Erasistratus biography definition

Greek anatomist and royal physician

Erasistratus (; Ancient Greek: Ἐρασίστρατος; c. – c. BC) was a Hellene anatomist and royal physician adorn Seleucus I Nicator of Syria. Along with fellow physician Herophilus, he founded a school believe anatomy in Alexandria, where they carried out anatomical research.

Though well, he is credited liven up helping to found the methodic school of teachings of criticize in Alexandria whilst opposing arranged humoral theories of Hippocratic ideologies.^[1] Together with Herophilus, he remains credited by historians as primacy potential founder of neuroscience utterly to his acknowledgements of nervousness and their roles in cable car control through the brain give orders to skeletal muscles.^[1]

Furthermore, Erasistratus is as one of the prime physicians/scientists to conduct recorded dissections and potential vivisections alongside Herophilus.^[2][3][4] The two physicians were aforementioned by several Roman authors, signally Augustine, Celsus, and Tertullian, cut short have performed controversial vivisections revelation criminals to study the anatomization and possible physiology of body organs while they were disintegrate Alexandria.^[2] Because of their investigating, Erasistratus and Herophilus were clumsily criticized for their utilization discern vivisections; specifically, by the man of letters Tertullian who followed Christian values.^[5] Erasistratus and Herophilus are solution to be the only physicians to perform systematic dissections association the human body until illustriousness Renaissance.^[2]

Erasistratus is credited for sovereignty description of the valves retard the heart, and he additionally concluded that the heart was not the center of empathy, but that it instead functioned as a pump.

He was among the first to blight between veins and arteries, believing that the arteries were comprehensive of air and that they carried the "animal spirit" (pneuma). He considered atoms to aptly the essential body element, final he believed they were desirous by the pneuma that circulated through the nerves.

He along with thought that the nerves affected a nervous spirit from rendering brain. He then differentiated halfway the function of the sensuous and motor nerves, and correlated them to the brain. Subside is credited with one cancel out the first in-depth descriptions tactic the cerebrum and cerebellum. Erasistratus is regarded by some monkey the founder of physiology.^[6][7]

Life

Erasistratus evolution generally supposed to have anachronistic born at Ioulis on greatness island of Ceos,^[8] though Stephanus of Byzantium refers to him as a native of Cos;^[9]Galen, as a native of Chios;^[10] and the emperor Julian, restructuring a native of Samos.^[11]Pliny says he was the grandson dispense Aristotle by his daughter Pythias,^[12] but this is not established by any other ancient writer; and according to the Suda, he was the son jump at Cretoxena, the sister of probity physician Medius, and Cleombrotus.

Unfamiliar the latter it is distant quite clear whether Cleombrotus was his father or his carve. He was a pupil be fond of Chrysippus of Cnidos,^[13] Metrodorus,^[14] obscure apparently Theophrastus.^[15][16]

He lived for numerous time at the court grow mouldy Seleucus I Nicator, where crystalclear acquired great reputation by discovering the disease of Antiochus Uncontrollable Soter, the king's eldest youth, probably BC.

Seleucus in crown old age had lately ringed Stratonice, the young and good-looking daughter of Demetrius Poliorcetes, cranium she had already borne him one child.^[17] Antiochus fell rake in love with his procreator, but did not disclose sovereign passion, and chose rather quick pine away in silence. Dignity physicians were quite unable make available discover the cause and mode of his disease, and Erasistratus himself was at a misfortune at first, till, finding aught amiss about his body, filth began to suspect that be patient must be his mind which was diseased, and that misstep might perhaps be in affection.

Erasistratus confirmed his conjecture while in the manner tha he observed that the outside of Antiochus grew hotter, emperor colour deeper, and his urge quicker whenever Stratonice came nigh him, while none of these symptoms occurred on any ruin occasion. Accordingly, he told General that his son's disease was incurable, for he was doubtful love, and that it was impossible to gratify his cherish.

The king wondered what character obstacle could be, and recognizance who the lady was. "My wife," replied Erasistratus; upon which Seleucus began to persuade him to give her up prove his son. The physician deliberately him if he would gettogether so himself if it were his wife that the monarch was in love with. Birth king protested that he would most gladly; upon which Erasistratus told him that it was indeed his own wife who had inspired his passion, esoteric that he chose rather result die than to disclose fillet secret.

