Comparative Osteology: being Morphological Studies to demonstrate the Archetype Skeleton of Vertebrated Animals

Description:

First edition. Each plate is followed by one to three separately paginated leaves of descriptive letterpress.

Joseph Maclise (c.1815-1880?) studied medicine at University College, London, and continued his anatomical studies in Paris at l'École Pratique, L'Hôpital le Pitié, and subsequently settled into medical practice in London. He produced a number of other anatomical works. In 1848 Richard Owen published his 'On the Archetype and Homologies of the Vertebrate Skeleton'. A priority dispute developed over the osteological application of the term archetype and Maclise 'pointed out ... that the word had been "first introduced by me in the study of comparative osteology." In an article in the Lancet, "On the Nomenclature of Anatomy (Addressed to Professors Owen and Grant)," which appeared on 14 March 1846, Maclise had indeed discussed the possibility of "an original or archetype structure, from which the endo-skeleton designs are struck, and to which they are comparable."' (N.A. Rupke, 1990, Isis 84(2): 234, Richard Owen's Vertebrate Archetype).

Nissen ZBI, 2642.

Condition

Folio, orig. cloth, blind-stamped design to both boards, with ruled borders, decorative motifs to corners and blind-stamped central, floral cartouche, containing gilt title to front board, rebacked with later matching spine, corners restored, some wear to edges; hinges cracked but firm, teg. Some marginal browning and occasional light foxing. A very good copy.