Vesalius and scientific anatomy. Anatomy Basics

Andreas Vesalius (Andreas Vesalius, 1514 - 1564) - a famous doctor of the Middle Ages, one of the founders of anatomy, went down in the history of critical care medicine as the author of one of the first written descriptions of the tracheostomy operation, which he performed in an experiment on an animal for the purpose of artificial ventilation (1543 G.).

The 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. The father was an apothecary 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 into the Latin style, and became Andreas Vesalius, following spirit of the times and fashionable innovations of the Renaissance

Andreas spent his childhood in Brussels. Very early on, Andreas developed a respect and love for the medical profession. And this is not surprising, since at home the constant topic of conversation was events from the medical life of the city and the royal court. The family carefully preserved thick medical treatises inherited from glorious ancestors. My father always shared stories with his 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 was launching one or another military campaign in Austria or Spain, his mother Isabel Crabbe was mainly involved in raising his son. Being a cultured woman, she always respected the medical traditions of her home. At first, she herself began to read ancient medical treatises to her son, then she tried to encourage her son’s growing interest in medicine. All this contributed to Andreas’ decision to take the path of independent study of nature. Already in childhood Vesalius had a great passion for studying anatomy. In the fields near his house, he looked 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 enormous 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 accepted to study at the palace college “Castle College” at the University of Louvain. There he took a course in natural philosophy. During college, he also studied Greek, Latin, Hebrew, rhetoric, philosophy, mathematics and music, but Andreas always showed the greatest interest in the natural sciences, especially anatomy, dissecting mice, rats and dogs

Study at the University of Paris. The teaching of anatomy to medical students was carried out in full accordance with medieval approaches to teaching medicine, that is, it was extremely bad. Practical classes in anatomy were taught by demonstrators recruited from barber-surgeons. While they were dissecting the corpses, the senior demonstrator read to the students the works of Galen, whose teachings were considered holy and irrefutable. Subsequently, Vesalius cruelly mocked the autopsy procedure at the University of Paris

The young Vesalius was firmly convinced that the best way to study anatomy was through practical dissection on corpses, rather than learning from ignorant barbers. In his belief, he followed a favorite Latin saying: “Tangitis res vestries minibus, et his credit (You touch with your own hands and trust them).” Since Vesalius, back in Louvain, practiced dismembering animal corpses and observed a section of human corpses, his practical skills in dissection are quite were soon celebrated by professors and students. Already at the third demonstration lesson in anatomy, he was entrusted with the dissection 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 he soon became the department's recognized expert on the dissection of limbs and abdominal muscles. The trust the teachers placed in the capable student helped him improve the 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

The further development of Vesalius as an anatomist. Vesalius left the University of Paris with a good store of knowledge. He skillfully mastered 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 man. Hercules with great expectations, possessing extraordinary knowledge of medicine, trained in two languages, very skillful in dissecting a corpse."

However, Vesalius did not receive his bachelor's degree in medicine 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 the University of Louvain, where he continued to dissect cadavers. Once the corpse of a hanged criminal was secretly delivered to him in parts, and within a few days he assembled the entire skeleton. In this work he was assisted by his friend Reguier Gemme, who later became a famous mathematician. The authorities in Louvain became aware of this. Grave robbery was terribly punished at that time, but Vesalius managed to convince the city authorities that he had 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 dissection himself, and at the same time gave a lecture to the assembled spectators. These public anatomical lectures were then held in Louvain for 18 years. Only in the spring of 1537 did Vesalius receive his bachelor's degree in medicine. During this Louvain period of his life, Andreas Vesalius wrote his first brochure, which was a commentary on the 9th book of Razi’s Almansor, and which was called “On the treatment of diseases from head to foot.” In the same year, Vesalius moved to Italy. For several months he completed an internship in 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 (1538-1543).

