Andreas Vesalius: biography and contribution to medicine (photo)

Today we will talk about such a great scientist as Andreas Vesalius. Photo and biography of him you will find in this article. If you can consider someone as the father of anatomy, then, of course, Vesalia. It is a natural scientist, creator and founder of modern anatomy. He began one of the first to study the human body through autopsies. It is from him that all the latest achievements in anatomy originate.

In a very difficult time, Andreas Vesalius worked. The century in which he lived was marked by the domination of the church in all areas of life, including medicine. The autopsy was prohibited, and violations of this prohibition were cruelly punished. However, Andreas Vesaliy did not intend to retreat at all. Contribution to the biology of this scientist would have been much less if he had not ventured to cross the prohibitions and traditions. But, like many of those who were ahead of their time, he paid for his bold ideas.

Do you want to know more about such a great man as Andreas Vesalius, whose contribution to biology is invaluable? We suggest getting to know him better by reading this article.

Origin of Vesalius

Andreas Vesalius (years of life 1514-1564) belongs to the Viting family, who lived for a long time in Nymwegen. Scientists were several generations of his family. For example, Andreas's great-grandfather, Peter, was the rector and professor of the University of Louvain, a physician of the Emperor Maximilian himself. Being a bibliophile and taking a great interest in treatises on medicine, he did not spare money for the acquisition of manuscripts, having spent part of his fortune on them. Peter wrote a comment on the fourth book of Avicenna, the great oriental encyclopedist. The book is called "The Canon of Medical Science".

Andreas's great-grandfather, John, was also a teacher. He worked at the University of Louvain, where he lectured in mathematics, and also was a doctor. Everard, the son of John and Andreas's grandfather, also followed in the footsteps of his father, having realized himself in medicine. Andreas, the father of Andreas Vesalius, served as a pharmacist with his aunt Charles V, Princess Margarita. Francis, the younger brother of our hero, was also fond of medicine and became a doctor.

Childhood of the future scientist

December 31, 1514, the world appeared Andreas Vesalius. He was born in Brussels and grew up among doctors who visited his father's house. From the youngest years, Andreas used the library of treatises on medicine, passed on to this family from generation to generation. He had an interest in this field of knowledge. It should be said that Andreas was extraordinarily erudite. He remembered all the discoveries that were made by different authors, and commented on them in his writings.

Training at the University of Louvain and the Pedagogical College

Andreas at the age of 16 received a classical education in Brussels. In 1530, he became a student at the University of Louvain. It was founded in 1426 by Johann IV of Brabant. The university was closed after the Great French Revolution began. Once again, students began to study in it in 1817. Here they taught Latin and Greek, rhetoric and mathematics. In order to advance in science, it was necessary to know the languages of antiquity well. Andreas, unsatisfied with teaching, moved to the Pedagogical College in 1531, which was founded in 1517 in Louvain.

Classes of Vesalius in Paris

Early enough, the future scientist Andreas Vesalius became interested in anatomy. With great enthusiasm in his free time, Andreas opened the corpses of domestic animals and dissected them. Nikolai Floren, a friend of his father and court physician, recommended that the young man go to Paris to study medicine. Later, in 1539, Andreas dedicated this work "The Epistle of Bloodletting," in which he called him the second father.

So, in 1533, Vesalius went to Paris to study medicine. He studies anatomy here for 3-4 years, listens to the lectures of a doctor from Italy Guido-Guidi, better known as Jacques DuBois or Silvius, who was one of the first to study the anatomical structure of the peritoneum, hollow veins, etc. on human corpses. Silvius brilliantly lectured. Vesalius also listened to Fernel, who was called the best doctor in Europe.

However, Andreas did not confine himself to the lectures of these two doctors. He also studied with Johann Gunther, who taught in Paris surgery and anatomy. He previously lectured on the Greek language at the University of Louvain, before moving to Paris (in 1527), where he studied anatomy. Vesalius established a cordial relationship with Guenther.

Difficulties associated with autopsy

For anatomical studies, Vesalius needed the corpses of the dead. However, this issue has always been associated with great difficulties. As you know, this occupation was never considered a charity thing. The church traditionally rebelled against him. Probably, Gerofil was the only doctor who opened the corpses and was not persecuted for it. Vesalius, keen on scientific interest, went to the cemetery of the Innocent. He also came to the place of execution of Villar de Monfocon, where he stumbled over the body of this abbot at stray dogs.

In 1376, at the University of Montpellier, where the anatomy was the major subject, the doctors received permission to open the corpse of the executed criminal every year. This permission was given to them by the brother of Charles V, Louis of Anjou, who was the ruler of the Languedoc. It was very important for the development of medicine and anatomy. Subsequently, this permission was confirmed by Charles VI, the French king, and later by Charles VIII. In 1496, the latter confirmed his literacy.

