Volume, he has added two Figures of the Skeleton; to which references are made in describing the Origine, Progress, and Insertion of each Muscle. In the Introduction, an Account is given of the intimate Structure of a Muscle; where, he observes (by the assistance of a Microscope) that each single Fleshy Fibre is much smaller than the finest Hair; that it's of a Cylindrical Figure, and that it's substance is composed of divers Cells: He supposes each Cell to be distinct, and that it has one Apperture only into the Extremity of the Blood-Vessel; from which Structure, divers Phaenomena may be explained, as by often injecting of fair Water into the Arteries of a dead Animal, why the Muscles are sooner tumified than other Parts, and why they are excited to act when such Injections are made soon after Death; as also, why the Muscles entertain more Blood in them (as appears by their colour) than divers other Parts; as the Brain, Pancreas, &c. whose Number and Magnitude of Blood-Vessels exceed those of the Muscles: Hence, he supposes the Blood, barely as a Fluid; to be an assistant in the Contraction of a Muscle, and that it is the weight by which its Action is performed; which, he imagines, may happen two manner of ways; either by a Turgescence began in the Parietes of the Cells in the Fleshy Fibres, caused by the Contents of the Nerves when agitated ad Imperium Animæ; or by a Coarctation of the Veins, whereby the refluent refluent Blood is hindered: By either of these means the Cells of the Fleshy Fibres may be distended by the Influential Blood; whereby the length of each Fleshy Fibre will be lessened, and the whole Muscle contracted. Chap. I. In the History of the Muscles of each Part, he gives an Account of the manner of the Administration of Dissection; here he follows the Order that is commonly practised by Anatomists, beginning with those of the Abdomen: The Erroneous Descriptions of those Parts of the Oblique Descending and Ascending Muscles lying in the Ilia are rectified, and the true Use of those parts of Them inserted: In this first Chapter he takes notice of an excellent Artifice in Nature in transmitting the Spermatick Vessels through the Inferior Parts of the last named Transverse Muscles, whereby a Prolapsus of the Intestines is prevented. Chap. III. Besides rectifying the Erroneous Descriptions and assigned Uses of the two Pair of Muscles that are commonly treated of belonging to the Penis, he adds the Description and Figure of a third Pair, mentioned by Aquapendens; the like is done in Treating of the Muscles of the Anus. Chap. V. The Opinion of Falloppius in dividing the Sphincter Ani into three Muscles is rejected, and that of Riolan, in multiplying its two Levatores to the number of six: Besides the Use commonly ascribed to the Levatores Ani, he takes notice of another notable one. Chap. VII. In treating of the Muscles of the Eye-lids he rejects the Notion of former and some latter Anatomists, and retains that of Falloppius. Chap. VIII. He conceives the Vulgar Notion concerning the Office of the two Oblique Muscles of the Eye to be erroneous, and inserts their true Uses; and takes notice of an admirable Mechanism in Nature in the disposition of those Muscles. Chap. IX & X. In describing the Muscles of the Alæ Nasi and Lips, he takes notice of two pair, which have escaped the Observations of Anatomists: The first of which he calls Constructores Alarum Nasi & Depressores Labii superioris, from their Use; the other Pair also receive their Names from their Office, and are called Elevatores Labii inferioris proprii. Chap. XI & XII. M. Du Verney's Account of the Muscles of the External Ear, or Auricula, is imitated. He reckons four Muscles belonging to the Internal Ear, of which three are employ'd in the Motion of the Malleus; of these the first is the External Muscle of Aquapendens and Placentinus; the second is the External one of Du Verney, which from its Position our Author calls Obliquus Auris; the third is the Internus Auris, described by Emstachius; and the fourth is the Musculus Stapedis. Chap. XIII. Besides the Uses commonly ascribed to the Musculus Mylohyoideus, he assigns another notable one, in Compressing its subjacent sublingual Glands, and Salival Ductuses. Chap. XIV. He reckons but three Pair of Muscles belonging to the Tongue, (viz.) Genioglossum, Ceratoglossum, and Styloglossum. Chap. XVI & XVII. In describing the Muscles of the Fauces and Gargareon, he