COLLECTION NAME:
Ars Anatomica
Record
Work Record ID:
0041223
Shelfmark:
Df.1.52
Holding Institution:
Edinburgh University Library
Catalogue Number:
410
Title:
Decimasexta, Decimaseptima, Decimaoctava Septimi Libri Figura
Translated Title:
Sixteenth, Seventeenth, and Eighteenth Figures of the Seventh Book
Creator:
Vesalius, Andreas (b.1514, d.1564)
Creator Role:
Author
Creator:
Oporinus, Johannes (b.1507, d.1568)
Creator Role:
Printer
Associate Creator:
Calcar, Jan Stefan van (b.1499, d.1546-1560)
Associate Creator Name:
Calcar, Jan Stefan van
Associate Creator Dates:
b.1499, d.1546-1560
Associate Creator Role:
Designer
Date:
1543
Description:
Figure 16 shows the exposed pituitary gland. Figure 17 is of particular interest. It shows the rete mirabile, a network of fine blood vessels 'in the fashion in which it ought to appear according to the description of Galen in his De usu partium.' Though Vesalius does not say so explicitly here, the rete does not occur in Man, and, by 1543, he clearly knew this. The rete is found in many other mammals. Its function, mysterious for centuries, is now known to be regulation of the brain's temperature by using venous blood cooled by air circulation in the nose to cool arterial blood flowing to the brain. See the fascinating account by Forrester (Forrester, J. M., 'The marvellous network and the history of enquiry into its function', J. Hist. Med. All. Sci. 57, 2002, 198-217). Figure 18 is a diagram of the infundibulum and pituitary gland.
Work Type:
Print
Measurement:
42.5 x 28.5cm (1' 4 3/4" x 11 1/4")
Material:
Ink
Material:
Paper
Technique:
Woodcut
Subject Category:
Anatomy
Subject Category:
Brain
Subject Category:
Human Body
Reference:
Bird 2339; Cushing VI.A.-I,
Related Work Title:
De humani corporis fabrica libri septem
Related Work Page No:
page 621
Related Work Creator:
Vesalius, Andreas
Related Work Notes:
Host Item
Rights Statement:
Image © 2005 Edinburgh University Library
Repro File Type:
Cropped Tiff
Repro File Size (bytes):
86450405
Repro Notes:
page 621
Repro Title:
Decimasexta, Decimaseptima, Decimaoctava Septimi Libri Figura
Repro ID Number:
0041223c
Repro Old ID Number:
ai0223
Repro Rights Statement:
© Edinburgh University Library
Repro Capture Date:
02/08/2004 12:24:00
Decimasexta, Decimaseptima, Decimaoctava Septimi Libri Figura
