Medical Terminology Daily (MTD) is a blog sponsored by Clinical Anatomy Associates, Inc. as a service to the medical community. We post anatomical, medical or surgical terms, their meaning and usage, as well as biographical notes on anatomists, surgeons, and researchers through the ages. Be warned that some of the images used depict human anatomical specimens.

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A Moment in History

Andreas Vesalius Bruxellensis (1514- 1564)

A Flemish anatomist and surgeon, Andreas Vesalius was born on December 31, 1514 in Brussels, Belgium. He is considered to be the father of the science of Anatomy. Up until his studies and publications human anatomy studies consisted only on the confirmation of the old doctrines of Galen of Pergamon (129AD - 200AD). Anatomy professors would read to the students from Galen's work and a demonstrator would point in a body to the area being described, if a body was used at all. The reasoning was that there was no need to dissect since all that was needed to know was already written in Galen's books. Vesalius, Fallopius, and others started the change by describing what they actually saw in a dissection as opposed to what was supposed to be there. 

Vesalius had a notorious career, both as an anatomist and as a surgeon. His revolutionary book "De Humani Corporis Fabrica: Libri Septem" was published in May 26, 1543. One of the most famous anatomical images is his plate 22 of the book, called sometimes "The Hamlet". You can see this image if you hover over Vesalius' only known portrait which accompanies this article. Sir William Osler said of this book "... it is the greatest book ever printed, from which modern medicine dates" 

After the original 1543 printing, the Fabrica was reprinted in 1555. It was re-reprinted and translated in many languages, although many of these printings were low-quality copies with no respect for copyright or authorship.

The story of the wood blocks with the carved images used for the original printing extends into the 20th century. In 1934 these original wood blocks were used to print 617 copies of the book "Iconaes Anatomica". This book is rare and no more can be printed because, sadly, during a 1943 WWII bombing raid over Munich all the wood blocks were burnt.

One interesting aspect of the book was the landscape panorama in some of his most famous woodcuts which was only "discovered" until 1903.

Vesalius was controversial in life and he still is in death. We know that he died on his way back from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, but how he died, and exactly where he died is lost in controversy. We do know he was alive when he set foot on the port of Zakynthos in the island of the same name in Greece. He is said to have suddenly collapsed and die at the gates of the city, presumably as a consequence of scurvy. Records show that he was interred in the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, but the city and the church were destroyed by an earthquake and Vesalius' grave lost to history. Modern researchers are looking into finding the lost grave and have identified the location of the cemetery. This story has not ended yet.

For a detailed biography of Andreas Vesalius CLICK HERE.

Personal note: To commemorate Andrea Vesalius' 500th birthday in 2014, there were many scientific meetings throughout the world, one of them was the "Vesalius Continuum" anatomical meeting on the island of Zakynthos, Greece on September 4-8, 2014. This is the island where Vesalius died in 1564. I had the opportunity to attend and there are several articles in this website on the presence of Andreas Vesalius on Zakynthos island. During 2015 I also attended a symposium on "Vesalius and the Invention of the Modern Body" at the St. Louis University. At this symposium I had the honor of meeting of Drs. Garrison and Hast, authors of the "New Fabrica". Dr. Miranda

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The interesting story of “Sutures in Ancient Surgery” (2)

Published: Monday, April 29, 2024 07:00 | Written by: Efrain A. Miranda, Ph.D. | Hits: 437

This article is part of the series "A Moment in History" where we honor those who have contributed to the growth of medical knowledge in the areas of anatomy, medicine, surgery, and medical research.

Folder of "Sutures in Ancient Surgery"
Folder of "Sutures in Ancient Surgery"

This article is the continuation of The interesting story of “Sutures in Ancient Surgery” (1).

3. The content of the publication, images, and controversy

Each tableaux vivant depicted a scene of history of surgery, with a short description of the individual and their accomplishments. In general, these descriptions are accurate, but very short. The objective was to allow the doctor to read the text, admire the image and leave time for the medical representative to deliver their presentation of a particular product.

