Page 1 - Anatomy & Physiology
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ow that we have a basic understanding of the native lan-
N guage and some basic anatomy, physiology, and disease
Nconcepts, how will we successfully navigate through an un-
familiar city or country? We must, of course, study maps to plan our
visit and know where we are going. The same effort is required to
learn the “terrain” of the human body. This chapter provides the
major external map of the human body that serves as a guide
for future chapters, which map in detail the internal regions.
We’ll use medical directional terms and body locations as
our foundation as we journey together through the
human organism. Isn’t it ironic that if there is one
thing we should know better than anything else, it
should be our own bodies? Like the old saying says, by
the end of our journey through this textbook, you will know
your entire body like the back of your hand.