Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

The Book of Life

Under the pen name of Dr. Alesha Sivatha, Dr. Arthur E. Merton published a book, The Book of Life, in which he claimed to have found a way to combine science and medicine with mysticism and religion. He broke down the human body into many parts, each with a specific purpose or designation. Consider, for instance, the location of “walking,” “legs,” and “stability” in this image. The location is in the primary motor cortex of the brain, giving this image a loose scientific basis.

Page from Book of life; or, Spiritual, social, and physical constitution of man by Dr. Alesha Sivartha. 1898. Credit: Internet Archive. Public Domain

Winter 2020

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