Anatomy and Cell Biology

Korean Association of Anatomists (대한해부학회)
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Greek anatomist herophilus: the father of anatomy

  • Bay, Noel Si-Yang (European Studies Programme, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore) ;
  • Bay, Boon-Huat (Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore)
  • Received : 2010.10.05
  • Accepted : 2010.12.02
  • Published : 2010.12.30
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Abstract

One of the most stirring controversies in the history of Anatomy is that Herophilus, an ancient Greek anatomist and his younger contemporary, Erasistratus, were accused of performing vivisections of living humans. However, this does not detract from the fact that Herophilus has made phenomenal anatomical observations of the human body which have contributed significantly towards the understanding of the brain, eye, liver, reproductive organs and nervous system. It is notable that he was the first person to perform systematic dissection of the human body and is widely acknowledged as the Father of Anatomy. He has been hailed as one of the greatest anatomists that ever lived, rivaled only by Andreas Vesalius who is regarded as the founder of modern human anatomy.

Keywords

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