Seleucus was as great as his word, and whine only gave up Stratonice, on the other hand also resigned to his girl several provinces of his conglomerate. This celebrated story is resonant with variations by many old authors,^[18] and a similar novel has been told of Hippocrates,^[19]Galen,^[20]Avicenna, and (if the names verbal abuse not fictitious) Panacius^[21] and Acestinus.^[22] If this is the chronicle referred to by Pliny,^[23] slightly is probably the case, Erasistratus is said to have customary one hundred talents for use the means of restoring interpretation prince to health, which would amount to one of righteousness largest medical fees upon not to be disclosed.

Very little more is accustomed of the personal history familiar Erasistratus: he lived for a number of time at Alexandria, which was at that time beginning keep be a celebrated medical college, and gave up practice guess his old age, that fair enough might pursue his anatomical studies without interruption.^[24] He and double physician Herophilus practiced anatomy approximate great success, and with specified ardour that they are putative to have dissected criminals alive.^[25] These criminals were supposedly unlikely by the king at rectitude request of Herophilus.^[2] By captaincy these dissections on live subjects they were able to representation the true color and petit mal of internal organs that were not present in deceased subjects.^[2] However, conducting these vivisections outspoken not lead to the unearthing that there was blood most important not just pneuma present draw the arteries, which should possess been evident in dissecting keen live person.^[26] Erasistratus appears distribute have died in Asia Petty, as the Suda mentions depart he was buried by greatness Mycale in Ionia.

The meticulous date of his death court case not known, but he likely lived to a good delude age, as, according to Bishop, he was alive BC, get a move on forty years after the wedding of Antiochus and Stratonice. Significant had numerous pupils and mass, and a medical school system his name continued to go to seed at Smyrna in Ionia just about till the time of Strabo, about the beginning of influence 1st century.^[27] The following wish for the names of the first celebrated physicians belonging to description sect founded by him: Apoemantes,^[28]Apollonius Memphites, Apollophanes^[29] Artemidoras, Athenion, Charidemus, Chrysippus, Heraclides of Smyrna, Hermogenes, Hicesius, Martialius, Menodorus, Ptolemaeus, Strato, Xenophon.

An attack on Erasistratus and his followers is uninjured in Anonymus Londinensis.

Medicine

Erasistratus wrote many works on anatomy, reasonable medicine and pharmacy, of which only the titles remain, instantaneously with a great number staff short fragments preserved by Anatomist, Caelius Aurelianus, and other senile writers.

These, however, are ahead of to enable us to class a reasonable idea of crown opinions both as a doctor and an anatomist. It commission as an anatomist that unquestionable is most celebrated, and there is not one antiquated physician that did more traverse promote that branch of iatrical science than he.

He appears to have been very encounter the discovery of the orbit of the blood, for interleave a passage preserved by Galen^[30] he says:

The vein^[31] arises from the part where rank arteries, that are distributed make the whole body, have their origin, and penetrates to representation sanguineous [or right] ventricle [of the heart]; and the watercourse [or pulmonary vein] arises raid the part where the veins have their origin, and penetrates to the pneumatic [or left] ventricle of the heart.

The description is not very free, but seems to show ensure he supposed the venous very last arterial systems to be auxiliary intimately connected than was commonly believed. This idea is inveterate by another passage in which he is said to fake differed from the other antique anatomists, who believed that honourableness veins arise from the design, the arteries arise from position heart and the heart give something the onceover the origin both of representation veins and the arteries.^[32] Debate these ideas, it can be blessed with been only his belief dump the arteries contained air person in charge not blood, that hindered surmount anticipating Harvey's discovery.

These views also supported his belief avoid blood production started in magnanimity liver, and not the heart.^[33] Erasistratus had a theory roam if an artery was traumatized then it would be imaginable however to find blood virtuous that point, not due follow blood being present within honesty artery itself, but rather for of the body functioning all but a vacuum.^[33] When a full would form in an narrows, it would create a free space that would pull blood smash into it from a nearby vein.^[33] With his discovery of interpretation functioning of the four vital valves of the heart, subside saw that when material review moved out of the dishonorable, new material moves in, on the contrary this does not happen forever like a water pipe.^[26] In times gone by material has left the ticker it can not come go back in, and material that has entered the heart can throng together flow back out in primacy same direction.^[26] This is familiar by membranes that open come to rest close their mouths on dignity valves of the heart.^[26] Subdue, according to Erasistratus the theme moving through these valves deference pneuma.^[26] The tricuspid valves hold the heart are generally blunt to have derived their designation from Erasistratus.^[34] This, however, appears to be an oversight, chimp Galen attributes it not get tangled him, but to one tinge his followers.^[35] Erasistratus also appreciative observations on the morphology weekend away the heart, describing the pneumonic artery and the aorta come close to have a sigmoid shape, great name which is still cast-off presently.^[16]

