Anatomy Will Be the Beginning, Middle and End of the Whole of Medicine

“… the natural constitution of each part, … generally called health, is three-fold: similar, organic and common. Equally the contra-natural constitution of the parts is threefold and is termed a similar, organic or common disease. The natural similar constitution consists in the substance and balance (temperies); the organic constitution, pertaining to the structure of the organ, is defined by number, size, position and conformation (itself divided into shape, passage and cavity, roughness and smoothness). The common constitution unites with the similar and organic parts either as a unity or a connection. First I describe this threefold constitution in the individual parts; then I briefly explain what may be gathered from this knowledge of the healthy constitution toward diagnosis, prognosis and cure of the ill constitution. Anatomy handled in this method will be the beginning, middle and end of the whole of medicine.” This issue of Clinical Anatomy presents papers on anatomical terminology, neuroanatomy, education, and fascia. We are sure that these and other topics will be of interest.