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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John Marshall

Published: Wednesday, October 09, 2024 07:00 | Written by: Efrain A. Miranda, Ph.D. | Hits: 327

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.

John Marshall
John Marshall (1818 – 1891)

John Marshall (1818 – 1891) British anatomist and surgeon. Initially, he apprenticed with Dr. Wales in Wisbech. In 1838 he entered the University College, London, where he studied with William Sharpey (1802 – 1880), who was then teaching physiology. In 1849 Marshall became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

In 1845 he became a demonstrator of anatomy at University College, London and in 1847 with the help of Jones Quain (1796 – 1865) and William Sharpey he was appointed as assistant surgeon.

Marshall was appointed professor of surgery at University College in 1866, and in 1884 he was appointed consulting surgeon to University College Hospital.

He was known as a great artist and used his abilities to teach anatomy with the help of blackboards. He lectured on anatomy to art students, and one of his books is titled “Anatomy for Artists” (London, 1878), which was received with great enthusiasm by his art students.

John Marshall wrote several books and works, mentioned in the “Sources” section of this article, but he is probably better known for his association with the eponymic “Ligament of Marshall”. In 1850, he published a detailed description (36 pages) of the embryology of the cardinal veins, the superior vena cava, and the presence of a persistent “left superior vena cava” with a description of the oblique vein of the left atrium, the obliterated Duct of Cuvier, and the fold of pericardium over this duct that today carries his name.

The paper was published in the journal “Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society”, and the title was “On the Development of the Great Anterior Veins Man and Mammalia; including an Account of certain remnants of Fœtal Structure found in the Adult, a Comparative View of these Great Veins the different and an Analysis of their occasional peculiarities in the Human Subject”. The sketches that accompany this seminal paper were drawn by him.

Plate 1 Marshall

Marshall Plate 5

 If you are interested in reading this paper, it is available online at the Royal Society website. For the actual publication in PDF format, click here. 

Marshall also is recognized for being one of the first to use electrocautery in surgery, as well as being a pioneer in the removal of lower extremity varicose veins. He was the first to demonstrate that cholera can be spread through contaminated drinking water.

Ligament of Marshall (yellow arrow)

The image shows the ligament of Marshall (yellow arrow), the left pulmonary artery (LPA), and the left superior pulmonary vein (LSPV).

Personal note: My thanks to an attendee to one of my cardiovascular lectures. He asked who was Marshall of the "ligament of Marshall:... Here is the answer. Dr. Miranda.

Sources and publications:
1. “A Description of the Human Body, its Structure and Functions” London, 1860, 4to, with folio plates; 4th ed. 1883.
2. “Anatomy for Artists” London, 1878, royal 8vo; 2nd ed. 1883; 3rd edit. 1890.
3. “A Rule of Proportion for the Human Figure” 1878, fol.
4 “A Series of Life-size Anatomical Diagrams” seven sheets.
5. “Physiological Diagrams” life size, eleven sheets.
6. “On the Relations between the Weight of the Brain and its Parts, and the Stature and Mass of the Body” 1892, J Anat Physiol
7. “The Brain of the late George Grote” 1892, J Anat Phys
8. “On the Development of the Great Anterior Veins Man and Mammalia; including an Account of certain remnants of Fœtal Structure found in the Adult, a Comparative View of these Great Veins the different and an Analysis of their occasional peculiarities in the Human Subject” 1850 Phil Trans R Soc 140:133 - 170
9. Portrait of J. Marshall by Alphonse Legros, Courtesy of Wikipedia. Public Domain.