Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a very thin, emaciated person.

1602		J. Cooke How A Man May Choose A Good Wife From A Bad Act II: When didst thou see the starueling School-maister? That Rat, that Shrimp, that Spindle-shank [...] that bare Anatomy.
a.1625		Beaumont & Fletcher Love’s Cure II i: For never was there such an Anatomy as we shall make thee then.
1841		Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 25 Dec. n.p.: [of a broken-down horse] Six and three quarters is all I’m bid for this fine specimen of—’ ‘Anatomy’.
1855		Delhi Sketch Bk 1 Feb. 17/2: There was a wizzened little anatomy of a sowcar in the place.
1855		J. Brougham Basket of Chips 157: Why, Badger, you dim, watery-blooded anatomy.
1892		H. Nisbet Bushranger’ s Sweetheart 195: The wicked little anatomy.
1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era 7/2: Anatomy (Peoples’, formerly Literary). A thin needy boy, or old withered soul. In common English, it has been reduced to natermy, e.g., ‘He were a perfick ’nattermy.’.