E. A. SCHÄFER, LL.D., F.R.S. PROFESSOR OF PHYSIOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH SIXTH EDITION LONG MANS, GREEN, AND CO. 39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON NEW YORK AND BOMBAY 1902 All rights reserved BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE. First Edition, May 1885; Second Edition, January 1887; Third Edition, enlarged, May 1892; Fourth Edition, April 1894; Fifth Edition, June 1898; Sixth Edition, May 1902. PREFACE TO THE SIXTH EDITION. THIS Book is written with the object of supplying the student with directions for the microscopical examination of the tissues. At the same time it is intended to serve as an Elementary Text-book of Histology, comprising all the essential facts of the science, but omitting unimportant details, the discussion of which is only calculated to confuse the learner. For a similar reason references to authorities have also generally been omitted. For conveniently accompanying the work of a class of medical students, the book is divided into forty-six lessons. Each of these may be supposed to occupy from one to three hours, according to the relative extent to which the preparations are made beforehand by the teacher, or during the lesson by the students. A few of the preparations cannot well be made by a class, but it has been thought advisable not to injure the completeness of the work by omitting mention of them. Only those methods are recommended upon which experience has proved that full dependence can be placed, but the directions given are for the most part capable of easy verbal modification in accordance with the ideas or experience of different teachers. The present edition has been considerably enlarged, partly by additions to the text-especially that descriptive of the structure of the central nervous system, a proper knowledge of which is essential to students of medicine--partly by the provision of new illustrations. The majority of these have been drawn expressly for this work by Mr. Richard Muir, but some are borrowed from the works of other authors, to whom, and especially to Professor Wilson and Professor Szymonowicz, the thanks of the author are due for permission to make use of this privilege. The remainder have been taken from Quain's Anatomy or from the author's Course of Practical Histology. To the book last mentioned, or to Professor Langley's Practical Histology, the student who desires to work independently is referred for details of method which need not be provided for those who are working under the immediate supervision of a teacher. |