Vesalius and scientific anatomy. Fundamentals of anatomy

Andreas Vesalius (Andreas Vesalius, 1514 - 1564) - the famous physician of the Middle Ages, one of the founders of anatomy entered the history of critical care medicine, as the author of one of the first written descriptions of the tracheostomy operation performed by him in an experiment on an animal with the aim of artificial ventilation of the lungs (1543 G.).

Childhood and youth of Andreas Vesalius. Andreas Vesalius was born on December 31, 1514 (or January 1, 1515) in Brussels (Belgium), into a family that included several famous doctors among its ancestors. For example, his grandfather was the author of the book Commentary on the Aphorisms of Hippocrates. His great-grandfather, paternal grandfather, and his father all served as court physicians. His father was a pharmacist at the court of Emperor Maximilian, then served his son Charles V. Vesalius was born and recorded in the metrics as Andreas van Wesel, but later he changed his name and surname to the Latin way, and became Andreas Vesalius, following spirit of the times and fashionable innovations of the Renaissance

Andreas spent his childhood in Brussels. Very early, Andreas was imbued with respect and love for the medical profession. And this is not surprising, since at home, events from the medical life of the city and the royal court were a constant topic of conversation. The family carefully kept thick medical treatises inherited from glorious ancestors. The father always shared stories with the family about his meetings with high-ranking patients. Since Andreas's father was often absent from home due to the need to follow the court of the emperor, who started one or the other military campaign in Austria or Spain, mother Isabel Crabbe was mainly involved in raising his son. Being a cultured woman, she always respected the medical traditions of the house. At first, she herself began to read old medical treatises to her son, then she tried to encourage her son's growing interest in medicine. All this contributed to the decision of Andreas to embark on the path of independent study of nature. Already in childhood Vesalius had a great craving for the study of anatomy. In the fields near his house, he searched for the corpses of dead animals (mice, birds, dogs), which he then dissected. The father understood that his son's home education, even with his great desire for knowledge, could not be thorough. Therefore, Vesalius first graduated from the Brussels school "Brothers of the Common Life", and then, in 1528, he was placed to study at the Palace College at the University of Louvain. There he took a course in natural philosophy. While in college, he also studied Greek, Latin, Hebrew, rhetoric, philosophy, mathematics and music, but Andreas's greatest interest has always been in the natural sciences, especially anatomy, the dissection of mice, rats and dogs.

Studying at the University of Paris. The training of students of the medical faculty of anatomy took place in full accordance with medieval approaches to teaching medicine, that is, very badly. Practical classes in anatomy were conducted by demonstrators recruited from barbers-surgeons. While they were dissecting the corpses, the senior demonstrator read to the students the works of Galen, whose teaching was considered holy and irrefutable. Subsequently, Vesalius brutally mocked the autopsy procedure at the University of Paris.

The young Vesalius was firmly convinced that the best way to learn anatomy was through practical dissection on cadavers, and not learning from ignorant barbers. In his conviction, he followed his favorite Latin saying: "Tangitis res vestries minibus, et his credit (You touch with your own hands and trust them)" were soon noted by professors and students. Already at the third demonstration lesson in anatomy, he was entrusted with the preparation of a corpse. As Vesalius noted later in one of his books, it was the corpse of a hanged prostitute. His fame among students and teachers began to grow day by day, and soon he became the recognized expert of the faculty in the dissection of limbs and abdominal muscles. The teacher's trust in a capable student helped to perfect his art of dissection. As biographers point out, at the age of 20, Vesalius made his first discovery, proving that in humans the lower jaw, contrary to Galen's data, is an unpaired bone. These were the first steps in transforming a young medical student into an anatomy reformer.

Further development of Vesalius as an anatomist. Vesalius left the University of Paris with a good store of knowledge. He skillfully mastered the anatomical technique and thoroughly knew the anatomy of Galen, besides which, as Gunther and Silvius taught him, there is no other anatomy. The level of knowledge and experience of Vesalius as a dissector can be judged by the remark of Gunther, who, in the Basel edition of Galen's Anatomical Exercises (1536), assessing Vesalius' participation in the preparation of the book, wrote about him as "a young, promising person. Hercules with high expectations, with extraordinary knowledge of medicine, trained in two languages, very skillful in dissecting a corpse.

However, Vesalius did not receive his Bachelor of Medicine degree in Paris. In 1536, Emperor Charles V invaded France, and the Franco-German war broke out. These events forced Vesalius to leave Paris. In order to continue his studies, Vesalius returned to Louvain University of Louvain, where he continues to dissect corpses. One day, the corpse of a hanged criminal was secretly delivered to him in parts, within a few days he assembled the whole skeleton. He was assisted in this work by his friend Reguier Gemme, who later became a renowned mathematician. This became known to the authorities of Louvain. Grave-robbery was severely punished at the time, but Vesalius managed to convince the city authorities that he brought this skeleton from Paris.

