Before the modern medical era, the main means for studying the internal structures of the body were dissection of the dead and inspection, palpation and auscultation of the living.
bᵻfˌoːɹ ðə mˈɑːdɚn mˈɛdɪkəl ˈiəɹə, ðə mˈeɪn mˈiːnz fɔːɹ stˈʌdiɪŋ ðɪ ɪntˈɜːnəl stɹˈʌktʃɚz ʌvðə bˈɑːdi wɜː daɪsˈɛkʃən ʌvðə dˈɛd ænd ɪnspˈɛkʃən, pælpˈeɪʃən ænd ˌɔːskəltˈeɪʃən ʌvðə lˈɪvɪŋ.