HIERONYMUS FABRICUS ab Aquapendente (ca. 1533-1619). De visione, voce, auditu. 3 parts in 1 volume. Venice: Per Franciscum Bolzettam, 1600.
One of the great Paduan anatomists and teachers, pupil of Fallopius, teacher of Harvey, and friend of Galileo, Fabricius built the first anatomical theater for public dissections at Padua, which is still preserved intact.
De visione voce, auditu was the first anatomy book with clearly scientific illustrations and set a precedent for future anatomists. Prior to this, anatomical illustrations often combined illustration with art such as Vesalius’ carefully composed skeletons.
During his long life, Fabricus produced a number of important works on anatomy, embryology, and physiology, characterized by numerous large, clear copperplate illustrations. The major portion of this work on the organs of vision, speech, and hearing is devoted to the eye, and it is clear that Fabricius was one of the first to grasp the true form and proper location of the lens. Although his description of the ear is sound, it contributed no new knowledge about the ear or the sense of hearing. An extremely competent comparative anatomist, he was at his best in dealing with the laryngeal apparatus.
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Page 11 image from Wellcome Library