Apparently, Vesalius could find a common language with the city authorities, since already in 1536 he managed to organize the first public anatomical dissection of a corpse. He performed the preparation himself, and at the same time gave a lecture to the assembled spectators. These public anatomical lectures were then held at Louvain for 18 years. It was not until the spring of 1537 that Vesalius received his bachelor's degree in medicine. During this Louvain period of his life, Andreas Vesalius wrote his first pamphlet, which was a commentary on the 9th book of Razi's Almansor, and which was called On the Treatment of Diseases from Head to Feet. In the same year, Vesalius moved to Italy. For several months he practiced medicine and anatomy in Venice, and on December 5, 1537, in the city of Padua, he received the degree of doctor of medicine with his appointment as professor of surgery and anatomy at the University of Padua. The most fruitful Padua period of his activity begins (15381543).

Vesalius' activity in Padua. The position of professor of anatomy and surgery at the University of Padua gave Vesalius the opportunity to realize his pedagogical ideas and to widely expand scientific research in anatomy. For this it was necessary to create new textbooks of anatomy, because the works of Galen were replete with inaccuracies and errors. Based on the results of his preparations, Vesalius set to work. He understood that a good textbook must contain accurate illustrations of the parts of the human body. This was greatly supported by his friend Jan Stefan van Kalkar, a student of Titian himself. And already in 1538, Vesalius published six anatomical tables in Venice, they were his first drawings on anatomy that appeared in the light. In these drawings, which together with the text make up his famous work "Tabulae Anatomicae Sex",

In the tables, Vesalius clarified and supplemented the anatomical terminology, illustrated new data on the structure of the human body. Convinced that many of Galen's anatomical texts were based on animal autopsies and therefore did not reflect the specifics of human anatomy, Vesalius decided to undertake experimental studies of the human body. The result was the treatise "On the structure of the human body" (De humani corporis fabrica, 1543). This masterpiece "De Humani Corporis Fabrica" included seven books with 11 large engravings and 300 illustrations. Henry Sigerist, the famous Swiss medical historian, pointed out that De Fabrica was the new starting point of medical science. This book put Vesalius on a par with other prominent figures of the Renaissance.

Vesalius' contribution to the theory and practice of critical care medicine. In the seventh book of the treatise On the Structure of the Human Body, Vesalius described a tracheostomy performed in an experiment on an animal for the purpose of mechanical ventilation. He writes: “In order for the animal to return to life, it is necessary to make a hole in the trunk of the windpipe, where it is necessary to insert a tube of reed or reed and blow into it, so that the lung rises and delivers air to the animal. It is when blowing ... forces will return to the heart again. A few lines below, Vesalius gives a classic description of the fibrillation of the heart that occurs after the cessation of mechanical ventilation: “... when the lung falls for a long time, the pulse is seen and the movement of the heart and arteries is wavy, like nervous trembling, worm-like, and when the lung is inflated, it becomes large again and quickly and amazingly moving unevenly."

Other clinical discoveries of Vesalius. Even though Vesalius' clinical career was not exhaustive, he was one of the first to note and describe an aneurysm. In addition, Vesalius contributed to the return from oblivion of the ancient method of Hippocrates - drainage of emphysema of the chest. Vesalius made a huge contribution to the development of anatomical terminology. He introduced into it such words as alveolus, choana, anvil in the inner ear, mitral valve of the heart (he used the association with the bishop's miter), and many others. While still a student, he discovered the seminal vessels, described the unmistakable femur. Reaffirming the Hippocratic theory that the brain can be damaged without a skull fracture; refuted Galen's claims that the mandible was made up of two bones rather than one, and that the sternum had seven segments rather than three. He also questioned Galen's theory of ventricular septal patency. This helped his student Colombus to describe the circulation of the lungs, and William Harvey to explain the circulation of blood in the body. By the way, the very first dissection of the skeleton in the world was carried out by Vesalius

