Vesalius devotes one hundred and sixty-eight pages to the bones and
cartilages, treating these structures with a thoroughness that amazed
his contemporaries. He was the first author who correctly described the
osseous system as a whole. In numerous instances Vesalius places himself
in direct opposition to the opinions of Galen. He denied the existence
of the intermaxillary bone in adults, and showed that the inferior
maxilla does not consist of two pieces, as has been asserted by Galen.
The seven bones of the sternum were reduced to three by Vesalius. He
denied Galen’s statement that the bones of the symphysis pubis separate
during parturition. He was the first anatomist to give an accurate
description of the sphenoid bone. A small aperture at the root of the
pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone is called _foramen Vesalii_.
Vesalius proved the existence of marrow in the bones of the hand, which
had been denied by Galen. In all respects, he wrote more intelligently
of the bones than any anatomist who had preceded him.
[Illustration: DEEP MUSCLES OF THE BACK BY VESALIUS
(From the “Fabrica”, 1543. Reduced one-half)]
[Illustration: PART OF THE FIRST TEXT-PAGE OF THE “FABRICA”]