The activities of Vesalius 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 widely develop scientific research in anatomy. To do this, it was necessary to create new anatomy textbooks, because Galen’s works were replete with inaccuracies and errors. Based on the results of his preparations, Vesalius began work. He understood that a good textbook should contain accurate illustrations of the parts of the human body. In this, his friend Jan Stefan van Calcar, a student of Titian himself, provided enormous support. And already in 1538, Vesalius published six anatomical tables in Venice, they were his first drawings on anatomy that appeared in the world. In these drawings, which together with the text form his famous work “Tabulae Anatomicae Sex”,

In the tables, Vesalius clarified and expanded the anatomical terminology and illustrated new data on the structure of the human body. Convinced that many of Galen's anatomical texts were based on animal dissections 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 a new starting point for medical science. This book put Vesalius on a par with other prominent figures of the Renaissance

Vesalius's 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 life to return to an animal, a hole must be made in the trunk of the windpipe, where a tube made of reeds or reeds must be inserted and blown into it so that the lung rises and delivers air to the animal. It is by insufflation... that strength will return to the heart again.” A few lines below, Vesalius gives a classic description of cardiac fibrillation that occurs after stopping mechanical ventilation: “... when the lung collapses for a long time, a pulse and movement of the heart and arteries is seen, wavy, like a nervous tremor, worm-shaped, and when the lung is inflated, it becomes large again and quickly and amazingly moves unevenly."

Other clinical discoveries of Vesalius. Although Vesalius's clinical career was not exhaustive, he was one of the first to note and describe the aneurysm. In addition, Vesalius contributed to the return from oblivion of the ancient method of Hippocrates - drainage of chest emphysema. Vesalius made a huge contribution to the development of anatomical terminology. He introduced such words as alveolus, choanae, anvil in the inner ear, mitral valve of the heart (using the association with the bishop's miter), and many others. While still a student, he discovered the spermatic vessels and accurately described the femur. Reaffirming Hippocrates' theory that the brain can be damaged without a skull fracture; refuted Galen's claims that the lower jaw consists of two bones, not one, and that the sternum has seven segments, not three. He also questioned Galen's theory of the patency of the interventricular septum. This helped his student Colombus describe the pulmonary circulation, and William Harvey explain the circulation of blood in the body. By the way, the very first dissection of a skeleton in the world was carried out by Vesalius.

The last years of Vesalius' life. In 1543, Vesalius became court physician to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and acquired an extensive private practice and 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, Ambrosie Pare. As soon as Vesalius arrived in Paris, he performed a preliminary study, unknown to the Parisian physicians, using clean white clothes, which he asked the king to bite into his mouth. Then he gave a sharp tug on the fabric. Henry II threw his arms back and screamed in pain. From the point of view of modern neurologists and neurosurgeons, this Vesalius technique is one of the methods for detecting meningeal irritation. Vesalius predicted that the king would die within 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 the heart was examined, a witness saw a heartbeat and it was concluded that the patient was still alive. The shocked family accused Vesalius of murder and filed a complaint with 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 his 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 his 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) - 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 University of Montpellier, and then in Paris, where he worked under the guidance of the famous anatomist J. Silvius. In 1537 in Padua he defended his dissertation 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 physiol 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 taught 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 were largely inaccurate and sometimes erroneous.

In 1543, A. Vesalius published the famous treatise “On the Structure of the Human Body” in Basel, in which he sharply criticized the erroneous views of his predecessors, for which J. Silvius, in a fierce polemic, called him “vesanus” (mad). 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 genitourinary system, the sixth - the heart and respiratory organs, in the seventh - the brain and sense organs. In their descriptions

A. Vesalius connected the structure of human organs with their activity, 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 pulmonary and systemic circulation. A. Vesalius contributed greatly to the creation of new and clarification of old anatomical terminology. I. P. Pavlov, in the preface to the publication of the Russian translation of the treatise, writes: “Vesalius’s work is the first human anatomy in the modern history of mankind, which does not merely repeat 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 at that time, sick, during a shipwreck he was thrown onto the island. Zante, where he died. The location of his grave is unknown.

In the 17th century Russian scientist Epiphanius Slavinetsky translated the “Epitome” - extracts from the treatise of A. Vesalius under the title “Medical Anatomy of Vesalius” for Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and boyar Rtishchev, who established in 1648 near Moscow, in the Preobrazhenskaya Desert, a scientific fraternity, a cut and headed by Epiphanius. This translation has not reached us, because the manuscript was lost.

