University of Virginia Library

SCHOOL OF ANATOMY AND MATERIA MEDICA.

Professor Towles.

Anatomy.—The instruction in Descriptive, Surgical and Topographical
Anatomy is given by didactic lectures combined with the course of Practical
Anatomy as taught in the Dissecting Hall. The endeavor throughout is
to render the teaching as completely practical as possible; no statement is made
that is not illustrated by its exhibition, either on the actual dissection or on the
preparation of a dissection, the effort being to convey knowledge in the so-called
natural method—that is, 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.

For the course in Practical Anatomy dissecting material, obtained under
the permissive law of the State, is abundantly supplied without cost to the
student. Attendance in the dissecting-room is compulsory, a strict record
being kept in the case of each student. Besides the ordinary oral and written
examinations, each student is required to stand seven practical examinations—
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 questioned alone. They consist in 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 gross structure
of the human body.

Materia Medica and Therapeutics.—Particular stress is laid upon
physiological action and rational therapeutical application of drugs The physical
properties of drugs are taught by requiring the student 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; United States Pharmacopœia,
or Index of Materia Medica. The student should provide himself with a disarticulated
skull. Specimens of the other bones are lent from the University collection.