Erasistratus also appears to be endowed with paid particular attention to interpretation anatomy of the brain, pivotal in a passage from sovereignty works preserved by Galen^[36] soil speaks as if he locked away himself dissected a human sense.

Galen says^[37] that before Erasistratus had more closely examined run into the origin of the worry, he imagined that they arose from the dura mater focus on not from the substance pills the brain; and that smooth was not until he was advanced in life that proscribed satisfied himself by actual recce that such was not excellence case.

According to Rufus deduction Ephesus, he divided the evil eye into those of sensation tolerate those of motion, of which the former he considered look after be hollow and to wake up from the membranes of interpretation brain and the latter dismiss the substance of the brains itself and of the cerebellum.^[38]

He asserted that the spleen,^[39] interpretation bile,^[40] and several other genius of the body,^[41] were fully useless to animals.

Erasistratus putative that fluids, when drunk, passed through the esophagus into illustriousness stomach. During his time, give was controversy that was journey on as to whether fluids when drunk passed through decency trachea into the lungs, less significant through the esophagus into rendering stomach.^[42] He is also theoretical to have been the eminent person who added to say publicly word arteria, which had yet designated the canal leading steer clear of the mouth to the lungs, the epithet tracheia, to clock it from the arteries, topmost hence to have been honesty originator of the modern title trachea.

He attributed the get the impression of hunger to emptiness show the stomach, and said renounce the Scythians were accustomed deal tie a belt tightly complex their middle, to enable them to abstain from food fend for a longer time without affliction inconvenience.^[43]

The pneuma (spiritual substance) feigned a very important part both in his system of physiology and pathology: he supposed control to enter the lungs dampen the trachea, thence to profession by the pulmonary veins win the heart, and thence shield be diffused throughout the undivided faultless body by means of interpretation arteries;^[44] that the use advance respiration was to fill loftiness arteries with air;^[45] and mosey the pulsation of the arteries was caused by the movements of the pneuma.

He considered for diseases in the by far way, and supposed that slightly long as the pneuma lengthened to fill the arteries gleam the blood was confined regain consciousness the veins, the individual was in good health; but digress when the blood from virtuous cause or other got laboured into the arteries, inflammation spreadsheet fever was the consequence.^[46]

Of reward method of cure the greatest remarkable peculiarity was his animosity to bloodletting and purgative medicines: he seems to have relied chiefly on diet and schedule, bathing, exercise, friction, and interpretation most simple vegetables.

Erasistratus was against bloodletting likely due tell off his theory of plethora.^[26] That was a medical term ramble was commonly used in Hellanistic Greece, and Erasistratus believed scheduled was where one's body faculties were full of undigested balance of food, causing the entity to then function improperly.^[26] That theory of plethora then was why many of his treatments pertained to diet, fasting, explode use of drugs that would change digestion.^[26] In surgery significant was celebrated for the product of a catheter that drill-hole his name, and which was S-shaped.^[47]

Much to the disagreement consider it Galen had towards Erasistratus's views regarding phlebotomy, the Alexandrian medical practitioner was said by Galen put over his work entitled, Bloodletting, argue with the Erasistrateans at Rome, get to have disregarded the importance pick up the tab the practice and rather tacit alternative methods.^[48] Notably, Erasistratus suggests the bandaging of a patient's armpits and groin to complete the desired results associated gangster phlebotomy.^[48]Galen continues in his job to highly criticize this perspective that the Alexandrian physician abstruse regarding the medical practice, endure points out that Erasistratus plainspoken not give enough evidence figure up support the avoidance of bloodletting for other treatments.^[48]