The last years of Vesalius' life. In 1543, Vesalius became the court physician of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, acquiring an extensive private practice and a high reputation. After the abdication of Charles V in 1556, he entered the service of his son Philip II, King of Spain. During the reign of Philip II, Vesalius gained fame as a clinician because of two of his famous patients. The first was Henry II, King of France, who suffered a severe head injury during a jousting tournament. Vesalius went to Paris to assist another famous physician, Ambroise Pare. As soon as Vesalius arrived in Paris, he performed a preliminary examination, unknown to the Parisian physicians, using a clean white robe that he asked the king to bite down on with his mouth. Then he gave a sharp tug to the cloth. Henry II threw his hands back and screamed in pain. From the point of view of modern neuropathologists and neurosurgeons, this method of Vesalius refers to one of the methods for detecting meningeal irritation. Vesalius predicted that the king would die in a few days. This happened 8 days after his consultation

Vesalius asked permission from the family of a deceased Spanish nobleman to perform an autopsy on the deceased to find the cause of his death. The autopsy was performed in the presence of witnesses. When a heart examination was performed, the witness saw a beating heart and it was concluded that the patient was still alive. The shocked family accused Vesalius of murder and took the complaint to the Inquisition. King Philip II petitioned for a change in the sentence. There was no doubt that without the help of the king, there would have been only one sentence - burning at the stake. To atone for sins and save his life, Vesalius had to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Vesalius decided to make this trip to the Holy Land before the start of the new semester at the university. Vesalius fell ill during a long and stormy sea voyage, in which food and water supplies were depleted. He died of unknown causes on October 14, 1564 at the age of 50, shortly after reaching the Zante Islands near Greece.

(Vesalius Andreas, 1514-1564) - the founder of modern anatomy. He graduated from the University of Louvain (Flanders), where he studied the humanities and ancient classics. From 1532 he studied medicine at the un-those in Montpellier, and then in Paris, where he worked under the guidance of the famous anatomist J. Silvius. In 1537, in Padua, he defended his thesis and received the degree of doctor of medicine. A. Vesalius applied the method of experimental study of the human body, also laying the foundation for many fiziol, discoveries.

In 1538, A. Vesalius published Anatomical Tables, consisting of 6 sheets of engravings made by Stefan Kalkar, a friend of A. Vesalius and a student of the artist Titian; published "Letters on bloodletting" and carried out a new edition of the works of K. Galen. In 1539 he read a course in anatomy at the University of Padua, demonstrating new methods of anatomical research; he showed that Galen's views on the structure of the human body are largely inaccurate, and sometimes erroneous.

In 1543, A. Vesalius published in Basel the famous treatise “On the Structure of the Human Body”, in which he sharply criticized the erroneous views of his predecessors, for which J. Silvius called him “vesanus” (insane) in a fierce debate. The treatise of A. Vesalius consists of 7 books: the first describes the bones of the skeleton and cartilage, the second - ligaments and muscles, the third - blood vessels, the fourth - nerves, the fifth - the digestive organs and the urinary-genital system, the sixth - the heart and respiratory organs, in the seventh - the brain and sense organs. In their descriptions

A. Vesalius associated the structure of human organs with their activities, pointing to the "expediency of their structure." He correctly described the human skeleton. He also proved that there are no pores in the septum of the heart between the right and left ventricles, the existence of which was written by ancient anatomists, and thus paved the way for the subsequent discovery of the small and large circles of blood circulation. Great are the merits of A. Vesalius in the creation of a new and clarification of the old anatomical terminology. I. P. Pavlov, in the preface to the publication of the Russian translation of the treatise, writes: “The work of Vesalius is the first human anatomy in the modern history of mankind, which does not repeat only the instructions and opinions of ancient authorities, but is based on the work of a free research mind.”

Exhausted by the persecution of the church, A. Vesalius was forced to burn part of his works and make the pilgrimage prescribed to him to Palestine. Returning from this most difficult journey for that time, he was sick, during a shipwreck, he was thrown out on about. Zante, where he died. The place of his grave is not known.

In the 17th century the Russian scientist Epiphanius Slavinetsky made a translation of "Epitome" - an extract from the treatise of A. Vesalius under the title "Vrachevskaya Anatomy of Vesalius" for Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and the boyar Rtishchev, who established in 1648 near Moscow, in the Preobrazhenskaya desert, an academic brotherhood, a swarm and headed by Epiphanius. This translation did not reach us, because the manuscript was lost.

Compositions: De humani corporis fabrica libri septem, Basileol, 1543 and 1555; Opera omnia anatomica et chirurgica, cura Hermanni Boerhaave et Bernhardi Siegfried Albini, Lugd, 1725; On the structure of the human body, trans. from Latin., vol. 1-2, M., 1950-1954; Epitome, trans. from Latin., M., 1974.

