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！
Raphael； Michael Angelo and Albrecht Durer were keen students of the
human form。 There is an anatomical sketch by Michael Angelo in the
Ashmolean Museum； Oxford； which I here reproduce。＇*＇ Durer's famous
work on 〃Human Proportion；〃 published in 1528； contains excellent
figures； but no sketches of dissections。 But greater than any of these； and
antedating them； is Leonardo da Vinci； the one universal genius in whom
the new spirit was incarnatethe Moses who alone among his
contemporaries saw the promised land。 How far Leonardo was indebted to
124
… Page 125…
THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEDICINE
his friend and fellow student； della Torre； at Pavia we do not know； nor
does it matter in face of the indubitable fact that in the many anatomical
sketches from his hand we have the first accurate representation of the
structure of the body。 Glance at the three figures of the spine which I have
had photographed side by side； one from Leonardo； one from Vesalius and
the other from Vandyke Carter； who did the drawings in Gray's 〃Anatomy〃
（1st ed。； 1856）。 They are all of the same type； scientific； anatomical
drawings； and that of Leonardo was done fifty years before Vesalius！
Compare； too； this figure of the bones of the foot with a similar one from
Vesalius。＇24＇ Insatiate in experiment； intellectually as greedy as Aristotle；
painter； poet； sculptor； engineer； architect； mathematician； chemist；
botanist； aeronaut； musician and withal a dreamer and mystic； full
accomplishment in any one department was not for him！ A passionate
desire for a mastery of nature's secrets made him a fierce thing； replete
with too much rage！ But for us a record remains Leonardo was the first
of modern anatomists； and fifty years later； into the breach he made；
Vesalius entered。＇25＇
＇*＇ This plate was lacking among the author's illustrations； but the
Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum remembers his repeatedly showing
special interest in the sketch reproduced in John Addington Symonds's
Life of Michelangelo； London； 1893； Vol。 I； p。 44； and in Charles Singer's
Studies in the History and Method of Science； Oxford； 1917； Vol。 I； p。 97；
representing Michael Angelo and a friend dissecting the body of a man； by
the light of a candle fixed in the body itself。Ed。
＇24＇ He was the first to make and represent anatomical cross sections。
See Leonardo： Quaderni d'Anatomia； Jacob Dybwad； Kristiania； 1911…
1916； Vol。 V。
＇25＇ See Knox： Great Artists and Great Anatomists； London； 1862； and
Mathias Duval in Les Manuserits de Leonard de Vince： De l'Anatomie；
Feuillets A； Edouard Rouveyre； Paris； 1898。 For a good account of
Leonardo da Vinci see Merejkovsky's novel； The Forerunner； London；
1902； also New York； Putnam。
125
… Page 126…
THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEDICINE
HARVEY
LET us return to Padua about the year 1600。 Vesalius； who made the
school the most famous anatomical centre in Europe； was succeeded by
Fallopius； one of the best…known names in anatomy； at whose death an
unsuccessful attempt was made to get Vesalius back。 He was succeeded in
1565 by a remarkable man； Fabricius （who usually bears the added name
of Aquapendente； from the town of his birth）； a worthy follower of
Vesalius。 In 1594； in the thirtieth year of his professoriate； he built at his
own expense a new anatomical amphitheatre； which still exists in the
university buildings。 It is a small； high…pitched room with six standing…
rows for auditors rising abruptly one above the other。 The arena is not
much more than large enough for the dissecting table which； by a lift；
could be brought up from a preparing room below。 The study of anatomy
at Padua must have declined since the days of Vesalius if this tiny
amphitheatre held all its students； none the less； it is probably the oldest
existing anatomical lecture room； and for us it has a very special
significance。
Early in his anatomical studies Fabricius had demonstrated the valves
in the veins。 I show you here two figures； the first； as far as I know； in
which these structures are depicted。 It does not concern us who first
discovered them； they had doubtless been seen before； but Fabricius first
recognized them as general structures in the venous system； and he called
them little doors〃ostiola。〃
The quadrangle of the university building at Padua is surrounded by
beautiful arcades； the walls and ceilings of which are everywhere covered
with the stemmata； or shields； of former students； many of them brilliantly
painted。 Standing in the arcade on the side of the 〃quad〃 opposite the
entrance； if one looks on the ceiling immediately above the capital of the
second column to the left there is seen the stemma which appears as
tailpiece to this chapter； put up by a young Englishman； William Harvey；
who had been a student at Padua for four years。 He belonged to the 〃Natio
Anglica；〃 of which he was Conciliarius； and took his degree in 1602。
Doubtless he had repeatedly seen Fabricius demonstrate the valves of the
126
… Page 127…
THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEDICINE
veins； and he may indeed； as a senior student； have helped in making the
very dissections from which the drawings were taken for Fabricius' work；
〃De Venarum Osteolis；〃 1603。 If one may judge from the character of the
teacher's work the sort of instruction the student receives； Harvey must
have had splendid training in anatomy。 While he was at Padua； the great
work of Fabricius； 〃De Visione； Voce et Auditu〃 （1600） was published；
then the 〃Tractatus de Oculo Visusque Organo〃 （1601）； and in the last year
of his residence Fabricius must have been busy with his studies on the
valves of the veins and with his embryology； which appeared in 1604。 Late
in life； Harvey told Boyle that it was the position of the valves of the veins
that induced him to think of a circulation。
Harvey returned to England trained by the best anatomist of his day。 In
London； he became attached to the College of Physicans； and taking his
degree at Cambridge； he began the practice of medicine。 He was elected a
fellow of the college in 1607 and physician to St。 Bartholomew's Hospital
in 1609。 In 1615 he was appointed Lumleian lecturer to the College of
Physicians； and his duties were to hold certain 〃public anatomies；〃 as they
were called； or lectures。 We know little or nothing of what Harvey had
been doing other than his routine work in the care of the patients at St。
Bartholomew's。 It was not until April； 1616； that his lectures began。
Chance has preserved to us the notes of this first course； the MS。 is now in
the British Museum and was published in facsimile by the college in
1886。＇26＇
＇26＇ William Harvey： Prelectiones Anatomiae Universalis； London； J。
& A。 Churchill； 1886。
The second day lecture； April 17； was concerned with a description of
the organs of the thorax； and after a discussion on the structure and action
of the heart come the lines：
W。 H。 constat per fabricam cordis sanguinem per pulmones in Aortam
perpetuo transferri； as by two clacks of a water bellows to rayse water
constat per ligaturam transitum sanguinis ab arteriis ad venas unde
perpetuum sanguinis motum in circulo fieri pulsu cordis。
The illustration will give one an idea of the extraordinarily crabbed
hand in which the notes are written； but it is worth while to see the original；
127
… Page 128…
THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEDICINE
for here is the first occasion upon which is laid down