[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Science, technology and education](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science) › [Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India, Part I: Osteology, or the Bones of the Human Body](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907) › c3 # Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India, Part I: Osteology, or the Bones of the Human Body c3: Note Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India, Part I: Osteology, or the Bones of the Human Body c3 - **Language:** English ### Note ### [c3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.1) THE Talmudic osteological summary, referred to on p. v, is given in the \*Jewish Encyclopedia\*, s.v. Anatomy, as follows: ### [c3.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.2) ‘The Rabbis declared that there were 248 members (bones) in the human body; namely, 40 in the tarsal region and the foot (30 + 10 = 40); 2 in the leg (the tibia and fibula); 6 in the knee (including the head of the femur and the epiphyses of the tibia and fibula); 3 in the pelvis (ilium, ischium, and pubes); 11 ribs (the 12th rib, owing to its diminutive size, was not counted); 30 in the hand (the carpal bones and the phalanges); 2 in the forearm (radius and ulna); 2 in the elbow (the olecranon and the head of the radius); 1 in the arm (humerus); 4 in the shoulder (clavicle, scapula, caracoid process, and acromion)—which makes 101 for each side, or 202 for both; 18 vertebrae; 9 in the head (cranium and face); 8 in the neck (7 vertebral, and the os hyoides); 5 around the openings \[\*sic\*\] of the body (cartilaginous bones); and 6 in the key of the heart (the sternum).’ (Oh. I. 8.) ### [c3.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.3) The identifications within brackets appear to be those of the writer of the article on Anatomy. Dr. Bergel, in his \*Studien über die naturwissenschaftlichen Kenntnisse der Talmudisten\*, hesitatingly identifies the last two items as genitals and cardiac appendices (\*Herzanhang\*, appendix auricularis?). The identifications that I would suggest may be seen from the subjoined tabular statement. ### [c3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.4) The Talmudic osteology does not, like the Indian, divide the body into three, but into two parts; namely, (1) the trunk, inclusive of the four extremities, and (2) the neck and head. The trunk, again, is divided, (1) sagittally, into the two sides, right and left; and (2) coronally, into the back and the front. Hence arises the subjoined scheme: ### [c3.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.5) I. TRUNK AND EXTREMITIES. ### [c3.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.6) A. The Two Sides ### [c3.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.7) 1. Lower Limb \*a.\* phalanges . . . . . 15 \*b.\* metatarsals . . . . 5 \*c.\* tarsals . . . . . 8 } 40 (foot, tarsals) \*d.\* malleoli . . . . . 2 \*e.\* unidentified . . . . 10 \*f.\* leg (tibia, fibula) . . . 2 (leg) \*g.\* patella . . . . . 1 \*h.\* inner and outer tuberosities . 4 } 6 (knee) \*i.\* femur . . . . . 1 \*k.\* ilium . . . . . 1 \*l.\* ischium . . . . . 1 } 3 (pelvis) \*m.\* pubes . . . . . 1 ### [c3.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.8) 2. Middle ribs . . . . . . 11 (ribs) ### [c3.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.9) 3. Upper Limb \*a.\* scapula . . . . . 1 \*b.\* clavicle . . . . . 1 \*c.\* acromion process . . . 1 } 4 (shoulder) \*d.\* caracoid process . . . 1 \*e.\* humerus . . . . . 1 (humerus) \*f.\* olecranon process . . . 1 \*g.\* capitellum of humerus . . 1 } 2 (elbow) \*h.\* radius and ulna . . . 2 (forearm) \*i.\* styloid processes . . . 2 \*k.\* carpals . . . . . 8 \*l.\* metacarpals . . . . 5 } 30 (hand) \*m.\* phalanges . . . . 15 Total . . . . . . 101 × 2 = 202 ### [c3.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.10) B. Back, or spinal column (exc. cervix) \*a.\* dorsal vertebrae . . . 12 \*b.\* lumbar vertebrae . . . 5 } 18 (vertebrae) \*c.\* sacrum, coccyx . . . 1 ### [c3.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.11) C. Front, or breast \*a.\* sternum and \*b.\* costal cartilages . . . : } 6 (key of heart) ### [c3.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.12) Total of Trunk and Extremities 226 ### [c3.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.13) Brought forward . . . . 226 ### [c3.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.14) II. HEAD AND NECK. ### [c3.15](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.15) A. Head 1. Cranium a. frontal bones . . . . 2 b. parietal bones . . . . 2 c. occipital bone . . . . 1 } 9 (head) d. temporal bones . . . . 2 e. malar bones . . . . 2 ### [c3.16](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.16) 2. Openings a. mouth (maxillaries) . . . 2 b. ear (pinna) . . . . 2 } 5 (openings) c. nose (cartilage) . . . 1 ### [c3.17](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3.17) B. Neck a. vertebrae . . . . . 7 } 8 (neck) b. windpipe . . . . . 1 Total of Head and Neck . . 22 Grand total of Skeleton . . 248 --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.hoernle-1907.c3) · Pramāṇa