Essays: 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. Andrei 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”, Nature, No. 12, p. 66, 1948; Ternovsky V.N. Andrey Vesalius, M., 1965, bibliography; Gr u e r r i n o A. A. Andres Vesalio at la anatomy, Buenos Aires, 1955; M a j o r R. H. History of medicine, v. 1, p. 404, Springfield, 1954.

B. N. Ternovsky.

Andreas Vesalius was born on December 31st 1514 year in the city of Brussels (Seventeen Provinces). Vesalius' activities took place in many European countries. He was one of the first to study the human body through dissection. 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 also enjoyed success as a practicing physician.

Andreas Vesalius's doctors 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 young Vesalius. Andreas studied first at school and then at the University of Louvain, where he received a comprehensive education, studied Greek and Latin, thanks to which he could become acquainted with the works of scientists already in his youth. Obviously, he read many 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 an executed man. This was the first anatomical manual in Europe.

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

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 at 1533 year, he first appeared at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Paris to listen to lectures by the famous anatomist Silvius. Young Vesalius could already take a critical approach to 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 put my own hands into this matter... And I myself, somewhat sophisticated own experience, publicly performed a third of the autopsies on his own.”

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

In order to be able to do anatomy, he took every opportunity. If he had money in his pocket, he negotiated with the cemetery watchman, and then a corpse fit 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 skeletons 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 were such that he had to leave Paris and go to Louvain again.

There Vesalius got into trouble. He removed the corpse of an 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 best 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 Venetian Republic 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 responsibility of teaching anatomy.

Andreas gave inspired lectures, which always attracted many listeners, worked with students and, most importantly, continued his research. And the more deeply 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 were simply not noticed by those who were under the influence of Galen’s authority.

He worked on his work for four long years. Vesalius studied, translated and republished the works of medical scientists of the past, his anatomist predecessors. And in their works he found many errors. “Even the greatest scientists,” wrote Vesalius, “slavishly adhered to other people’s mistakes 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 out to solve the great problem of correctly describing the location, shape and functions of the organs of the human body.

The result of the scientist’s passionate and persistent work 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 new scientific views were presented instead of outdated dogmas. It reflected the cultural rise of humanity during the Renaissance.

Printing developed rapidly in Venice and in Basel, where Andreas Vesalius published 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 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 decorated with a drawing depicting children studying anatomy. This is how it was in ancient times, the art of anatomy was taught from childhood, knowledge was passed on from father to son. The book's magnificent frontispiece artwork depicts Andreas Vesalius during a public lecture and dissection of a human corpse.

Vesalius's work excited the minds of scientists. The courage of his scientific thought was so unusual that, along with his followers who appreciated his discoveries, he had many enemies. The great scientist experienced a lot of grief and disappointment when even his students abandoned him. The famous Silvius, Vesalius's teacher, called Vesalius "Vesanus", which means crazy. He opposed him with a sharp pamphlet, which he called “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 approximately punish Vesalius: “I beg the Caesar’s Majesty,” wrote professor Jacob Silvius, “to severely beat and generally curb this monster of ignorance, ingratitude, impudence, the most destructive 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 in old age, are languishing with envy at the correct revelations of the young man.”

Most eminent doctors really took Silvius’s side. They joined his demand to curb and punish Andreas Vesalius, who dared to criticize the great Galen. Such was the power of recognized authorities, such were the foundations of social life of that time, when any innovation aroused caution, 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 instilled inertia and routine.

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

Vesalius also did not take into account another statement of the clergy. In his time, the belief was maintained that there is a bone in the human skeleton that does not burn in fire and 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, and there was no doubt about its existence. Vesalius, who described the structure of the human body, directly stated that, while examining the human skeleton, he did not find a mysterious bone.

Andreas Vesalius was aware of the consequences of his actions against Galen. He understood that he was opposing the prevailing opinion and was hurting the interests of the church. And he knew well what to do with such daring loners. The scientist continued to teach at the University of Padua, but every day the atmosphere around him became more and more tense. He was sad to part with Padua, with the university, to interrupt his work and research. But he saw no other way out.

