Border lines of knowledge, in some provinces of medical science is a published and somewhat expanded version of Holmes’ introductory lecture to the students at Harvard Medical School at the opening of term on November 6, 1861. Although he refers to human anatomy as “an almost exhausted science,” Holmes goes on to list some of his own anatomical observations: “The nucleated cells found connected with the cancellated structure of the bones, which I first pointed out and had figured in 1847, and have shown yearly from that time to the present, and fossa masseterica, a shallow concavity on the ramus muscle, which acquires significance when examined by the side of the deep cavity on the corresponding part in some carnivore to which it answers, may perhaps be claimed as deserving attention. I have also pleased myself by making a special group of the six radiating muscles which diverge from the spine of the axis, or second cervical vertebra, and by giving to it the name stella musculosa nuchæ. But this scanty catalogue is only an evidence that one may teach long and see little that has not been noted by those who have gone before him.” This dissected and dried preparation of the muscles of the cervical vertebrae named by Holmes stella musculosa nuchae (“muscular star of the neck”) is on display in the Warren Anatomical Museum. Dissected and dried preparation of the muscles of the cervical vertebrae named by Holmes stella musculosa nuchae (“muscular star of the neck”)
The Harvard Medical Library does not hold copyright on all the materials in the collection. For use information, contact the Warren Anatomical Museum Curator at chm@hms.harvard.edu
Contact host institution for more information.
Notes:
Donated in 1868 to the Warren Anatomical museum by Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894)
