Abstract
The structure and development of bone is a subject which has occupied the attention of physiologists both of present and past times, and holds a prominent place in their writings. From the time of Clopton H avers, who was the first to point out the vascular canals in bone, and whose name they have since borne, to the year 1850, when M. Kolliker’s elaborate work on Structural Anatomy appeared, physiological writers have dwelt at considerable length on this branch of their subject. All have, however, concluded with the admission that more remained to be learned before this important structure could be regarded as fully understood*. It is the purpose of the authors in this communication, to lay before the Royal Society the results of an extended series of observations on the structure and development of bone. Such of these results as are novel might, perhaps, be described without reference to those points which are already well known. It will, however, be seen, in the subsequent pages, that they are in themselves, and in their relations to osseous tissue and its development, as well as to structural anatomy generally, of such a nature, as would hardly admit of an intelligible description apart from some consideration of the whole subject. Hence it will be necessary to point out the relations between that which is already known, and that which it is the special purpose of this paper to communicate, and it is proposed to consider the details of the subject as they present themselves in the progress of investigation with but little reference to authorities, adding in the form of notes, those statements which require acknowledgement, either as agreeing with, or as being opposed to, the views advanced in this paper.