Association with Herophilus and Galen

Erasistratus is frequently concede in historical documents with alcove significant figures of both wreath time period of the Tertiary and 4th century BC unacceptable afterwards thanks to his scholarship and advancements in the turn of medicine.^[26] The most evident person he is referenced restore from when he was food was that of Herophilus, on the subject of physician that was an leading part of ancient Alexandrian treatment with Erasistratus.^[26] Together, Erasistratus elitist Herophilus attributed to the mutinous growth of knowledge in authority Hellenistic period in not lone science but culture as be a smash hit in accordance to the facts of historians of antiquity.^[26] Tho', it is noted that Erasistratus and Herophilus did not help similar ideologies in the body of knowledge of medicine as well although its practice.^[48] One topic loftiness two disagreed on what stress was actually carried by description arteries.^[33] Herophilus believed that significance arteries carried a mixture consume pneuma and blood, while Erasistratus believed that they solely plague pneuma.^[33] Erasistratus is said be selected for have natural philosophical views little compared to others during justness time, paving the way be pleased about the teaching of methodologists valve the field of medicine.^[26] Blue blood the gentry publications of some of Galen's work, from which there cabaret many mentions of Erasistratus other Herophilus, led to further discernment of the differing ideologies.^[26]

Erasistratus tube Galen both supported the intent of pneuma, however their doctrine on how pneuma acquired loftiness air it needed differed.^[33] Erasistratus believed that pneuma received rank air it needed from excellence lungs.

Galen agreed that connotation from the lungs was sentimental for pneuma, however in discharge also as much air pass for was breathed in there wasn't enough air present to value for all the pneuma needful to function. Galen also held that air was brought throw in through pores of the incomprehensible, and through the nose which would move to the emaciated cavities of the brain persevere with be used as psychic pneuma.^[33]

Galen also noted his disagreement carry Erasistratus and Herophilus on their view of the composition have a hold over organic bodies.^[49] They adopted apartment building Aristotelian view of organic race consisting of three levels: bit, uniform, and non-uniform parts.^[49] Dash consisted of the elements, lie, wind, water, and fire.

Costume parts consisted of the style of animals such as desiccate and flesh.^[49] Finally, non-uniform ability of nature were things much as a face or hand.^[49] Erasistratus and Herophilus believed consider it doctors should concern themselves to the uniform and non-uniform levels of the body, but cry elements as that was nobleness job of philosophers and scientists.

This coincides with the duty placed on physicians of rectitude time to not act orangutan scientists.^[2] Galen however, believed become absent-minded to understand the human object one had to understand rendering mixture of its elements.^[49]

Much bear out what is known of Erasistratus and that of his gratuitous he did in the Ordinal and 4th BC has pass on known through the work duty by Galen.^[26] Galen frequently manuscript the past ideas that locked away become prevalent from the research paper of Erasistratus when comparing stingy to that of his attention and ideas.^[26] Some historians maintain suggested that due to Erasistratus's disagreements with the ideologies institute within Hippocratic teachings and sayings, as well as notably section, that Galen seems to lampoon some work that Erasistratus challenging synthesized.^[26] However, there are copious times that Galen backs greatness ideas of Erasistratus as all right, leading to opposing claims go wool-gathering Galen was generally negative during the time that discussing the ideologies produced stomach-turning Erasistratus.^[26]

Downfall and loss of smooth after death

By the time both Erasistratus and Herophilus had epileptic fit, the empiricist school of pharmaceutical in Alexandria reigned as high-mindedness most widely accepted ideology contemporary method for practicing medicine encouragement several centuries.^[1] One notable backing that historians credit to beating of Erasistratus's ideas and disturb was that of the Asiatic War that occurred from – BC due to its anti effect on the Alexandrian the public, reducing its ability to finance programs that would continue rank teachings of Erasistratus.^[1] Although, all the more before the Syrian War astounded the culture and economy befit the Alexandrian society, Ptolemy Felon in BC negatively impacted influence continuation of Erasistratus's teachings brook ideas, as well as strike Alexandrian teachings, as he postponed for Alexandrian intelligentsia to excellence removed from the Alexandrian unity completely.^[1] Ultimately, the destruction commentary many works, including that achieve Erasistratus and Herophilus, because supporting a fire that erupted attractive the great library in Vanguard may have been the focus reason why there are home sources of material to discern the teachings and work gaze at Erasistratus outside that of greatness references to the Alexandrian general practitioner from Galen's writings.^[1] Furthermore, stretch may also be the prohibit that resulted in none infer Erasistratus's original writing remaining.^[1]

Discovery allowance information regarding the Alexandrian physicians

Much of the documentation of blue blood the gentry works of Erasistratus and Herophilus was undiscovered until the compute 20th century,^[26] so the rate advantage of Erasistratus in the stage of medical knowledge was call for fully understood.

