按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
edition of the 〃Fabrica〃 that he had a splendid lecture theatre which
accommodated more than five hundred spectators （p。 681）。
With Vesalius disappeared the old didactic method of teaching
anatomy。 He did his own dissections； made his own preparations； and；
when human subjects were scarce； employed dogs； pigs or cats； and
occasionally a monkey。 For five years he taught and worked at Padua。 He
is known to have given public demonstrations in Bologna and elsewhere。
In the 〃China…root〃 he remarks that he once taught in three universities in
one year。 The first fruit of his work is of great importance in connection
with the evolution of his knowledge。 In 1538； he published six anatomical
tables issued apparently in single leaves。 Of the famous 〃Tabulae
Anatomicae〃 only two copies are known； one in the San Marco Library；
Venice； and the other in the possession of Sir John Stirling…Maxwell；
whose father had it reproduced in facsimile （thirty copies only） in 1874。
Some of the figures were drawn by Vesalius himself； and some are from
the pencil of his friend and countryman； Stephan van Calcar。 Those plates
were extensively pirated。 About this time he also edited for the Giunti
some of the anatomical works of Galen。＇21＇
118
… Page 119…
THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEDICINE
＇21 De anatomicis administrationibus； De venarum arterinrumque
dissectione； included in the various Juntine editions of Galen。
We know very little of his private life at Padua。 His most important
colleague in the faculty was the famous Montanus； professor of medicine。
Among his students and associates was the Englishman Caius； who lived
in the same house with him。 When the output is considered； he cannot
have had much spare time at Padua。
He did not create human anatomythat had been done by the
Alexandriansbut he studied it in so orderly and thorough a manner that
for the first time in history it could be presented in a way that explained
the entire structure of the human body。 Early in 1542 the MS。 was ready；
the drawings had been made with infinite care； the blocks for the figures
had been cut； and in September； he wrote to Oporinus urging that the
greatest pains should be taken with the book； that the paper should be
strong and of equal thickness； the workmen chosen for their skill； and that
every detail of the pictures must be distinctly visible。 He writes with the
confidence of a man who realized the significance of the work he had
done。 It is difficult to speak in terms of moderation of the 〃Fabrica。〃 To
appreciate its relative value one must compare it with the other anatomical
works of the period； and for this purpose I put before you two figures from
a text…book on the subject that was available for students during the first
half of the sixteenth century。 In the figures and text of the 〃Fabrica〃 we
have anatomy as we know it； and let us be honest and say； too； largely as
Galen knew it。 Time will not allow me to go into the question of the
relations of these two great anatomists； but we must remember that at this
period Galen ruled supreme； and was regarded in the schools as infallible。
And now； after five years of incessant labor； Vesalius was prepared to
leave his much loved Padua and his devoted students。 He had
accomplished an extraordinary work。 He knew； I feel sure； what he had
done。 He knew that the MSS。 contained something that the world had not
seen since the great Pergamenian sent the rolls of his 〃Manual of
Anatomy〃 among his friends。 Too precious to entrust to any printer but the
bestand the best in the middle of the sixteenth century was Transalpine
he was preparing to go north with the precious burden。 We can picture the
119
… Page 120…
THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEDICINE
youthful teacherhe was but twenty…eightamong students in a university
which they themselves controlledsome of them perhaps the very men
who five years before had elected himat the last meeting with his class；
perhaps giving a final demonstration of the woodcuts； which were of an
accuracy and beauty never seen before by students' eyes； and reading his
introduction。 There would be sad hearts at the parting； for never had
anyone taught anatomy as he had taught itno one had ever known
anatomy as he knew it。 But the strong； confident look was on his face and
with the courage of youth and sure of the future； he would picture a happy
return to attack new and untried problems。 Little did he dream that his
happy days as student and teacher were finished； that his work as an
anatomist was over； that the most brilliant and epoch…making part of his
career as a professor was a thing of the past。 A year or more was spent at
Basel with his friend Oporinus supervising the printing of the great work；
which appeared in 1543 with the title 〃De Humani Corporis Fabrica。〃 The
worth of a book； as of a man； must be judged by results； and； so judged；
the 〃Fabrica〃 is one of the great books of the world； and would come in
any century of volumes which embraced the richest harvest of the human
mind。 In medicine； it represents the full flower of the Renaissance。 As a
book it is a sumptuous tome a worthy setting of his jewelpaper； type and
illustration to match； as you may see for yourselves in this foliothe chef
d'oeuvre of any medical library。
In every section； Vesalius enlarged and corrected the work of Galen。
Into the details we need not enter： they are all given in Roth's monograph；
and it is a chapter of ancient history not specially illuminating。
Never did a great piece of literary work have a better setting。 Vesalius
must have had a keen appreciation of the artistic side of the art of printing；
and he must also have realized the fact that the masters of the art had by
this time moved north of the Alps。
While superintending the printing of the precious work in the winter of
1542…1543 in Basel； Vesalius prepared for the medical school a skeleton
from the body of an executed man； which is probably the earliest
preparation of the kind in Europe。 How little anatomy had been studied at
the period may be judged from that fact that there had been no dissection
120
… Page 121…
THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEDICINE
at Basel since 1531。＇22＇ The specimen is now in the Vesalianum； Basel； of
which I show you a picture taken by Dr。 Harvey Cushing。 From the
typographical standpoint no more superb volume on anatomy has been
issued from any press； except indeed the second edition； issued in 1555。
The paper is； as Vesalius directed； strong and good； but it is not； as he
asked； always of equal thickness； as a rule it is thick and heavy； but there
are copies on a good paper of a much lighter quality。 The illustrations
drawn by his friend and fellow countryman； van Calcar； are very much in
advance of anything previously seen； except those of Leonardo。 The title…
page； one of the most celebrated pictures in the history of medicine； shows
Vesalius in a large amphitheatre （an imaginary one of the artist； I am afraid）
dissecting a female subject。 He is demonstrating the abdomen to a group
of students about the table； but standing in the auditorium are elderly
citizens and even women。 One student is reading from an open book。
There is a monkey on one side of the picture and a dog on the other。
Above the picture on a shield are the three weasels； the arms of Vesal。 The
reproduction which I show you here is from the 〃Epitome〃a smaller
work issued before ＇？＇ the 〃Fabrica；〃 with rather larger plates； two of
which represent nude human bodies and are not reproduced in the great
work。 The freshest and most beautiful copy is the one on vellum which
formerly belonged to Dr。 Mead； now in the British Museum； and from it
this picture was taken。 One of the most interesting features of the book are
the full…pag