reprehends Riolan for pretending to their Invention, since they were accurately described before him by Falloppius. Instead of those two pair of Muscles called Sphænopharyngæum and Chephalopharyngæum, he describes one Muscle only, and calls it Pterygopharyngæus; of which he gives a Figure, together with the rest of the Muscles of the Fauces. Chap. XVIII. In demonstrating the Office of the Musculus Digastricus of the Lower-Jaw, he takes notice of an Admirable Artifice in Nature, which renders that Muscle and its Partner capable of drawing the Lower Mandible Mandible downwards; whereby divers Phænomena relating to the motions of the Os Hyoides and Larynx (particularly in the Action of Deglutition) are explained, and a Cause assigned, why the Actions of the last named Parts are not dependent in some Animals. Chap. XIX. Among the Muscles of the Thorax which appear in the fore-part, he reckons the Musculus Scalenus, which according to the Accurate Fallopius, he divides in three Muscles. Chap. XXII. Besides seven pair of Muscles described by Vulgar Anatomists employed in the motions of the Head, and two pair more mentioned by Galen, Oribasius, and Fallopius, he adds another pair, which he calls Recli interni minores. Chap. XXIII. He has discovered divers small Muscles lying between the double Spines of the Vertebrae of the Neck, which he calls Interspinales Colli. Chap. XXIV. After the Descriptions of the Muscles inservient to the motions of the Head, Neck, Back, and Loins, he observes that the extending Muscles of those Parts are more numerous and stronger, which he thinks for several ends to be a Provident Contrivance in Nature. Chap. XXVI. He describes the Bicipital Muscle of the Cubit to have a double tendinous Termination, the external of which, he calls Fascia Tendinosa, it including all the external Muscles of the Carpus and Fingers; to which Tendinous Expansion he assigns some Remarkable Uses: Here he gives an Account of an Extraordinary Case in Practice relating to this Bicipital Muscle. Chap. XXVIII. He assigns a notable Use to that stupendious Contrivance in Nature, in conveying the Tendons of the Inferior Muscle bending the Fingers, called Profundus, through those of the Superior or Sublimis. He conceives the Lumbrical Muscles (which lyce in the Palm Palm of the Hand) perform those minute motions of the Fingers in playing on Musical Instruments, when their second and third Bones are bended. Chap. XXXII. He Observes that no Muscle is properly employed in Rotating the Thigh-Bones inwardly, but that the fore-parts of the Glutæi medii and minimi Officiate in that Action. As to divers other Particulars relating either to the Descriptions, Uses, and Reason of the differing Constitutions of divers Muscles, with their manifold Constructions, we must refer to the Book itself, lest we exceed the limits of this Account. At the end of the Descriptions of the Muscles, he adds an Appendix, containing an Account of the intimate Structure of the Penis, and the manner of its Erection: After taking notice of divers things Remarkable in its Common Integuments, he describes the Lymphic ducts of the Penis; which he had first an Opportunity of Observing by injecting Mercury into the Blood-Vessels of that Part. These Lymphic-ducts (like those of the Inferior Parts) he supposes do discharge their Contents into the Ingrinal Glands; whence an Account may be given, how these Glands become diseased and tumefied in Venereal Cases. In the next place he gives an Account of certain Glandules not long since taken notice of by that Accurate Anatomist, Dr. Tyson; by him called Glandulae Odoriferæ. After some intimations in relation to this Part's being destitute of fat, he takes notice of a Ligament, which from its Office he calls Suspensorium Penis; the use of which he afterwards mentions in speaking of the Erection of that Part. He describes two sorts of Veins belonging to the Penis; the External of which, he calls Venae Praeputii, they arising chiefly from the Arteries in the Prepuce: The Internal (which take their rise from from the Arteries of the Penis itself) he calls Venæ ip- hias Penis. From the Structure of the Penis itself, and Conformation of its adjacent Parts, and Disposition of its Blood-Vessels, he gives a Mechanical Account of its Erection. LONDON: Printed for Sam. Smith, and Benj. Walford, Printers to the Royal Society, at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Church-yard. 1694.