Andreas Vesalius and Anatomy

Andreas Vesalius is perhaps one of the first and greatest anatomists. He set a great amount of the framework for modern human anatomy that we study today. His findings were gathered in a famous anatomy book called De Humani Corporis Fabrica or On the Fabric of the Human body. His work in dissections and human anatomy made a big affect on the past errors made by scientists and physicians. Vesalius was born in Belgium in 1514. Most of his family had been physicians so he chose to study medicine. As he was studying in Paris he was forced to leave before finishing his studies due to a war. He moved his studies to the University of Louvain and then to Padua to finish his doctorate.

After finishing his studies he became extremely interested in the human anatomy. He was very intelligent in his studies that soon after graduating in 1537 he was asked to take the chair of surgery and anatomy. At this time surgery and anatomy was not thought of as an important subject especially when compared to all the other studies of medicine. Still, he felt that anatomy was the framework of all the branches of medicine. For many years he studied anatomy and published his findings. He later became a personal physician for high ranks.

Vesalius eventually took the position as the court physician for Charles V. The story of Vesalius's death was once a bit vague. It is stated, now, that a diplomat had spread rumors that Vesalius had died a shameful death. This diplomat stated that Vesalius's strong character and adjustments to the previous studies in medicine got him strong enemies. To get rid of him they charged him with stealing dead bodies and dissecting them. Soon after, they stated that he had murdered a Spanish noble that he ha...

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...st person to dissect and examine the human brain.

During a time when many people and physicians followed Galen's teachings blindly Vesalius made a great change in the medicine world. He went against many beliefs and looked towards facts. He, on many occasions, corrected Galen even though he knew this would anger many people. He spent a large portion of his life dissecting human bodies of both men and women. He recorded in detail all his findings for future generations to study and learn. He taught his students that doing a research once was not good enough. He drilled it in them that to be as accurate as possible they needed to repeat the experiment several times. This was a scientist that devoted his whole life to discover the human body and its functions. He gave all future generations’ valuable knowledge that will continue to be used generation after generation.