Anatomical and physiological observations. Pt. I / by John Struthers.

  • Struthers, John, 1823-1899.
Date:
1854
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Anatomical and physiological observations. Pt. I / by John Struthers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    appears to have been made by Magcndie, that there existed a supra-condyloid process and foramen in the humerus of the yellow races of Africa—states that approaches to the same struc- ture might be found in many European arms; and records an instance in which the arrangement had just occurred to him in the left arm of a stout muscular middle-aged man, with the deviation of the artery and nerve in order that they might pass around the process. Another instance of this arrangement is re- corded by Mr E. Quain in his recent work on the arteries, and is represented in Plate xxxvi. fig, 3. I first saw this variety in the instance already quoted from Dr Knox, the preparation—showing the artery and nerve passing underneath the arch—being now in my possession; and I have since met with it on seven occasions in the dissecting room. The first of tliese I met with four years ago, on the left arm of a female subject. The second and third occurred the following year, in both arms of another female subject; and the remaining four during last winter session, being in both arms of two male subjects. In all of them the protective arch was well formed, and trans- mitted the median nerve and undivided humeral artery, except on the right side of the last subject, on which the artery held its usual course, the nerve passing through the arch, along with a small muscular artery, which, in size and origin, resembled the inferior profunda. The osseous portion of the arch arose at a distance from the internal condyle, varying from an inch and a quarter to two inches and a half, and nearer to the anterior than the internal border of the humerus. It then curved downwards and inwards, and—in none of the above instances having ex- ceeded three-fourths of an inch in length—gave attachment to the ligament, which, stretching in the same direction, joined the line cTose above the condyle, and thus completed the arch. In four of the above instances, the process, as now seen in the macerated bones, is from half to three-fourths of an inch in length. In the other tlu-ee it is shorter; more especially in that one in which the ai'ch transmitted the nerve but not the artery, whilst on the other humerus, from the same subject, the process