Bibliography: Kupriyanov V.V. Andrey Vesalius and the history of anatomy and medicine, M., 1964; LeibsonL. G. Andrei Vesalius and his "seven books on the structure of the human body", Priroda, No. 12, p. 66, 1948; Ternovsky V.N. Andrei Vesalius, M., 1965, bibliography; Gr u e r r i n about A. A. Andres Vesalio at la anatomia, Buenos Aires, 1955; M a j o r R. H. History of medicine, v. 1, p. 404, Springfield, 1954.

B. H. Ternovsky.

Andreas Vesalius was born on December 31 1514 years in the city of Brussels (Seventeen Provinces). Vesalius' activities took place in many European countries. One of the first began to study the human body through autopsy. In the main work "On the structure of the human body" ( 1543 ) Vesalius gave a scientific description of the structure of all organs and systems, pointed out many mistakes of his predecessors, including Galen. Persecuted by the church.

Andreas Vesalius is rightly considered the creator of modern anatomy and the founder of the school of anatomists. He was also successful as a medical practitioner.

The doctors of Andreas Vesalius were his grandfather and great-grandfather, and his father served as a pharmacist at the court of Emperor Charles V. The interests of those around him undoubtedly influenced the interests and aspirations of the young Vesalius. Andreas studied first at school, and then at the University of Louvain, where he received a versatile education, studied Greek and Latin, thanks to which he could get acquainted with the works of scientists already in his youth. Obviously, he read a lot of books about medicine by ancient and contemporary scientists, since his works speak of deep knowledge. Vesalius independently assembled a complete human skeleton from the bones of the executed. It was the first anatomical manual in Europe.

Every year, Vesalius' passionate interest in the study of medicine, in anatomical studies, became more and more evident. In his free time from teaching, he carefully dissected the bodies of animal mice, cats, dogs at home, studying the structure of their body.

In an effort to improve his knowledge in the field of medicine, especially anatomy, Andreas Vesalius, at the age of seventeen, went to the University of Montpellier, and to 1533 first appeared at the medical faculty of the University of Paris to listen to lectures by the famous entomist Sylvius. Young Vesalius was already able to critically approach the method of teaching anatomy.

In the preface to the treatise On the Structure of the Human Body, Andreas Vesalius wrote: “My studies would never have led to success if, during my medical work in Paris, I had not applied my own hands to this matter ... And I myself, somewhat sophisticated own experience, publicly performed a third of the autopsies on his own.

A. Vesalius asks questions at lectures that testify to his doubts about the correctness of the teachings of Galen. Galen is an indisputable authority, his teaching should be accepted without any reservations, and Vesalius trusts more his eyes than the works of Galen.

The scientist rightly considered anatomy to be the basis of medical knowledge, and the goal of his life was the desire to revive the experience of the distant past, to develop and improve the method of studying human anatomy. However, the church, which hindered the development of the natural sciences, forbade the autopsy of human corpses, considering it blasphemy. Many difficulties had to be overcome by the young anatomist Andreas Vesalius.

In order to be able to do anatomy, he used every opportunity. If there was money in his pocket, he negotiated with the cemetery watchman, and then a corpse suitable for autopsy fell into his hands. If there was no money, Vesalius, hiding from the watchman, opened the grave himself, without his knowledge. What to do, I had to take risks!

Vesalius studied the bones of the human and animal skeleton so well that he could name any bone by touch without looking at them.

Andreas Vesalius spent three years at the university, and then circumstances developed in such a way that he had to leave Paris and go back to Louvain.

There Vesalius got into trouble. He removed the corpse of the executed criminal from the gallows and performed an autopsy. The Louvain clergy demanded the strictest punishment for such blasphemy. Vesalius realized that disputes were useless here, and considered it good to leave Louvain and went to Italy.

After receiving in 1537 year of his doctorate, Andreas Vesalius began teaching anatomy and surgery at the University of Padua. The government of the Republic of Venice encouraged the development of natural science and sought to expand the work of scientists at this university.

The brilliant talent of the young scientist attracted attention. Twenty-two-year-old Vesalius, who had already received the title of Doctor of Medicine for his work, was appointed to the Department of Surgery with the duty of teaching anatomy.

Andreas gave lectures with inspiration, which always attracted many listeners, worked with students and, most importantly, continued his research. And the deeper he studied the internal structure of the body, the more he became convinced that there were many very significant errors in Galen's teachings, which those who were under the influence of Galen's authority simply did not notice.

For four long years he worked on his work. Vesalius studied, translated and republished the works of medical scientists of the past, his anatomist predecessors. And in their writings, he found many errors. "Even the greatest scientists," wrote Vesalius, "slavishly adhered to other people's oversights and some strange style in their unsuitable manuals." The scientist began to trust the most authentic book - the book of the human body, in which there are no errors. At night, by candlelight, Andreas Vesalius dissected corpses. He set himself the goal of solving the great task of correctly describing the location, shape and function of the organs of the human body.

