University of Virginia Library

SCHOOL OF ANATOMY AND MATERIA MEDICA.

Prof. Towles.

I. Anatomy.—The instruction in Descriptive, Surgical, and Topographical
Anatomy is given both by didactic lectures and in the
course of Practical Anatomy as taught in the Dissecting Hall. The
endeavor throughout is to render the teaching as completely practical
as possible; scarcely a statement is made that is not illustrated by
its exhibition, either on actual dissection or on the preparation of a
dissection; the effort being to convey knowledge in the so-called natural
method; i. e., by mental imagery formed by repeated observations
of nature. This is accomplished by exhibiting to the student and requiring
him to handle the dissected parts and preparations made therefrom.
The equipment of the school for this purpose is most ample;
and, in addition to the numerous preparations and dissections, there are
models and anatomical paintings, representing the greater part of the
anatomy of the body.

For the course in Practical Anatomy, dissecting material, obtained
under the permissive law of the State, is abundantly supplied without
cost to the student. Each medical student, however many sessions he
may have attended, is required to dissect, under the constant and careful
supervision of the Demonstrator. Attendance in the dissectingroom
is compulsory, a strict record being kept in the case of each student.
Besides the oral examination, which precedes each lecture, and
the other examinations to be mentioned hereafter, each student is required
to stand seven practical examinations on anatomy, one upon
osteology, four upon different parts of the muscular system, one on the
viscera, and one on the vessels and nerves. These examinations are
oral and private, each student being examined alone. They consist of
the identification of the truths of anatomy on the bones, the cadaver,
and the dissected cadaver, and are thus a perfect test of the student's
acquaintance with the structure of the human body.

II. Materia Medica and Therapeutics.—The lectures on Materia
Medica occur in the latter half the session, after the student has obtained
the knowledge of the primary branches, prerequisite to the
proper understanding of the subject. Particular stress is laid upon the
physiological action and rational therapeutical applications of drugs.
The physical properties of drugs are taught by requiring the student

4 to learn them from specimens, a complete collection being provided,
which contains specimens both of all the crude drugs and of all their
preparations, which have been dealt with in the lectures.

Text-books.—Bruce's Materia Medica and Therapeutics; Index of Materia Medica. The
student should provide himself, if possible, with specimens of all the bones.