Of humani corporis fabrica

Of humani corporis fabrica libri septem ( In connection with the manufacture of the human body in seven books ) is a book on the Human anatomy writes by the anatomist Belgian Andreas Vesalius (Andre Vésale, 1514-1564) in 1543 and published in Basle by Johannes Oporinus in 1543, 2nd ED. in 1555.

It is about one of largest the scientific works ever carried out and of the book founder of the modern anatomy. On some 663 pages and more than two hundred boards accompanied by their comment, it makes the first complete description of the anatomy of the human body, carefully describing the bones, the articulations, the muscles, the heart and the blood-vessels, the nervous system, the bodies of the abdomen and the thorax as well as the brain.

After having obtained the authorization into 1539 to practice dissections on corpses of condemned, Vésale quickly notes errors in descriptions of Galien and understands that they apply to the Singe and not with the man. He then undertakes the drafting of a treaty of anatomy intended to correct these errors. In 1540, it confirms its assumption by dissecting in Bologna the corpse of a monkey and a man and shows that the appendix such as described Galien exists only in the monkey.

In 1543, at the 28 years age and after four years of ceaseless work, it publishes its discoveries with Basle at Jean Oporin (printer, academic and professor of Greek) in Of humani corporis fabrica , usually called Fabrica , the greatest treaty of anatomy since Galien.

In this work, Vésale corrects the most obvious errors of Galien, but some still persist like the communication between ventricle of the heart. The second edition in 1555 will correct these last errors. This book will put an end to the galenism, but by the polemic which it will generate will lead Vésale to give up its research task. It is indeed attacked by many galenists, and in particular by Jacobus Sylvius, one of its former Masters. It makes a last public demonstration with Padoue in December 1543. Then, in an access of anger or lassitude, it burns all its scientific documents, its books and its work and gives up its pulpit of professor.

One of the characteristic of Of humani corporis fabrica is the great graphic quality of its anatomical boards. A series of 25 boards except text engraved on wood is such a quality besides that many specialists to even allot them to Titien (Tiziano venitiano) him. It is known that the reproductions of the boards were carried out by the workshop of Titien and in particular by Jan Van Calcar.

References

O' Malley, CD. Andreas Vesalius off Brussels, 1514-1564 . Berkeley: University off California Near, 1964.
Richardson, WF (trans). One the Fabric off the Human Body: With Translation off Of corporis humani fabrica . San Francisco: Norman Publishing, 1998 - (ongoing).
Vesalius, A. Of humanis corporis fabrica libri septem page: '' Andreae Vesalii Bruxellensis, scholae medicorum Patauinae professoris Of humani corporis fabrica libri septem ''. Basileae: Ex officina Joannis Oporini, 1543.

External bonds

Turning the Pages '' Online ''. With U.S. National Library off Medicine project to digitize images and punts from " rare and beautiful historic books in the biomedical sciences".
'' De Humani Corporis Fabrica '' online — translated with full images, from Northwestern University

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