8 D. J. Cunningham, 



human anatom}^ upon a proper footing. Italy cannot lay claim to him 

 by birth, and Bologna can lay only part claim to him as a Professor. 

 He was born in Brussels, and educated in Louvain and Paris. At the 

 early age of fourteen he commenced his anatomical studies under the 

 Parisian teacher Sylvius (Jacques Dubois), and the enthusiasm with 

 which he threw himself into the work may be judged from the fact 

 that he robbed the gibbet of the bodies of executed criminals, and 

 even dissected subjects in his bed-chamber. 



In 1536, when only twenty-three years old, he was elected by the 

 Venetian Republic a Professor in the university of Padua. Afterwards 

 he obtained similar appointments in Bologna and Pisa. No greater 

 evidence of the esteem in which he was held could be given than the 

 fact that he was allowed to hold these three Chairs in three different 

 Universities at the same time. His anatomical teaching was confined 

 to the winter months, and he spent a few weeks in each of these cities 

 alternately, demonstrating and teaching human anatomy. 



With the increased opportunities which Vesalius now had of stu- 

 dying directly the structure of the human body, his dissatisfaction 

 with the writings of the older anatomists grew apace, and he began 

 boldly to dispute the authority of Galen. Finally, at the age of 

 twenty-five, he commenced his great work upon anatomy — a work 

 which marks a distinct epoch in the history of this science, and con- 

 stitutes the foundation upon which our modern anatomy is constructed. 

 This magnum opus was completed when Vesalius was twenty-eight j^ears 

 old. It was published at Basle under the immediate supervision of 

 the author. While thus engaged he employed his leisure time in 

 preparing a natural skeleton, which is still preserved in the museum 

 of that city. 



Vesalius, at the same time, effected a reformation in anatomical 

 drawing. The illustrations which accompany the text — more especially 

 those of the bones and muscles — are most artistic and anatomically 

 correct. Some have thought that these were from the pencil of the 

 great Titian; but now it is generally admitted that it was not this 

 celebrated artist but his favourite pupil, Johannes Stephanus von Calcar, 

 who drew them. 



Vesalius demonstrated in the clearest manner that the anatomy 