Return to Louvain, continued research

Vesalius, after spending more than 3 years in Paris, returned to Louvain. Here he continued to engage in anatomy with Gemma Frisia, his friend, who later became a famous physician. To make the first bound skeleton to Andreas Vesalius was worth great difficulties. Together with his friend, he abducted the bodies of the executed, sometimes extracting them in parts. With danger to life, Andreas climbed the gallows. At night, friends hid part of the body in the roadside bushes, after which, using various cases, they were taken home. At home, soft tissues were cut off, and the bones were digested. All this should be done in the strictest secrecy. The relationship to official autopsies was completely different. Adrian of Blegen, the mayor of Louvain, did not prevent them. On the contrary, he patronized young doctors, sometimes present at autopsies.

Disputes with Driver

Andreas Vesalius argued with Driver, a teacher at the University of Louvain, about how to make bloodletting. Two opposing views have developed on this issue. Galen and Hippocrates taught that bleeding should be performed on the part of the diseased organ. Avicenna and the Arabs believed that this should be done from the opposite side. Driver supported Avicenna, and Andreas - Galena and Hippocrates. Driver was outraged by the impudence of the young doctor. However, he abruptly answered him. After that, Driver began to treat Vesalius with dislike. Andreas felt that it would be difficult for him to continue working in Louvain.

Vesalius goes to Venice

It was necessary to go somewhere for a while. But where? Spain falls away - here the Church had great power, and the autopsy was considered a desecration of the deceased. It was absolutely impossible. In France and in Belgium, anatomy was also very difficult. Therefore, Vesalius went to the Venetian Republic. He was attracted by the possibility of some freedom for his anatomical studies. Founded in 1222, the University of Padua in 1440 became subject to Venice. The most famous school of physicians in Europe was his medical school. Padua greeted favorably such a promising scientist as Andreas Vesalius, whose main merits were known to his professors.

Andreas becomes a professor

On December 5, 1537, the University of Padua awarded Vesalius a doctorate at a solemn meeting, with the highest honors. And after demonstration Andreas autopsy he was appointed professor of surgery. Vesalius's duties included the teaching of anatomy. So at the age of 23, Andreas became a professor. The audience was attracted by his bright lectures. Soon, under fluttering flags, to the sound of the pipes, Andreas was appointed physician at the court of the Bishop of Padua himself.

Vesalius had an active nature. He could not reconcile himself with the routine that dominated the departments of anatomy of various universities. Many professors simply read monotonously excerpts from the works of Galen. Literate ministers performed autopsy of corpses, and lecturers stood next to the volume of Galen in his hands and from time to time pointed to various organs with a stick.

The first works of Vesalius

In 1538, Vesalius published anatomical tables. They were six sheets of drawings. Engravings were made by S. Kalkar, a disciple of Titian. In the same year, Vesalius republished the works of Galen. A year later, his own work appeared - "Letters on bloodletting."

Andreas Vesalius, working on the publication of the works of his predecessors, was convinced that they described the structure of the human body based on the autopsy of animals. Thus erroneous information was transmitted, which were legalized by tradition and time. Studying the human body through autopsies, Vesalius accumulated facts that boldly opposed the generally accepted canons.

"On the structure of the human body"

Andreas Vesalius, for 4 years, while he was in Padua, wrote an immortal work entitled "On the Structure of the Human Body" (Book 1-7). It was published in 1543 in Basel and was filled with many illustrations. In this work, Andreas Vesalius (photo of the cover of labor presented above) gave a description of the structure of various systems and organs, pointed to the many mistakes committed by his predecessors, including Galen. It should be specially noted that the authority of Galen after the appearance of this treatise was shaken, and after a while and altogether overthrown.

The work of Vesalius marked the beginning of modern anatomy. In this work, for the first time in history, a completely scientific and not speculative description of the structure of the human body was given, which was based on experimental study.

Andreas Vesalius, the founder of modern anatomy, made a great contribution to her terminology in Latin. As a basis, he took the names that he introduced in the first century. BC. Aulus Cornelius Celsus, Cicero of Medicine and Latin Hippocrates.

Andreas gave the uniformity of anatomical terminology. With rare exceptions, he threw out of it all the barbarisms of the Middle Ages. At the same time, he minimized the number of gracism. This can be explained to some extent by Vesalius's opposition to many of Galen's medical provisions.

It is noteworthy that Andreas, being an innovator in anatomy, believed that the carriers of the psychic are "animal spirits", produced in the ventricles of the brain. This idea was reminiscent of Galen's theory, because these "spirits" were simply renamed "psychic pneumatic", about which the ancients wrote.

"On the structure of the human brain"

"On the structure of the human brain" is another work of Vesalius. This is the result of his study of the achievements of predecessors in the field of anatomy. But not only him. The results of his own research was placed in this book by Andreas Vesalius. The contribution to science was much more important than the significance of describing the achievements of predecessors. In the work, a scientific discovery was made, which was based on new methods of study. They were of great importance for the development of science of that time.

