The Fabric of the Human Body: Spectacular edition of foundational 16th C anatomy text, 20 years in the making


David Hast sez, "Karger Publishing has released an important new translation of a foundational book in the history of science, the 16th century 'De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem' by Andreas Vesalius.

Vesalius was the first modern anatomist, relying for the first time in history on dissections of human cadavers. His anatomy is a foundation of modern medicine and of the understanding of the human body."

The edition is annotated, with fabulous reproductions of the original plates of the anatomical drawings (which were done by the school of Titian). The book has just been released, though its copyright is 2014 to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the birth of Vesalius.

My father, Malcolm H. Hast, an emeritus professor at Northwestern University Medical School, is co-translator of the book, along with Daniel H. Garrison, a Latinist, also from Northwestern. They took 20 years to complete this translation!

The Fabric of the Human Body: An Annotated Translation of the 1543 and 1555 Editions of "De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem", by D.H. Garrison and M.H. Hast [Amazon]

Transforming Vesalius: 1514-2014 [Karger]