‘The anatomy lesson of Dr. Frederik Ruysch’ of 1683, a milestone in knowledge about obstetrics

IJpma, Frank F. A.; Radziun, Anna; Gulik, Thomas M. van

doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2013.05.028

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 3 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…His collection included a range of preparations, from embryos of the size of a grain of sand to full-term babies [ 4 ]. Ruysch was one of the first anatomists who demonstrated successive stages of embryonal and fetal development [ 23 , 38 ]. Through the visualization of embryos as anatomical preparations, he was able to contradict the opinion of some of his colleagues, who believed that “they could see in a woman’s egg a small creature with arms, legs and a head” [ 22 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ruysch injected umbilical arteries with red pigmented wax and the umbilical vein with white wax to show the circulatory system of a fetus. He correctly considered it to be essential for the healthy development of a child [ 38 ]. Because of his careful technique of injecting the placenta, he found that it consisted of vessels, not glands, as he had previously assumed [ 23 , 38 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…He correctly considered it to be essential for the healthy development of a child [ 38 ]. Because of his careful technique of injecting the placenta, he found that it consisted of vessels, not glands, as he had previously assumed [ 23 , 38 ]. Ruysch also created dry specimens which presented the circulation inside the fetus.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Fetal Development in Anatomical Preparations of Ruysch and the Meckels in Comparison

Kosenko

Steinicke

Kielstein

et al. 2022

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Anatomical collections have been used for centuries for research and teaching purposes. By the example of selected preparations of fetal development from the Ruysch collection (17th–18th centuries) and the Meckel collections (18th–19th century), this article aims to trace the changing purposes, specifics and methods of creating specimens as well as the development of anatomy during that period. The selected specimens are compared and analyzed implementing the historical-critical method. Regarding the appearance of the preparations, we see a transition from the visually aesthetic specimens (Ruysch) to exact ones (Meckel collections). If Ruysch’s preparations were compared in his time to works of art, specimens created by three anatomists of the Meckel dynasty were primarily created for teaching and research purposes. However, Ruysch’s preparations tracing fetal circulation were scientific discoveries of the time. As for preparations of fetal development from the Meckel collections, we see both specimens of physiological processes already known at that time and experimental ones. Regarding teratology, Ruysch and Meckel the Younger tried to explain malformations, but their anatomical preparations could hardly give answers to the cause of deviations from the norm. The differences between the collections can be explained by the different stages of development of anatomy of the time and by the research interests of the anatomists themselves.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%