Title: Anastomoses dans la Cavité Pelvienne – Planche 95

Translation: Anastomoses in the Pelvic Cavity

Source: Traité complet de l’Anatomie de l’Homme, Tome III

Published: Paris, 1844 by C.-A. Delaunay, Librairie Anatomique

Authors: Dr. J.-B. M. Bourgery (text), N. H. Jacob (illustration)

Technique: Hand-colored stone lithograph with accompanying anatomical legend

Size: Approx. 12.5 × 16.75 inches. Oversized-scans show full extent

Condition: Very good + – strong impression, clean margins, light toning; French text sheet 

Description

Planche 95 illustrates the anastomoses between the splanchnic and cerebro-spinal nervous systems within the pelvic cavity. The lithograph details neural interconnections to the genital glands, bladder, rectum, and pelvic musculature, emphasizing the integration of autonomic and somatic control. Jacob’s rendering reveals the layered complexity of pelvic innervation, with labeled ganglia, nerve branches, and fascial planes. Hand-coloring enhances contrast between muscular, connective, and neural structures.

Provenance & Historical Context

This lithograph and legend originate from Traité complet de l’Anatomie de l’Homme, Tome III, published in 1844 under the direction of Dr. Jean-Baptiste Marc Bourgery, with illustrations by Nicolas Henri Jacob. The atlas remains a landmark of 19th-century anatomical publishing, integrating surgical, neurological, and comparative anatomical knowledge.

Institutional Holdings

Comparable examples are held in:

• Wellcome Collection (London)

• Harvard Countway Library of Medicine

• Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris)

• Bibliothèque interuniversitaire de santé (BIU Santé)