Friday, March 9, 2012

Who were the traditional authorities on human anatomy before the Scientific Revolution?

The chapter i am doing is on the Scientific Revolution.Who were the traditional authorities on human anatomy before the Scientific Revolution?
In 1602, William questioned the accepted beliefs of the time as proposed by Aristotle (4th Century B.C.) modified by Gallen (2nd Century A.D.) that the veins contain both blood and air and they are fed by the liver. He proposed that the dynamic of the blood flow was the heart and not the liver.Who were the traditional authorities on human anatomy before the Scientific Revolution?
I persoanally believe it to be Leonardo da Vinci, as was bold, deliberate, detailed, and accurate. His 200 Anatmotopical drawings, were the foundation and inspiration, that catipulted human design understanding, into the medical science we see today. Below is a cut and paste from the source (also listed).



Anatomy

Leonardo's formal training in the anatomy of the human body began with his apprenticeship to Andrea del Verrocchio, his teacher insisting that all his pupils learn anatomy. As an artist, he quickly became master of topographic anatomy, drawing many studies of muscles, tendons and other visible anatomical features.





Anatomical study of the arm, (c.1510)As a successful artist, he was given permission to dissect human corpses at the hospital Santa Maria Nuova in Florence and later at hospitals in Milan and Rome. From 1510 to 1511 he collaborated in his studies with the doctor Marcantonio della Torre and together they prepared a theoretical work on anatomy for which Leonardo made more than 200 drawings. It was published only in 1680 (161 years after his death) under the heading Treatise on painting.[17][42]



Leonardo drew many studies of the human skeleton and its parts, as well as muscles and sinews, the heart and vascular system, the sex organs, and other internal organs. He made one of the first scientific drawings of a fetus in utero.[42] As an artist, Leonardo closely observed and recorded the effects of age and of human emotion on the physiology, studying in particular the effects of rage. He also drew many models among those who had significant facial deformities or signs of illness.[42][17]



He also studied and drew the anatomy of many other animals as well. He dissected cows, birds, monkeys, bears, and frogs, comparing in his drawings their anatomical structure with that of humans. He also made a number of studies of horses.

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