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.

Antonio Scarpa

Antonio Scarpa (1752-1832). An Italian physician and anatomist, Antonio Scarpa is probably most remembered by the many human anatomy eponymic structures named after him, like "Scarpa's Fascia". Arising from humble origins, a very young Scarpa started medical studies at the University of Padua and obtained his doctorate at 18 years of age.

In 1772 he published a detailed anatomical study of the middle and internal ear, and later continued with animal comparative studies, surgical studies, and discoveries such as the innervation of the heart, and introduced the concept of arteriosclerosis. He left behind a solid group of books and publications

Known for his aggressive personality, Scarpa is said to have had more enemies than friends. After his death, his head was preserved and is still on display today at the History Museum of the University of Pavia, in Italy. Click here for a YouTube video depicting Scarpa's life and his head on display (Italian)

Antonio Scarpa was one of the first to describe the cochlea, one of the components of the inner ear

Originall image courtesy of Maurir, Public domain, via Wikimedia Common

The suffix [-(o)lithiasis] is a compound suffix with the Greek root [-lith-] meaning "stone" and the suffix [-iasis] meaning "condition, pathology, or disease". [-(o)lithiasis] then means the "condition or presence of stones".

This suffix can be found in many medical terms such as:

• Choledocolithiasis: a condition of stones in the bile duct
• Nephrolithiasis: Kidney stones
• Cholelithiasis: Gall or bile stones. This term does not indicate specific stone location
• Cholecystolithiasis: Stones in the gallbladder
• Cystolithiasis: Bladder stones
• Choledocholithiasis: Stones in the common bile duct

Can you find the meaning of the word dacryocystolithiasis?

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The sternum is a median bone that, with the anterior portion of the ribs, forms the anterior boundary of the bony thorax.

The term [sternum] comes from the Greek, meaning "flat chest or flat surface". In early anatomy, the sternum was known by a Latin term [gladius] referring to the similarity of the sternum to the short sword of the gladiators.

The sternum is composed by three segments, from superior to inferior they are the:

• Manubrium: This is Latin for "handle" (of the sword)
• Body: This segment is formed by four separate bones that fuse together later in life. Each separate bony component of the sternal body is known as a "sternabra" (plural: sternabrae)
• Xiphoid appendix: The term [xiphoid] is Greek and means "similar to a straight sword", but it refers only to the lowest portion of the sternum. Sometimes called the [xiphisternum], the xiphoid appendage or process is cartilaginous and is the last cartilage to ossify in the human.

The boundary between the manubrium and sternal body is known as the "sternal angle" or the "angle of Louis" named after Antoine Louis, a French physician. Click on the image of the thorax to see a detailed image of the sternum.

Images property of: CAA.Inc.. Artist: David M. Klein

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.

Henri Fruchaud

Dr. Henri Rene Fruchaud (1894-1960) was born in 1894 in Angers, the capital of the French province of Anjou. He started his medical studies in Anjou and continued them later in Paris. He was active in both WWI and WWII, earning several medals for bravery. He published a large number of articles in diverse surgical fields. 

An anatomist and a surgeon, Fruchaud is best known for his work in the field of Hernia Surgery by two of his books published in 1956: "L'Anatomie chirurgicale de la r?gion de l'aine" (Surgical anatomy of the groin region), and "Le traitement chirurgical des hernies de l'aine" (Surgical Treatment of Groin Hernias). He described the presence of a weak area in the pelvic region that he calls the "Myopectineal Orifice" or MPO. He states in his book: "It may be said that a healthy man is, unknown to himself, a hernia bearer". The MPO concept has become of importance after the advent of the laparoscopic repair of inguinofemoral hernias.

He is one of the members of the French Order of the Liberation, where you can read his biography in French.

Original imageof Dr. Henri Fruchaud courtesy of theFrench Order of the Liberation Museum.
Source: "Henri Fruchaud (1894–1960): A man of bravery, an anatomist a surgeon" Stoppa,R and Wantz,G.  Hernia 1998,Vol 2,(1) 45 - 47

The word [interstice] is a derivation of the Latin term [interstitium] meaning "interval" or "spaces between". The plural form is [interstices]. The terms is used in anatomy to denote small spaces within a structure. As an example, bone marrow and venous sinuses are found in the [interstices] of the cancellous bone in the body of a vertebra.

The term is also used to describe different pathologies such as insterstitial cystitis and instertitial lung disease.

Word suggested by:Sara Mueller

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The word [parietal] has its origin in the Greek term [paries] meaning "wall". [Parietal] then means "pertaining to a wall", wall-related", or simply stated, "wall". Following are some examples of the use of this term.

The parietal bones of the cranium (os parietale), create the lateral "wall" of the cranium. These quadrangular bones join in the midline forming the sagittal suture. (see image). Click here for a detailed description of the parietal bone.

The term [parietal] is also used to denote membranes that are related to the body wall. The parietal peritoneum is the portion of the peritoneal membrane that is found away from the viscera and in relation to the abdominal wall.

The pleura is a membrane that lines the lungs, and it has a component that is related to the wall of the thorax. This is the [parietal] pleura.

There is a couple of cases where the use of term [parietal] is not related to a wall, but rather as "away from a viscus". An example of this would be the parietal pericardium, where the parietal component is the membrane that is away from the visceralpericardium.

An interesting use of the term is legal, where a [parietal] law, is used to denote a law that establishes boundaries or "walls" between legal parties.

Original image and links courtesy of bartleby.com