Diplomatically lavishing praise on Galen and marveling at the versatility of his knowledge and the vastness of his mind, Vesalius indicated only "inaccuracy" in the teachings of this physician. However, there were a total of more than 200. In fact, they are a refutation of the most important provisions of the Galenic doctrine.

In particular, Vesalius was the first to refute his view that a person in the heart septum has openings through which blood from the right ventricle to the left passes. Andreas showed that the left and right ventricles do not communicate with each other during the postembryonic period. However, from the discovery of Vesalius, who refuted Galen's views on the physiological nature of the circulation, the scientist was unable to draw the right conclusions. This succeeded only after Harvey.

The ill-fated pamphlet of Silvia

The long-tempestuous storm broke out after the publication of this great work by Andreas Vesalius. His teacher, Sylvius, always considered Galen's authority unquestionable. He believed that anything that did not agree with the view or description of the great Roman is erroneous. For this reason, Sylvius rejected the discoveries made by his disciple. He called Andreas "slanderer", "proud", "monster," whose breathing infects all of Europe. Sylvia's disciples supported their teacher. They also came out against Andreas, calling him a sacrilegious and ungodly. However, Silvius did not limit himself to insults. He wrote in 1555 a sharp pamphlet entitled "Refutation of the slander of a certain madman ...". In 28 chapters, Silvius cleverly ridicules his former friend and disciple and renounces it.

A fatal role was played by this pamphlet in the fate of the great scientist, who was Andreas Vesalius. His biography would probably have been supplemented by a number of further interesting discoveries in the field of anatomy, if not for this document, imbued with jealous envy and malice. He united his enemies and created around the name of Vesalius an atmosphere of public contempt. Andreas was accused of disrespect for the teachings of Galen and Hippocrates. These scholars were not canonized by a formally Catholic Church, omnipotent at the time. However, their authority and judgment were accepted as truths of the Holy Scripture. Therefore, the objection to them was equated with the latter's rejection. Vesalius, moreover, was a disciple of Sylvia. Therefore, if Sylvius reproached his ward for slander, the accusation incriminated by him seemed plausible.

Note that the teacher Andreas defended the authority of Galen is not at all disinterested. The outrage of the scientist was due to the fact that Vesalius, undermining Galen's reputation, destroyed Sylvia himself, as his knowledge rested on the texts of classics of medicine carefully studied and passed on to students.

Further destiny of the department of Andreas

A mortal wound to Vesalius was the pamphlet of Sylvia. From this blow, Andreas Vezaliy, whose biography has since been marked by the many difficulties that our hero had to face, could not recover.

In Padua, there was opposition to the views of Andreas. One of the most active opponents of his became Real Colombo, a student of Vesalius and his deputy in the department. Colombo after the publication of the insinuation of Sylvia dramatically changed the attitude towards Andreas. He began to criticize him, trying to discredit the scientist before the students.

Vesalius left Padua in 1544. After this, Colombo was appointed to the chair of anatomy. However, he only worked for a year as a professor. In 1545, Colombo moved to the University of Pisa. And in 1551, he took up the department in Rome and until his death worked in this city. Gabriel Fallopius was replaced by Colombo at the Padua Department. He declared himself the disciple and heir of Vesalius and honorably continued his traditions.

Vesalius goes to the royal service

Andreas Vesalius, the founder of scientific anatomy, was driven to despair by Sylvia's malicious fabrications. He had to stop the research work. In addition, Vesalius burned some of the materials and manuscripts collected for his future works. In 1544, he was compelled to transfer to medical practice, entering the service of Charles V, who fought at that time with France. As a military surgeon, Vesaliy had to go with him to the theater of operations.

In September 1544 the war ended. Andreas went to Brussels. Here soon died the father of Vesalius. The scientist inherited after the death of his father, and he got a family. In Brussels in January 1545, Charles V. arrived. Andreas was to become his attending physician. Karl was tormented by gout. He ate very much. The physician Andreas Vesalius made great efforts to alleviate his suffering.

In 1555, Charles V abdicated. Vesalius began to serve with Philip II, his son. The latter moved from Brussels to Madrid together with his court in 1559, and Andreas and his family followed him.

Pilgrimage to Palestine, death

Vesalius began to pursue mercilessly the Spanish Inquisition. He was accused of having killed a living person during the preparation. Andreas Vesalius, whose contribution to medicine was enormous, was sentenced to death. Only thanks to the intercession of the king, she was replaced by another punishment - a pilgrimage to Palestine. Vesalius was to go to the Holy Sepulcher. At that time it was a difficult and dangerous journey.

Even when returning home, the ship of Andreas at the entrance to the Corinth Strait was wrecked. The scientist was thrown out on about. Zante. Here he fell seriously ill. October 2, 1564, at the age of 50, the famous doctor died. On this pine-covered secluded island was buried Andreas Vesalius.

The contribution to the medicine of this scientist can not be overestimated. For his time, his achievements were simply revolutionary. Fortunately, the works of such a scientist as Andreas Vesalius were not in vain. His main discoveries were developed and supplemented by numerous followers, who after his death appeared more and more.