The history of anatomy and physiology dates back to ancient Egyptian times when humans were mummified after death and bodies would be stripped of their internal organs during the embalming process. It was not until much later when Hippocrates II, known as the father of medicine, was the first to write about human anatomy. Shortly after that, the Alexandrian Medical School was established, where human dissection was allowed for the first time, which promoted research and new discoveries in the field. From there, many other influential researchers came up with theories regarding the cardiovascular and nervous systems, etc; however, the missing links in some of the earlier theories was found with the discovery of the microscope, which changed the focus of research and led to many advancements in the field.
As previously mentioned, Hippocrates II (460 – 370 B.C.) was known as the father of medicine and although human dissection was forbidden because of religious beliefs, he dissected animals and studied the anatomy of bones. Hippocrates had some accuracy in osteology; however, he was not as accurate in his theories regarding the arteries, which he thought were filled with air because they appear empty in dead animals. In addition, he established the Doctrine of Humors which stated that the body is composed of four major fluids. Future researchers would follow the Doctrine of Humors until it was later proved false.
During the same time period as Hippocrates, Aristotle (384 – 322 B.C.) also conducted anatomical and physiological research. Aristotle dissected animals and he based his ideas of human anatomy on his findings in animals, which was not entirely accurate, but did hold some truth. He distinguished between arte...
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...f the structure of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953 that was extremely influential for future researchers. They determined that DNA was a double helix structure composed of base pairings, with a sugar phosphate backbone. This model explained how “genes can duplicate themselves [and] would eventually lead to our current understanding of many things, from genetic disease to genetic engineering” (Salem).
Through the use of the microscope and the discovery of DNA, there were many advances in anatomy and physiology throughout the twentieth century to the present time. However, the early discoveries by Erasistratus and Herophilus as well as the others created a foundation for the future scientists to base their research off of, which impacted where we are today in the field and contributed to the great advances that have been made in anatomy and physiology.
There he inspired many students and tutored them to become professionals in the medical field. Many of these students included Fabricius ab Aquapendente (gave the first clear description of the semi lunar valves of the veins, which later provided many people with a crucial point in his famous argument for circulation of the blood) and Volcher Coiter (described human embryology as well as the comparative osteology of animals and illustrated his own work.... ... middle of paper ...
The science and history of the heart can be traced back as far as the fourth century B.C. Greek philosopher, Aristotle, declared the heart to be the most vital organ in the body based on observations of chick embryos. In the second century A.D, similar ideas were later reestablished in a piece written by Galen called On the Usefulness of the Parts of the Body. Galen’s thesis was that the heart was the source of the body’s essential heat and most closely related to the soul. Galen made careful observations of the physical properties of the heart as well. He said “The heart is a hard flesh, not easily injured. In hardness, tension, in general strength, and resistance to injury, the fibers of the heart far surpasses all others, for no other instrument performs such continues, hard work as the heart”(Galen, Volume 1).
Perhaps one of the greatest accomplishments of the 3rd century was made by Eratosthenes, who calculated the circumference of the earth within 300 miles of its actual distance. Also, the Alexandrians made great leaps forward in the field of medicine. Hippocrates, who is regarded as the father of modern medicine wrote 53 books on medicine. Later, Herophilus became the first to dissect a human corpse and document in great detail the inside of a human body. Furthermore, he and almost all Egyptian, Greek, and Roman doctors put great stress on the importance of hygiene, diet, exercise and bathing, which are still some of the foundations of modern health. However, the greatest overall advancements that the Alexandrians made great were technological advancements. One man who helped move technology of the ancient world forward the most was Hero, who invented the water clock and the steam turbine. Some of the inventions created by the Alexandrians are still used today, such as levers, pulleys, pumps, screws, springs, and
Dr. Frederik Ruysch developed an early version of arterial embalming to prove his theory about valves. Wilhelm von Hofmann and Alexander Butlerov are also significant because they discovered formaldehyde, which became a particularly frequent chemical for embalming.
Versalius'/Harvey's Contribution to Medicine Versalius and Harvey's contribution to medicine were a detailed study of the human anatomy and dissection. Both were Professors of Surgery and made a great contribution to surgery. Andreas Versalius was born in Brussels in1514 and studied medicine in Paris and Louvain and met artists who were studying skeletons and dissecting bodies to make paintings more realistic, Versalius discovered that Galen was wrong in some important details of anatomy. After an argument in Louvain over bleeding techniques he became professor of surgery and anatomy at Padua.. Versalius did his own dissections and wrote books based on his observations using accurate diagrams to illustrate his work, like "The Fabric Of The Human Body" (1543).
