We've been cutting open human bodies to see what's inside for thousands of years, and animal bodies before that. The art of determining the cause of death by autopsy came about long after the study of anatomy arose, and a rather famous murder gave us the earliest written account of an autopsy.
44 B.C. The first recorded autopsy occurs when Antistius examines Julius Caesar’s body after his assassination, determining which of the 23 stab wounds proved fatal. It was one wound to the chest that ruptured Caesar’s aorta.
A.D. 131–201 Galen of Pergamon is the first person to correlate a patient’s symptoms with what was found upon examining the affected area of the deceased. He produces a large amount of written text about the human body—his meticulous masterpiece is titled On the Usefulness of the Parts of the Body—though his writings were based on the inaccurate humoral theory.
So you see that the autopsy preceded most of our understanding of physiology. It was a long trek from Julius Caesar to the hi-tech examinations that can solve mysterious deaths today -when the money and expertise are available. Read an extensive history of the autopsy at Popular Mechanics.
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I love the Melvins, but my husband is a SERIOUS Melvins fan. They truly are HUGELY talented. The teaming up of Jared and Coady from Big Business with the Melvins is genius. The two drummer thing has been done before, but never this well. Dale Crover is one of the best drummers in the entire history of the world and Coady is right up there with him.
A few more bits of trivia:
Buzz' wife, Mackie, is a well-known artist and has done most of their cover art and the art of many other bands Tool, Rancid, Offspring, Bad Religion, and so many more). She also created the Social Distortion skeleton logo! Here's her website: http://www.mackieosborne.com/
Their band meetings are often at Disneyland.
Jared usually wears really cheesy truck stop t-shirts on stage (like this: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2122/1508770279_3798cb17d4.jpg?v=0)
Buzz (A.K.A. King Buzzo) is really, really opinionated. And a Dodgers fan.
Big Business also rock really hard all by themselves. Check it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7YEE_muCxs
Their last album (Nude With Boots) kicked so much butt and you should totally check it out.
The last time I heard them live it was so loud that for a hours afterward it sounded like everyone was lisping. It was the weirdest thing.
*high five* middlepath
@Jen Diggity Fugazi also did the double-drummer thing to much effect on "The Argument". BIg Business are one of the hardinest-rockinest bands around and a good fit for the Melvins. I can only think that maybe Lightning Bolt would have worked as well, but they're a bit too...manic.
see for yourself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7BDZ7KyNRE
When Stoner Witch was released, it hit my CD player and didn't leave for the next 6 months.
Amazing band!
I highly suggest checking out Jared's old band Karp too. One of my favorites.
Interesting read. I would have never guessed the Kiss influence.
Buzz came out on stage and said, "We have come to destroy punk rock" and my life has never been the same.
Real "Neatorama-ish" unmentioned Melvins trivia is that Lori Black (aka Lorax), the Melvins bassist for most of their seminal work is the daughter of Shirley Temple Black, aka Shirley Temple. (Look it up.)