The result of the passionate and hard work of the scientist was the famous treatise in seven books, which appeared in 1543 year and entitled "On the structure of the human body." It was a gigantic scientific work, in which, instead of obsolete dogmas, new scientific views were presented. It reflected the cultural upsurge of mankind during the Renaissance.

Printing developed rapidly in Venice and in Basel, where Andreas Vesalius printed his work. His book is decorated with beautiful drawings by the artist Stefan Kalkar, a student of Titian. It is characteristic that the skeletons depicted in the drawings stand in poses characteristic of living people, and the landscapes surrounding some of the skeletons speak more about life than about death.

All this work of Vesalius was intended for the benefit of a living person, the study of his body in order to preserve his health and life. Each capital letter in the treatise is adorned with a drawing depicting children studying anatomy. So it was in ancient times the art of anatomy was taught from childhood, knowledge was passed from father to son. The magnificent artistic composition of the frontispiece of the book depicts Andreas Vesalius during a public lecture and an autopsy of a man.

The work of Vesalius excited the minds of scientists. The boldness of his scientific thought was so unusual that, along with the followers who appreciated his discoveries, he had many enemies. The great scientist experienced a lot of grief and disappointment when even his students left him. The famous Silvius, the teacher of Vesalius, called Vesalius "Vesanus", which means insane. He attacked him with a scathing pamphlet which he called "A defense against the slander of the anatomical works of Hippocrates and Galen by a certain madman."

He did not disdain to turn to the emperor himself with a demand to roughly punish Vesalius: “I implore Caesar’s Majesty,” wrote Professor Jacob Silvius, “so that he severely beat and generally curbed this monster of ignorance, ingratitude, arrogance, the most pernicious example of wickedness, born and brought up in his house, as this monster deserves, so that with its plague breath it does not poison Europe.

Andreas Vesalius foresaw how events would turn out after the publication of his treatise On the Structure of the Human Body. Even earlier, he wrote: “... my work will be attacked by those who did not take up anatomy as zealously as was the case in Italian schools, and who now, at an advanced age, are languishing with envy at the correct revelations of the young man.”

Most eminent doctors really took the side of Sylvius. They joined his demand to curb and punish Andreas Vesalius, who dared to criticize the great Galen. Such was the strength of recognized authorities, such were the foundations of public life of that time, when any innovation aroused alertness, any bold statement that went beyond the established canons was regarded as freethinking. These were the fruits of the centuries-old ideological monopoly of the church, which imposed rigidity and routine.

Having opened dozens of corpses, having carefully studied the human skeleton, Vesalius came to the conclusion that the opinion that men have one rib less than women is completely wrong. But such a belief went beyond medical science. It affected church doctrine.

Vesalius did not reckon with another statement of the churchmen. In his time, the belief was preserved that in the human skeleton there is a bone that does not burn in fire, is indestructible. It supposedly contains a mysterious power, with the help of which a person will be resurrected on the day of the Last Judgment in order to appear before the Lord God. And although no one saw this bone, it was described in scientific works, there was no doubt about its existence. Vesalius, who described the structure of the human body, bluntly stated that, while examining the human skeleton, he did not find a mysterious bone.

Andreas Vesalius was aware of the consequences of his speeches against Galen. He understood that he opposed the prevailing opinion, offending the interests of the church. And how they deal with such impudent loners, he knew well. The scientist continued to teach at the University of Padua, but every day the atmosphere around him heated up more and more. It was bitter for him to part with Padua, with the university, to interrupt his work and research. But he saw no other way.

Just at this time, he received an invitation from the Spanish Emperor Charles V to take the place of the court physician. The court of the emperor was at that time in Brussels. Vesalius's father was still serving Charles, and the young professor accepted the emperor's offer. Of course, in Brussels he will not have a department, he will not be able to study with students. But on the other hand, the imperial court will serve as a reliable shelter for him from the persecution of the church, leaving the opportunity to study anatomy. Thus, the position of court physician, although not to the liking of Vesalius, had its advantages.

And yet it was difficult to find a more unsuitable position for Vesalius. He was a scientist, a researcher. Now he had to learn principles that were very far from science, the ability to please his noble patients, to catch their thoughts, to participate in all court ceremonies.