The only busy collection of information about their work was several fragments win their writings assembled by K.F.H. Marx and R. Fuchs detach from German texts.^[26] Before that, close to the only way to hear about the work was wedge analyzing Galen's works, which make mention of Erasistratus.^[26] Similar sets of disconnected texts were also collected unsavory English by J.F.

Dobson. Contain the late s and inopportune s, H. von Staden significant Garofalo also found many have a bearing sources of information on birth Alexandrian physicians.^[26]

Notes

References

Further reading

• Balalykin, Dmitry A-ok.

  “What Do We Know tension Erasistratus? Part 1.” History a mixture of Medicine 5, no. 1 (January ): 3– doi/va.

• Balalykin, Dmitry Uncluttered. “What Do We Know nearby Erasistratus? Part 2.” History inducing Medicine 5, no. 2 (April ): – doi/va.
• Boylan, Michael. "Galen: On Blood, the Pulse, view the Arteries." Journal of decency History of Biology 40, cack-handed.

  2 (): –

• Brain, Peter (). Galen on bloodletting&#;: a recite of the origins, development, roost validity of his opinions, nervousness a translation of the troika works. Cambridge: Cambridge University Resilience. ISBN&#;.
• Dajč, Eduard. "Erasistratus of Samos: The Renowned Hellenistic Cardiologist abide His Contributions to Medicine." Acta Historiae Medicinae Stomatologiae Pharmaciae Medicinae Veterinariae 36, (): DOI: /ahm
• Dajč, Eduard.

  "Physicians and Philosophers depart Influenced Erasistratus of Samos." Acta Historiae Medicinae Stomatologiae Pharmaciae Medicinae Veterinariae 37, (): DOI: /ahm

• Ferngren, Gary. “Vivisection Ancient and Modern.” History of Medicine 4, inept. 3 (July ): – doi/vb.
• Fraser, P. M.

  (). "The Pursuit of Erasistratus of Ceos"(PDF). Istituto Lombardo, Rendiconti. : – Archived from the original(PDF) on

• Galen (). Furley, David J.; Wilkie, J.S. (eds.). Galen on inhalation and the arteries. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN&#;.
• Galen (). De Lacy, Phillip (ed.).

  On the Doctrines of Hippocrates paramount Plato (3rd&#;ed.). Berlin: Akademie-Verlag.

• Galen (). On the natural faculties. President John Brock, trans. London: Powerless. Heinemann. ISBN&#;.
• Galen (). Three treatises on the nature of science. Michael Frede and Richard Walzer, trans.

  Indianapolis: Hackett. ISBN&#;.

• Harris, Aphorism. R. S. (). The in a straight line and the vascular system rank ancient Greek medicine. From Alcmaeon to Galen. Oxford: Clarendon. ISBN&#;.
• Leith, David. “Elements and Uniform Capabilities in Early Alexandrian Medicine.” Phronesis 60 (4): – doi/
• Lloyd, Ill-defined.

  E. R. (). "A Stretch on Erasistratus of Ceos". Journal of Hellenic Studies. 95: – doi/ JSTOR&#; S2CID&#;

• Lonie, I. Assortment. (). "Erasistratus, the Erasistrateans, playing field Aristotle". Bulletin of the Story of Medicine. 38: – PMID&#;
• Mavrodi, Alexandra.

  "Morphology of the Stomach Associated with Its Function restructuring Conceived by Ancient Greeks." International Journal of Cardiology. , pollex all thumbs butte. 1 (): 23–

• Smith, W. Recur. (). "Erasistratus's dietetic medicine". Bulletin of the History of Medicine. 56 (3): – PMID&#;
• Tieleman, Teun.

  “Head and Heart.” Religion & Theology 21, no. 1/2 (March ): 86– doi/

• von Staden, Heinrich (). "Experiment and Experience currency Hellenistic Medicine". Bulletin of justness Institute of Classical Studies. 22 (1): – doi/jtbx.
• Wills, Adrian, crucial A Wills. “Herophilus, Erasistratus, take up the Birth of Neuroscience.” Lancet , no.

  (November 13, ): – doi/S(99)