As far back in Greek time as anyone can remember, the human body was a
Weston, M. D. Know Your Body: The Atlas of Anatomy. Berkeley, CA: Marshall Cavendish Books Limited, 2005
Since the early 1700’s, people have been exploring and experimenting with human anatomy. Early forms of lithotomy and cystostomy often led to pain and infections as many procedures were performed without anesthesia or sterilization (Source A). After years of failed medical practice, humans realized the potential for new knowledge through the dissection of cadavers. Human dissections regularly disproved what early medical “professionals”, with little education and training, believed about the manner in which the human body works. From the beginning of the use of dissection in science, many have questioned the ethics of using human remains in science. These people believe that they have valid points as to why it should be irrelevant to use cadavers,
William Harvey was a distinguished physician of the seventeenth century. Harvey was educated by some of the great scientists of his time and was highly knowledgeable of the scientist theories preceding his time. Harvey was greatly intrigued by the views of the ancient Aristotle and developed a number of his own ideas based on Aristotle’s theories. It was from Aristotle’s theory of the primacy of blood that allowed Harvey to make breakthroughs about circulation and generation of animals. His advancements greatly enhanced the study of anatomy. Harvey also revolutionized the means by which science was performed through the use of innovative, investigational techniques. William Harvey became a well-known name in science because he made profound accomplishments that changed the way scientists performed and the way people viewed the human body.
This created a new field of research, known as physiology, because people wanted to have a better understanding of the human body, especially the heart. In 1628, he made his research public by writing a book: Exercitatio anatomica de motu cordis et sanguinis in animalibus which translates to An Anatomical Essay Concerning the Movement of the Heart and Blood in Animals (“About William Harvey”). He became interested in blood and conducted an experiment where blood from the vein and blood from the artery were both extracted and placed in a basin. He learned that it was “the same blood in the arteries as in the veins, after having tied them in the same way, as [he] repeatedly ascertained… [people] may fairly conclude that the arteries contain the same blood as veins, and nothing but the same blood” (Harvey 12). They were even the same color, of the same consistency, and the same volume (Aird).
"The discovery of the structure by Crick and Watson, with all its biological implications, has been one of the major scientific events of this century." (Bragg, The Double Helix, p1) In the story of The Double Helix, James Watson tells of the road that led to the discovery of life's basic building block-DNA. This autobiography gives insight into science and the workings within a professional research laboratory that few members of society will ever be able to experience. It also gives the reader an idea of the reality of life for one scientist and how he struggled with the problem of DNA. However, the author's style is marked by his lack of objectivity and inclusion of many biased opinions and personal prejudices.
The most important and influential discovery was the practice of surgery. With this invention, human life became more sophisticated, humans lived longer, and we obtained a knowledge of ourselves sufficient enough to break the boundaries built by ignorance. Lacking prescription drugs, accurate tools, computer technology, and any background experience to build from, our ancestors struggled to learn how to repair the human body. They did an suprisingly competent job of treating the sick and injured. Some of the medical technology developed in ancient times surpassed anything available in the modern world until the 18th century or 19th century. In eras wherein religious views took precedence over medicine and logic, surgical advancement was difficult. The knowledge we have now was obtained from these people's exploits.
The Double Helix tells a tale of fierce competition, perseverance, and scientific innovation as we follow James Watson and his cohort Francis Crick on their quest to discover the secret to life, the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid. Although already fascinated with DNA, Watson struggled with finding chemistry exciting enough to learn it in depth. He had studied birds in college and thereby managed to avoid any formal chemistry or physics courses. As he later pursued a PhD in biochemistry, he realized he could put it off no longer and attempted to learn organic chemistry at Indiana University. However, after a mishap in the lab, he was encouraged instead to study nucleic acid chemistry with Herman Kalckar in Copenhagen. There, his mind strayed from his work and he began doing unauthorized research in the lab of Ole Maaløe, studying phages. Herman stopped teaching Watson after going through a divorce with his wife, and sent Watson off to a scientific conference in Naples. Although he was bored by many of the lectures, Maurice Wilkins’s talk about X-ray diffraction fascinated Watson. He was struck by an X-ray diffraction picture of DNA that Maurice presented and was determined to study the acid. He later got to know more about Maurice’s colleague, Rosalind Franklin, who was proud, stubborn, and very difficult to work with. Watson greatly admired the lecture given by the renowned Linus Pauling, who had discovered the structure of the alpha-helix and was thought of as the leader in DNA research in the scientific world.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a self-replicating molecule or material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent in chromosomes. It encodes the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and many viruses. Simply put, DNA contains the instructions needed for an organism to develop, survive and reproduce. The discovery and use of DNA has seen many changes and made great progress over many years. James Watson was a pioneer molecular biologist who is credited, along with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins, with discovering the double helix structure of the DNA molecule. The three won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1962 for their work (Bagley, 2013). Scientist use the term “double helix” to describe DNA’s winding, two-stranded chemical structure. This shape looks much like a twisted ladder and gives the DNA the power to pass along biological instructions with great precision.