But even under these conditions, he did not stop the work to which he devoted his life. Andreas Vesalius devoted all his free time to his treatise On the Structure of the Human Body. He made corrections, additions, clarified what seemed to him not entirely convincing. Using every opportunity, he was engaged in anatomy. But the idea that he was cut off from scientific centers, that research activities had become a side business for him, oppressed Vesalius.

He dreamed of returning to the scientific department again. But in reality, Vesalius could not even think about leaving Brussels and moving to another place where he could do the work he liked. As soon as he left the imperial court, the Inquisition would again show interest in him. That is why, in the most dreary moments of his life, Vesalius convinced himself that he had to come to terms with the circumstances.

A. Vesalius managed to publish his treatise “On the structure of the human body” with the second edition. It was only a short happy moment in all these years, and then everything went on as before. The monotonous days dragged on in a long succession.

But then came the end of Vesalius' stay at the imperial court. His patron Charles V abdicated, retired to a monastery and soon died. Philip II, a bilious and evil man, ascended the throne. He did not like Vesalius and openly expressed his dislike to him. Numerous envious and enemies of the court physician hastened to take advantage of this. The attitude of the new emperor towards Vesalius worsened even more. Vesalius felt that he needed to leave Brussels as soon as possible. He made an attempt to escape from the power of the new emperor, asked to be released to Italy. But the wayward Philip categorically opposed this.

Under Philip, the severe prohibitions of the church on dissecting corpses again touched Vesalius. To break them meant to enter into open conflict with the church. Vesalius bitterly wrote about this time - "I could not even touch a dry skull with my hand, and the less I had the opportunity to perform autopsies."

But no matter how hard Andreas Vesalius tried not to give the church a reason for any accusations, it turned out to be beyond his power. Streams of slander again poured on Vesalius. To top it off, he was falsely accused of dissecting a living person.

Vesalius tried to prove his innocence, but all was in vain. He had to obey. The verdict of the church was categorical: the court physician Andreas Vesalius had to go to the "holy places" to the Holy Sepulcher to atone for his sins...

IN 1564 Vesalius left Madrid with his wife and daughter. Leaving his family in Brussels, he went on a long journey alone. On the way to Jerusalem, the scientist stopped in his beloved Venice, where he spent the best years of his creative life.

Vesalius did not leave the thought of returning to her favorite science. There is an assumption that the Senate of Venice invited him to take the chair again at the University of Padua. But the dream of the scientist to return to science did not come true.

The writing of Andreas Vesalius provoked, as might be expected, fierce attacks from obscurantist doctors, against whom Vesalius defended himself with several polemical writings. WITH 1544 BC, as a life physician to Emperor Charles V, Andreas accompanied him on all his travels, but under his son, Philip II, the Spanish Inquisition managed to seize the long-awaited enemy. Accused that during the autopsy the heart of the deceased showed some signs of life, Andreas Vesalius was condemned to death. Only thanks to the intercession of Philip II, the death penalty was replaced by a pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulcher.

On the way back, the storm threw the unfortunate scientist to the island of Zante (Republic of Venice), where Andreas Vesalius died on October 15 1564 of the year.

The name of the doctor Andreas Vesalius became famous during the Middle Ages. Already at that time, he became famous thanks to a written description of the surgical treatment of tracheostomy. The first experiment was carried out by him on an animal that was artificially ventilated. Andreas first studied the structure and features of the human body through dissection. So our contemporaries consider him the founder of anatomy, and almost all further teachings were based on his discoveries. And it’s not a sin for us to remember who Andreas Vesalius was in his time, to remember the contribution to medicine of an outstanding scientist, because his merits could not go unnoticed already in his time.

Andreas Vesalius was born into a family in which several generations of his relatives were physicians. There were many outstanding scientists in the Viting family: Emperor Maximilian appointed Peter's great-great-grandfather as his doctor, his great-grandfather was a well-known doctor and worked in Brussels. Andreas's grandfather, also a doctor, is the author of additions to the Hippocratic collection, and also first announced the procedure for inoculation against smallpox. It was he who owned the works on the study of smallpox and measles. Andreas Vesalius Sr., father, was an apothecary to Princess Margaret, who was the ruler of the Netherlands. There was also a younger brother in Andreas's family, who took up medicine from a young age. It is not surprising that the profession of a doctor could not escape Andreas himself: after so many generations devoted to the study of medicine, he considered it necessary to make his contribution to its further development.

Andreas Vesalius - biography (briefly):

Andreas was born on December 31, 1514. From a young age, he listened with enthusiasm as his mother read treatises and works on medicine to him. By the age of 16, Andreas had a classical education, which he received in Brussels. After that, in 1530, his studies at the University of Louvain begin. This is a higher educational institution, which was founded by Johann IV of Brabant. At the university, special attention was paid to the study of ancient languages, because they are needed for successful advancement in medicine.