Just at this time he received an invitation from the Spanish Emperor Charles V to take the place of court physician. The emperor's court was at that time in Brussels. Vesalius's father also served 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 teach students. But the imperial court will serve as a reliable shelter for him from the persecution of the church, leaving him the opportunity to study anatomy. Thus, the position of court physician, although Vesalius did not like it, had its advantages.

Still, it would be 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, capture their thoughts, and 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 the treatise “On the Structure of the Human Body.” He made amendments, additions, and clarified what did not seem entirely convincing to him. Taking every opportunity, he was engaged in anatomization. But the thought that he was cut off from scientific centers, that research activities had become a sideline for him, depressed Vesalius.

He dreamed of returning to the scientific department. But in reality, Vesalius could not even think about leaving Brussels and moving to another place where he could do work he liked. As soon as he left the imperial court, the Inquisition would again show interest in him. That is why, in the saddest 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” in the second edition. It was just a short happy moment in all these years, and then everything went on as before. A long series of monotonous days stretched out one after another.

But then Vesalius’s stay at the imperial court came to an end. His patron Charles V abdicated the throne, 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 people and enemies of the court physician hastened to take advantage of this. The new emperor's attitude towards Vesalius worsened even more. Vesalius felt that he needed to leave Brussels as quickly as possible. He made an attempt to break free from the power of the new emperor and asked to be released to Italy. But the wayward Philip categorically opposed this.

Under Philip, the church's strict prohibitions on dissecting corpses again affected Vesalius. To violate them meant entering into open conflict with the church. Vesalius wrote with bitterness about this time - “I could not even touch a dry skull with my hand, and even less was I able to perform autopsies.”

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

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

IN 1564 Vesalius left Madrid with his wife and daughter. Leaving his family in Brussels, he set off 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 abandon the thought of returning to her favorite science. There is an assumption that the Senate of Venice invited him to again take up a chair at the University of Padua. But the scientist’s dream of returning to science did not come true.

The work of Andreas Vesalius provoked, as one might expect, fierce attacks from obscurantist doctors, against whom Vesalius defended himself with several polemical works. WITH 1544 g., as the life physician of Emperor Charles V, Andreas accompanied him on all his travels, but under his son, Philip II, the Spanish Inquisition managed to capture the enemy, which had long been in wait. Accused that during an autopsy the heart of the deceased showed some signs of life, Andreas Vesalius 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, the storm threw the unfortunate scientist onto the island of Zante (Venetian Republic), 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 his written description of the surgical treatment of tracheostomy. The first experiment was carried out by him on an animal that was given artificial ventilation. 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 doctors. There were many outstanding scientists in the Wieting family: Emperor Maximilian appointed his great-great-grandfather Peter as his doctor, his great-grandfather was a famous 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 vaccination against smallpox. It was he who wrote the works on the study of smallpox and measles. Andreas Vesalius the elder, the 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 medical profession could not escape Andreas himself: after so many generations who devoted themselves to the study of medicine, he considered it necessary to make his contribution to its further development.

Andreas Vesalius - biography (briefly):

Andreas was born in 1514 on December 31st. 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 this, in 1530, his studies began at the University of Louvain. This is an institution of higher education that was founded by Johann IV of Brabant. At the university, special attention was paid to the study of ancient languages, because they are the ones needed for successful advancement in medicine.

Considering the level of teaching not high enough, Vesalius changed his place of study in 1531 and continued it at the Pedagogical College. There he managed to master Greek, Arabic and Latin quite well. The young student showed a penchant for anatomical research quite early. He devoted his free hours from studying to dissecting animal corpses and dissecting them. This hobby did not go unnoticed by the court physician Nikolai Floren, who, by and large, determined the future fate of the young man, sending him to study at the Paris Medical University. As a token of gratitude for his parting words, Andreas dedicated a work to Floren entitled “Epistle on Bloodletting” and began to call him his second father.

From 1533, Andreas continued his medical studies in Paris. For four years, he listened to lectures by prominent doctors, in particular Silvius, who thoroughly explored 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 to anatomy and surgery, Vesalius studied with the then famous Swiss physician Gunther. It was with him that Andreas began a very warm, friendly and mentoring relationship.

