LESSON 1
INTRODUCTION TO BASIC HUMAN ANATOMY
Section I. GENERAL
1-1. DEFINITIONS
a. Anatomy is the study of the structure of the body. Often, you may be more
interested in functions of the body. Functions include digestion, respiration, circulation,
and reproduction. Physiology is the study of the functions of the body.
b. The body is a chemical and physical machine. As such, it is subject to certain
laws. These are sometimes called natural laws. Each part of the body is engineered to
do a particular job. These jobs are functions. For each job or body function, there is a
particular structure engineered to do it.
c. In the laboratory, anatomy is studied by dissection (SECT = cut, DIS = apart).
1-2. BODY TYPES
No two human beings are built exactly alike, but we can group individuals into
three major categories. These groups represent basic body shapes.
MORPH = body, body form
ECTO = all energy is outgoing
ENDO = all energy is stored inside
MESO = between, in the middle
ECTOMORPH = slim individual
ENDOMORPH = broad individual
MESOMORPH = body type between the two others, "muscular" type
Ectomorphs, slim persons, are more susceptible to lung infections. Endomorphs are
more susceptible to heart disease.
1-3. NOTE ON TERMINOLOGY
a. Each profession and each science has its own language. Lawyers have legal
terminology. Physicians and other medical professions and occupations have medical
MD0006
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