Hereafter, if God permit, I shall compose a complete book of anatomy in which I shall further the opinions of all the learned, to which my own opinion will be added. I could have done this at present but not, however, with the same effort or with the form of an introduction preserved. It remains that this little book, which we have enlisted in the service of the commonwealth, may be pleasing to you, for it recognizes the existence of those very few unlearned physicians by whose mistakes many perish, from which this fact will be gathered, that no parts of the body should be unknown to physicians. Farewell. Cambridge. 1 January. THE INTRODUCTION TO ANATOMY OF DAVID EDWARDES ENGLISHMAN The whole lower venter—for thence it is necessary to begin the dissection of the human body because that part putrefies very readily—from the outer skin to the peritoneum is called EPIGASTRION by the Greeks and _mirach_[1] by the Barbarians, of which the following are the parts. The superficial skin which covers the whole body is completely insensitive. The skin lying and stretched under the very thin and superficial skin is sensitive.[2] The Greeks call it HYPODERMA. A kind of fat occupies the whole venter and is spread under the sensitive skin except for the middle. A sinewy and thin membrane immediately follows this. A membrane taking origin from the muscles is subjoined firmly to this where a straight line appears in the middle.[3] Two oblique descending muscles[4] lie under these toward the lowest venter. The oblique ascending muscles[5] are placed under these. Two rectus muscles have a close relationship. And lowest of all are the transverse muscles.[6] Therefore there are these eight for which there are nearly individual sinewy coverings by which they are distinguished from one another. An aponeurosis, or rather a thick and firm membrane, is stretched under them which some falsely call the peritoneum. So much for the epigastrium and its parts. Certainly the peritoneum is a sinewy part, soft to the touch, of ordinary firmness, occupying the whole venter, and resting under the aponeurosis or membrane which I mentioned. The Greeks gave that name to it. The Barbarians call it _siphac_. The _zirbus_ or omentum is extended under the peritoneum. The _zirbus_ is a kind of fat derived from sinewy threads and the slender adipose substance of the nerves; it is less thick than the fat previously mentioned. It covers much of the intestines and the lowest part of the stomach and assists the coction of aliment.