PREFATORY NOTICE. THE Authors of the present work have desired to lay before their professional brethren an outline of what is known in the domain of Pathological Anatomy. The absence of any original work in the English language, which embraces the whole subject, must be their apology for having made the attempt. They have sought to place before the reader a summary of ascertained facts, together with the opinions of the most eminent pathologists of this and other countries. They have regarded it as their duty to select, as far as possible, the best fruits from the harvest gathered by other laborers in this wide and interesting field. At the same time they have sought not to speak solely on the faith of others, even the highest authorities, but to investigate, as much as possible, for themselves, the correctness of the statements they adopted. They felt that, in some instances, better illustrations might have been obtained by borrowing from other works; but they were of opinion that the present manual would bear a stamp of greater truthfulness if the drawings were taken from objects seen and examined by themselves. They have therefore preferred (with few exceptions only) to use such illustrations as their own portfolios supplied. Although small drawings, in black and white, necessarily fail to give the important elements of size and color, almost essential to illustrations of Pathological Anatomy, the Authors hope that the masterly treatment of Mr. Bagg has achieved as much as could be done by wood engraving. They have divided the subject in the manner indicated in the Table of Contents, and are each individually responsible for the chapters which they have treated. They conclude by expressing a hope that the vast extent of the subject, and of the material they had to deal with, will serve, in some measure, as an apology for the deficiencies which they are fully conscious of, and for which they ask the kind and lenient consideration of the Medical Profession. C. HANDFIELD JONES, EDWARD H. SIEVEKING. LONDON, August 5, 1854. |