ANATOMY IN THE MIDDLE AGES-A.D. 400 TO 1400 63 



dissections be made in the last one-half of the 13th Century. 

 With the rise of other European universities, Salerno began to 

 decline in importance (Corner, '31; Packard, '20). 



2. The University of Bologna 



The University of Bologna became more famous than any 

 other early center because it was here that the first unequivocal 

 post-Alexandrian dissection was made on man. As many as 10,000 

 students were enrolled by A.D. 1200 and later this reached 20,000 

 in number (Laurie, 1896). Medical studies started there in the 

 13th Century (A.D. 1260). To Mondino da Luzzi (1276-1326), 

 ^oes the credit of being the first to anatomize a human body for 

 perhaps 1,7 00 year^ He is regarded as the "Restorer /^f AnatP^y" 

 as the one who promoted a new enthusiasm for an old practice, 

 and the first European to teach from a cadaver. He definitely forms 

 a link between mediaeval anatomy and Vesalius. As far as is 

 known, that historical event was performed in 1315, in public, and 

 was witnessed by medical students as well as others. The subject 

 was that of an executed criminal, probably a female, and the pro- 

 ceeding had the blessings of the Pope . A second dissection may 

 have been done in the same year. It is said that the anatomist had 

 the choice in deciding the type of execution|^ 



Since the body was unpreserved, the dissection naturally had 

 to be hurried. It was accomplished in four readings; a barber did 

 the anatomizing with crude instruments, including a huge cleaver- 

 like knife, while Mondino read from a high professorial chair; 

 thereby, a custom was established which survived for many years; 

 a demonstrator, the third person in the party, pointed out the 

 various structures with a rod. Dogg^elped around the table wait- 

 ing to devour the pieces of human flesh thrown to them when 

 the professor finished his discourse. No thought, originality, or 

 critical thinking were involved since the only aim was to illustrate 

 Galen. The four sessions, probably one each day, covered the fol- 

 lowing systems: digestive, respiratory, circulatory and superficial 

 muscles. The dissection was continued into the night. 



Not much is known of the personal life of Mondino. He 

 graduated in medicine in A.D. 1290, became Professor of Anat- 



