Definition of Human Anatomy and Physiology.
Anatomy and physiology are integrated dynamic sciences with an exciting heritage.
These sciences provide the foundation for personal health and clinical applications.
Human anatomy and physiology are sciences concerned with the structure and function of the body.
Anatomy is the basis of understanding the structure of the human body and physiology explains how the body function through physical and chemical processes.
Historical parallel of Human Anatomy and Physiology with Medicine.
The study of Human anatomy and physiology has had a rich long and frequently troubled heritage.
Its history parallels that of medicine because interest in the structure and function of the body frequently grew out of the desire to understand and treat body dysfunctions.
Historical Developments It was in ancient Greece that anatomy and physiology first found wide acceptance as sciences.
Hippocrates (460-337 B.
C.
) was a famous Greek physician who is regarded as the father of medicine.
The greatest contribution of Hippocrates was his attribution of disease to natural causes rather than to the gods.
His application of logic and reason to medical study marked the beginning of observational medicine.
Classification/ Characteristics of Human Humans are biological organisms belonging to the phylum chordata within the kingdom animalia and to the family Hominidae within the class mammalia and the order primates.
TaxonomicScheme The classification of taxonomic scheme has been established by biologist to organize the structural and evolutionary relationship of living organisms.
Each category of classification is referred to as taxon.
The highest taxon is the kingdom and the most specific taxon is the species and humans are species belonging to the animal kingdom.