Considering the level of teaching to be insufficiently high, Vesalius changed his place of study in 1531 and continued it at the Pedagogical College. There he managed to master quite well the Greek, Arabic and Latin languages. The propensity for anatomical research manifested itself in a young student quite early. He devoted the hours free from study to the fact that he was engaged in the opening of the corpses of animals and their preparation. This hobby did not go unnoticed by the court physician Nikolai Florin, who, by and large, determined the future fate of the young man, sending him to study at the Medical University of Paris. As a token of gratitude for the parting words, Andreas dedicated to Floren a work called "The Message of Bloodletting" and began to call him a second father.

From 1533, Andreas continued his medical studies in Paris. For four years, he listened to lectures by prominent doctors, in particular Sylvius, who thoroughly studied the structure of the vena cava of the human body, the structure of the peritoneum, studied the appendix, revealed the structure of the liver, and much more. In addition, Vesalius studied anatomy and surgery with the famous Swiss doctor Gunther at that time. It was with him that Andreas began a very warm, friendly and mentoring relationship.

In 1536, Vesalius again came to Louvain and continues his medical practice, in which he is supported by his friend Gemma Frisius. Together, they secretly stole the corpses of executed criminals from the cemetery (such autopsies were strictly prohibited at that time for religious reasons and the canons of the church). With great risk, but with firm self-confidence, the young physician moved forward in his research.

In 1537, Vesalius was awarded a doctorate and a diploma with honors. After a public autopsy in the Senate of the Republic of Venice (where Andreas already lived at that time), he was officially appointed professor of surgery. There he remains, at the same time becoming a teacher of anatomy. Thus, already at the age of 23, he became an outstanding professor, and his fascinating lectures attracted all students.

From 1545, Andreas moved to the University of Pisa, but six years later became a professor at the University of Rome, where he worked until the end of his life.

Vesalius was heavily persecuted by the Spanish Inquisition, who accused him of murdering a man under the guise of allegedly autopsying the corpse of an executed criminal. He was sentenced to death, but this measure was canceled thanks to the intervention of Philip II.

Instead, as a sign of punishment, Vesalius went on a pilgrimage to Palestine, where the Holy Sepulcher is located. The difficult journey ended in an unsuccessful return and the crash of the ship, on which the great scientist was also. Once on a desert island, Andreas Vesalius fell ill, was left without hope of salvation and died at the age of 50 on October 2, 1564.

Andreas Vesalius' contribution to medicine

In 1543, the famous work of Andreas Vesalius "On the structure of the human body" was published. It contained not just text, but rather demonstrative pictures and indications of the mistakes made by another well-known scientist at that time, Galen. Over 200 bugs have been fixed. After this treatise, the authority of the latter was seriously damaged. It was this work that marked the beginning of the modern science of anatomy.

One of the indisputable achievements of Vesalius is the compilation of anatomical terminology in Latin. Based on the names that were introduced into medicine by Celsus (he was called the "Latin Hippocrates"), Andreas removed all the words from the Middle Ages from the terminology, minimizing the terms of Greek origin.

The great scientist also described the correct digestion of bones - this procedure is necessary for creating skeletons.

In his writings, he was able to create a solid foundation for the further development of anatomy and surgery. He was convinced that for someone who wants to become a good doctor in any field, the study of anatomy is a fundamental factor. It was he who gave surgery a chance to develop as a science since antiquity.

All of his iconographic legacy is of great value. And it was graphic methods in anatomical science that irrevocably refuted the relationship of astrology with medicine.

Vesalius (Vesalius) Andreas (1514-1564), naturalist, founder of anatomy. Born in Brussels. Vesalius' activities took place in many European countries. One of the first began to study the human body through autopsy. In his main work "On the structure of the human body" (books 1-7, 1543) he gave a scientific description of the structure of all organs and systems, pointed out many mistakes of his predecessors, including Galen. Persecuted by the church. Died in a shipwreck.

