Structure and Functions of the Body

Although there are already in existence many books on anatomy and physiology for nurses, none with which I am acquainted has seemed to me to provide in concise form just the knowledge needed by the nurse in her profession. Most of them, moreover, separate the anatomy from the physiology and all treat the different systems of tissues separately, first the bones, then the muscles, and so on. These defects, as they seem to me, I have attempted to correct not only by weaving the physiology in with the anatomy, but by treating first the general structures found throughout the body and then describing the structure and function of each part in detail. Thus, the first chapter is devoted to a description of the general structure of all the tissues, a separate chapter being devoted, however, to the skin, itsappendages, and function, including the sense of touch. Then the head with its bones, muscles, and organs of special sense is described, while the brain is treated with the rest of the nervous system, thus forming the connecting link between the head and the body. In the same way the back, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and extremities are taken up in turn and the bones, muscles, blood-vessels, nerves, and special organs of each, together with their functions, described.