Source edition
Galen. Claudii Galeni Opera Omnia, Volume 2. Kühn, Karl Gottlob, editor. Leipzig: Knobloch, 1821.
Source data
A Digital Corpus for Graeco-Arabic Studies · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is a detailed medical and anatomical treatise investigating the anatomical structure of the female uterus, its surrounding organs, and its physiological changes during pregnancy. The author begins by describing the basic position, shape, and dimensions of the uterus, outlining its structural and suspensory relationships with the neighboring bladder and rectum. The discussion then moves to the complex network of blood vessels, the muscular and membranous layers of the uterine wall, and the anatomy of the ovaries, incorporating and evaluating the theories of ancient authorities such as Herophilus. Finally, the text focuses on the changes during pregnancy, detailing the formation of fetal membranes (chorion, amnion, and allantois), the umbilical vascular system, and the nature of "cotyledons" by engaging with Hippocratic and Praxagorean doctrines. Through precise anatomical observations, the work systematically explains the female reproductive system and its dynamic alterations.