Acta Medica & Philosophica Hafniensia

BARTHOLIN, Thomas; [STENO, Nicolaus, et al.]

Published by Peter Haubold, Hafniae [Copenhagen], 1672

About this Item

A COMPLETE RUN OF ONE OF THE FIRST MEDICAL JOURNALS CONTAINING TEN CONTRIBUTIONS BY NIELS STENSEN. First edition, a rare complete run, of one of the first medical journals, and Denmark's first scientific journal. While Garrison (p. 301) lists three previous journals, two of these were published for just one issue; only the Giornale dei letterati (Parma, 1668-88) predates this. Among the many significant contributions in these volumes, including more than 100 by Bartholin himself, are the last published scientific works of Niels Stensen. Stensen returned from Italy to Denmark in 1672 to accept an appointment at the University of Copenhagen under Bartholin. During his stay he carried out a number of experiments, two of which are published in vol. I: 'Embryo monstro as finis Parisiis dissectus' (pp. 200-203) and 'Uterus Leporis Proprius, foetum resolventis' (pp. 203-207). During his stay in Italy, however, Stensen converted to Catholicism and found himself the target of attack from orthodox Protestants. He became more interested in theological debates that scientific research and in 1674 he returned to Florence and in 1685 took Holy Orders. "The Copenhagen biologists, under the quickening influence of Thomas Bartholin, produced five volumes of transactions known as the Acta Medica et Philosophica Hafniensia, which is now very rare and almost entirely forgotten" (Cole). The leading authors besides Thomas Bartholin and Niels Stensen (Steno) were Holger Jacobsen (Jacabaeus), Caspar Bartholin, Ole Borch (Borrichius), Ole Worm, Simon Paulli, Johan Rodhe, Caspar Kolichen and several others. "In the case of many of their observations the interest is rather in the odd and curious, the astounding and marvelous, the unnatural and the abnormal Monsters and freaks of nature receive perhaps the most attention" (Thorndike). The collation of this copy agrees with that digitized on BSB (including the absence of the separate title page to Vol. IV). "Thomas Bartholin was the son of the professor of anatomy in Copenhagen Caspar Bartholin, the author of a widely used book on anatomy. After studies at home in 1634-37 he went for a long academic peregrination to Leiden, Paris, Montpellier, Padua, Basel and Amsterdam. He returned to Copenhagen in 1646 when called as professor. Bartholin performed his ï rst public anatomy there in 1649. He became universally renowned for the reformed and illustrated edition of the anatomy book of his father published in several editions and translations. "Thomas Bartholin edited and wrote numerous papers and books. His main achievement in science was the discovery of the web of tiny lymphatic vessels widely distributed in the body that was published in his Vasa lymphaticain 1653. A ï erce public dispute on priority ensued with the Swedish anatomist Olaf Rudbeck who made simultaneous discoveries. Afterwards Thomas Bartholin laid down the anatomical scalpel to serve Copenhagen University in diï erent disciplines to become an inï uential rector. "Niels Stensen, or Nicolaus Stenonis, shortened Steno, the son of a goldsmith, studied medicine with Thomas Bartholin as his preceptor in 1656-59, a turbulent period with warfare between Denmark and Sweden in which Copenhagen for a long period was besieged. Stensen went abroad for studies in Amsterdam and Leiden. He was the ï rst to described the excretory ducts of the parotid and the tear glands. Stensen and Bartholin's letter communication shows their mutual respect and interest in research. However, not being oï ered a position at Copenhagen University, Stensen went on to Paris where he gave a famous Discourse on the Anatomy of the Brain in 1665. Stensen moved to become scientist to the court of the Grand Duke of Tuscany in Florence. There he concluded his studies on the muscles describing a model of muscular contraction in his Specimen of Elements of Myology in 1667. "When requested by the Grand Duke Ferdinand II, he dissected the head of a huge Carcharodonshark caught oï. Seller Inventory # 5627

Bibliographic Details

Title: Acta Medica & Philosophica Hafniensia

Publisher: Peter Haubold, Hafniae [Copenhagen]

Publication Date: 1672

Edition: First edition.