Vesalius Andrew (Vesalius) - the famous surgeon and founder of the latest anatomy, genus. On December 31, 1514, in Brussels, in a family that included several well-known doctors among its ancestors (his grandfather was the author of the work "Comments on the Aphorisms of Hippocrates"). V. was educated in Louvain, Paris and Montpellier, and especially devoted himself to the study of human anatomy, with danger to life, due to the prejudices of his time, taking out human corpses. They say that even V. himself, before each dissection of the corpse, fervently asked for forgiveness from God because, in the interests of science, he was looking for the secret of life in death. Soon he gained fame as an experienced surgeon and was invited to lecture on anatomy in Basel, Padua, Bologna and Pisa. In 1543, V. published his famous Op. "De corroris humani fabrica libri septem" (Basel), which opened a new era in the history of anatomy: the authority of Galen was finally overthrown and human anatomy was placed on the basis of an accurate experimental study. W.'s writing provoked, as one would expect, fierce attacks from obscurantist doctors, against whom V. defended himself with several polemical writings. Since 1544, as a medical officer of Emperor Charles V, V. accompanied him on all his travels, but under his son, Philip II, the Spanish Inquisition managed to seize the long-awaited enemy. Accused that during the autopsy the heart of the deceased showed some signs of life, V. was sentenced to death. Only thanks to the intercession of Philip II, the death penalty was replaced by a pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulcher. On the way back, a storm threw the unfortunate scientist to the island of Zante, where he died (1564). Complete Op. V. published by Boergav and Albin (Leiden, 2 vols., 1725). About V., see Portal's "History of Anatomy" and Galler's "Bibliotheca anatomica". See V.'s biography in Burgava (Ghent, 1841), Mersman (Bruges, 1845), Weinat (Louvain, 1846).

F. Brockhaus, I.A. Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary.

Andreas Vesalius was born in 1514 in Brussels into a family of hereditary physicians. Andreas studied first at school, and then at the University of Louvain, where he received a versatile education, studied Greek and Latin, thanks to which he could get acquainted with the works of scientists already in his youth. Obviously, he read a lot of books about medicine by ancient and contemporary scientists, since his works speak of deep knowledge. Vesalius independently assembled a complete human skeleton from the bones of the executed.

Vesalius, at the age of seventeen, went to the University of Montpellier, and in 1533 he first appeared at the medical faculty of the University of Paris to listen to the lectures of the anatomist Sylvius. Young Vesalius was already able to critically approach the method of teaching anatomy.

The scientist rightly considered anatomy to be the basis of medical knowledge, and the goal of his life was the desire to revive the experience of the distant past, to develop and improve the method of studying human anatomy. However, the church, which hindered the development of the natural sciences, forbade the autopsy of human corpses, considering it blasphemy. In order to be able to do anatomy, he used every opportunity: he negotiated with the cemetery watchman, and then a corpse suitable for autopsy fell into his hands. If there was no money, he, hiding from the watchman, opened the grave himself, without his knowledge.

Vesalius studied the bones of the human and animal skeleton so well that he could name any bone by touch without looking at them.

After receiving his doctorate in 1537, Vesalius began teaching anatomy and surgery at the University of Padua. He lectured and continued his research. The deeper he studied the internal structure of the body, the more he became convinced that there were many very significant errors in Galen's teachings that those who were under the influence of Galen's authority simply did not notice.

For four long years he worked on his work. He studied, translated and republished the works of medical scientists of the past, his anatomist predecessors. He set himself the goal of solving the great task of correctly describing the location, shape and function of the organs of the human body.

The result of the work of the scientist was the famous treatise "On the structure of the human body" in seven books, which appeared in 1543. The work of Vesalius excited the minds of scientists. The boldness of his scientific thought was so unusual that, along with the followers who appreciated his discoveries, he had many enemies. The famous Silvius, the teacher of Vesalius, called Vesalius "Vezanus", which means - insane.

Most eminent physicians took the side of Sylvius. They joined his demand to curb and punish Vesalius, who dared to criticize the great Galen.

It was believed that in the human skeleton there is a bone that does not burn in fire, is indestructible. With the help of this bone, a person will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment to appear before God. Vesalius bluntly stated that, while examining the human skeleton, he did not find a mysterious bone.

The scientist continued to teach at the University of Padua, but every day the atmosphere around him heated up more and more. At this time, he received an invitation from the Spanish Emperor Charles V to take the place of the court physician. The court of the emperor was at that time in Brussels. Vesalius's father was still serving Charles, and the young professor accepted the emperor's offer.

Vesalius devoted all his free time to his treatise On the Structure of the Human Body. He made corrections, additions, clarified what seemed to him not entirely convincing. Using every opportunity, he was engaged in anatomy.

He managed to publish his treatise "On the structure of the human body" in the second edition.

Under the successor of Charles V, Philip II, the severe prohibitions of the church on dissecting corpses again touched Vesalius. He was charged with dissecting a living person.

In 1564, leaving his family in Brussels, he set off on a long journey. On the way back from Jerusalem in a shipwreck, the sick Vesalius was thrown onto the island of Zante (Greece), where he died in 1564.

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