Each page was printed in black and white, on a high quality paper measuring 12 by 9 ¼ inches. The paper itself was originally lightly yellowed to denote that this was an historical image. In fact, many doctors believed that these were reproductions of antique paintings, which they were not! The image itself was 6 ½ by 5 ¼ inches.

In some images it is clear that the background was painted. In fact, the image of Hyeronimus Fabricius Ab Aquapendente (157-1619) published in 1927, shamelessly copies part of the background of the 1555 title page of the Fabrica of Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564), or one of the many plagiarisms of the same book.

The controversy today lies with a number of women depicted with their nude breasts. In one case, (“Aspasia”, published in 1933) the photograph depicts five women including Aspasia, all of them showing a naked breast. Although “Sutures in Ancient Surgery” is criticized for this easy depiction of nudity, only 30% fall in this category.

Adding Aspasia of Miletus to this collection of physicians also brought criticism, not only for the nudity, but for the fact that Aspasia is a legendary figure whose life is in question as well as her place in Greek society. Some say that she was a prostitute and the regent of a house of ill repute, other say that she was a teacher of philosophy along with Socrates and that she was married to Pericles. Others say that she never existed, yet her name and life has been used in a novelized two-tome book. Why was she selected for this collection? No one knows.

Following are some images from "Sutures in Ancient Surgery".

Pierre Pigray (d.1613)Pierre Pigray (d.1613)

Walter Herman Ryff
Walter Herman Ryff

Hyeronimus Fabricius Ab Aquapendente (1537-1619)Fabricius Ab Aquapendente (1537-1619)

Yasuhoi Tambu (c. 980 A.D.)

Yasuhoi Tambu (c. 980 A.D.)

4. Missing prints

Because these prints were presented as loose-leaf items to the doctors, many of them have been lost. Some historians comment that doctors would frame these images and use them in their offices, so a complete collection of the 83 photographs is extremely difficult to find. In once case, it is known that a hospital had the complete collection framed in one of its hallways (Sobieszek, 1988) which hospital, or what happened to that collection is unknown.

Today, the “Sutures in Ancient Surgery” folders found for sale in antique libraries have a varying number of prints, all of them incomplete. Some universities list them in their libraries and in one case, they have only three prints in their collection!

My research has been able to find the names of 76 of the tableaux vivants in this collection, but I have not been able to find the names of seven of these prints.

The folder that I received from Jack Kennedy contains 75 prints, and I am looking for the last eight including that of Teodorico Borgognoni, year of printing unknown.

If you have any or know of someone that owns a few in this collection, please contact me. I prepared an PDF file with  the prints I have as well as those I do not. You can download it here.

Once again, thanks to Jack Kennedy for his addition to my collection. It has been an interesting research and I look forward to the next one!!

Sources:
1. UConn library Archives and Special Collections: Davis and Geck company records.
2. SNAC-Social Network and Archival Context: Davis and Geck Company.
3. “Soak it up: Examining bioabsorbable polymers in healthcare” Medical Plastic News
4. “The striking social tableaux vivants of Lejaren à Hillier” J.T.H. Connor. Hetkoen International
5. “Photography view; when tableaux vivants flowered in the magazines” Gene Thorton. The New York Times. March 2, 1986.
6.” Tableaux Vivants: A Long History of Recreating Art” Karolina Dzimira-Zarzycka. Daily Art May 1, 2020
7. “Medical History’s Moment in Art Photography (1920 to 1950): How Lejaren à Hillier and Valentino Sarra Created a Fashion for Scenes of Early Surgery” Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Volume 72, Issue 4, October 2017, Pages 381–421
8. “Aspasia” Wiki,org
9. “The Art of Persuasion: A History of Advertising Photography” Sobieszek, Robert A. 1988
10. “Aspasia” A Romance of Art and Love in Ancient Hellas” Mary J Safford German) Robert Hamerling (Translator) 1882. NY. W.S. Gottsberger, Publisher.
11. “Lejaren A. Hillier Photography Collection” University of Texas, Harry Ramson Center.