In 1536, Vesalius again came to Louvain and continued his medical practice, in which he was supported by his friend Gemma Frizius. 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 strong 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 was carried out in the Senate of the Venetian Republic (where Andreas already lived at that time), he was officially appointed professor of the Department 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.

In 1545, Andreas moved to the University of Pisa, but six years later he 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 dissecting the corpse of an executed criminal. He was sentenced to death, but this measure was abolished 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 wreck of the ship on which the great scientist was located. Finding himself 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.

Contributions of Andreas Vesalius 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 mistakes made by another scientist, Galen, famous at that time. More than 200 bugs have been fixed. After this treatise, the latter's authority suffered seriously. It was this work that laid the foundation for the modern science of anatomy.

One of Vesalius’s undeniable achievements 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 from the terminology all words remaining from the Middle Ages and minimized terms of Greek origin.

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

In his works, he was able to create a solid foundation for the further development of anatomy and surgery. He was convinced that for anyone 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 ancient times.

All of his iconographic remaining heritage is of great value. And it was graphic methods in anatomical science that irrevocably refuted the relationship between astrology and medicine.

Vesalius Andreas (1514-1564), naturalist, founder of anatomy. Born in Brussels. Vesalius' activities took place in many European countries. He was one of the first to study the human body through dissection. 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, and pointed out many mistakes of his predecessors, including Galen. Persecuted by the church. Died in a shipwreck.

Vesalius Andrey (Vesalius) - famous surgeon and founder of modern anatomy, born. On December 31, 1514 in Brussels, in a family that included several famous 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, at the risk of his life, due to the prejudices of his time, obtaining human corpses. They say that even V. himself, before each dissection of the corpse, fervently asked God for forgiveness for the fact that, in the interests of science, he was looking for the secret of life in death. He soon 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 corporis 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 precise experimental research. V.'s work provoked, as one would expect, fierce attacks from obscurantist doctors, against whom V. defended himself with several polemical works. Since 1544, as a physician to Emperor Charles V, V. accompanied him on all his travels, but under his son, Philip II, the Spanish Inquisition managed to capture the long-lurking enemy. Accused of the fact that during an autopsy the heart of the deceased revealed 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 his way back, a storm threw the unfortunate scientist onto the island of Zante, where he died (1564). Complete collection of op. V. published by Burgaw and Albin (Leiden, 2 vols., 1725). About V. see “History of Anatomy” by Portal and in “Bibliotheca anatomica” by Haller. For V.’s biography, see Burgaw (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 comprehensive education, studied Greek and Latin, thanks to which he could become acquainted with the works of scientists already in his youth. Obviously, he read many 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 an executed man.

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 lectures by the anatomist Silvius. Young Vesalius could already take a critical approach to 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 natural sciences, prohibited the autopsy of human corpses, considering it blasphemy. In order to be able to do anatomization, he used every opportunity: he negotiated with the cemetery watchman, and then a corpse suitable for dissection 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 skeletons 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 more deeply 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 were simply not noticed by those who were under the influence of Galen’s authority.

He worked on his work for four long years. He studied, translated and republished the works of medical scientists of the past, his anatomist predecessors. He set out to solve the great problem of correctly describing the location, shape and functions of the organs of the human body.

The result of the scientist’s work was the famous treatise “On the Structure of the Human Body” in seven books, which appeared in 1543. Vesalius's work excited the minds of scientists. The courage of his scientific thought was so unusual that, along with his followers who appreciated his discoveries, he had many enemies. The famous Silvius, Vesalius's teacher, called Vesalius "Vesanus", which means crazy.

Most eminent doctors sided with Silvius. 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 and is indestructible. With the help of this bone, a person will be resurrected on the day of the Last Judgment to appear before God. Vesalius directly stated that, while examining the human skeleton, he did not find the mysterious bone.

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

Vesalius devoted all his free time to the treatise “On the Structure of the Human Body.” He made amendments, additions, and clarified what did not seem entirely convincing to him. Taking every opportunity, he was engaged in anatomization.

He managed to publish his treatise “On the Structure of the Human Body” in the second edition.

Under Charles V's successor, Philip II, the church's strict prohibitions on dissecting corpses again affected 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 During a shipwreck, the sick Vesalius was thrown onto the island of Zante (Greece), where he died in 1564.

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