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Overview

Anatomy of the Human Body by William Cheselden is a medically extensive anatomical atlas that contains various case studies and illustrations. There is countless evidence that suggests that the book’s first edition was printed and published around 1713. This edition (XIII) was later expanded on and published in the late 18th century, containing further information about muscles, organs, and other structures. It is not a manuscript but rather evidence of using the printing press and moveable type. Interestingly, the copper plate engravings have been inserted later than publication indicated by pages that do not contribute to the running page number. For the illustrations and engravings, Cheselden decided that it would be best to use camera obscura to create the initial drawings. Cheselden combined his expertise in surgery and anatomy with the need for the creation of a standardized medical textbook and created this book.

Historical Background, Key Figures, and Significance

Historical Context

Anatomy of the Human Body (1792) is an anatomical atlas first published in 1712 which ran through thirteen editions up until the 19th century. This text was used as the standard medical textbook for many years, gaining heaps of popularity among medical students. The book was unique because it went against the standard of Latin and was printed in English. The book contains case studies which describe various injuries and how they were treated such as amputations. The text also contains lists of body parts, organs, and bones which are coupled with illustrations which made this work so popular for medical students. For this time period, this book served as an organized medical textbook in which students would most likely use to study. With the publishing of this book, modern copyright laws established by 1710 gave the printer legal rights. As this book was published in the late 18th century (1792), it follows and is consistent with modern copyright laws of this time period. It is a medium sized book and follows a typical rectangular shape with folio page arrangement.

William Cheselden

William Cheselden (Oct. 19, 1688 - Apr. 10, 1752) was a British surgeon and teacher. He was an important figure in revolutionizing and establishing surgery as a profession within the medical field. Cheselden was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge in 1712. It was following this when he was a teacher of anatomy and surgery, highlighted by the publishing of his anatomical atlas Anatomy of the Human Body (1792). He recognized a need for the development of a formal anatomy coursework He studied and was apprenticed under various anatomists and surgeons until he was appointed as a lithotomist at St. Thomas Hospital in London in 1719. His specialization and his operative removal of bladder stones helped revolutionize the field and significantly increase survival rates (>90%). In fact, it was cited that he could complete a swift and skillful lithotomy in as little as fifty-four seconds, key before the advancements in anesthesia. In 1727, he developed his own technique of removal of bladder stones by using a lateral perineal incision compared to the standard suprapubic approach. This technique soon gained popularity among surgeons all across Europe. He also gained recognition within ophthalmic surgery for his operation known as an iridectomy (1728), surgically restoring a blind man's vision by creating an opening which served as an artificial pupil. He later published Osteographia, or the Anatomy of the Bones (1733) which gave a comprehensive description of the human skeletal system. He moved to Chelsea Hospital in 1738 and was appointed chief of surgery. He died in Bath, England in 1752 at the age of 63.

Gerard Vandergucht (Van der Gucht)

This specific edition of the book is the thirteenth edition, and similar to the other editions, it is highlighted by its forty copper plate engravings done by Gerard Vandergucht (1696/1697 - March 18, 1776). Gerard Vandergucht was a famous English engraver and art dealer. His family history runs deep in engraving as he was taught by his father Michael Vandergucht. Michael created many engravings of human anatomy, some of which were published in William Cowper’s book Myotomia Reformata. In addition to learning the craft from his father, he was taught by Louis Chéron and studied at the Great Queen Street Academy. Gerard gained popularity in London as an engraver because of his use of a French etching style of blending with pinpoint engraving. Intaglio engraving on a copper plate allows for the ability to engrave what you want in a precise mirror image. This technology was developed around the 1600s and it was very popular in books about anatomy because the engravings combined the benefits of free drawing and etched tonal gradation. Gerard was commissioned by various painters and booksellers until his father’s death when he took over the family business (Golden Head in Queen Street, Bloomsbury). Following his contributions to Cheselden’s Anatomy of the Human Body, he also helped to create engravings for his arguably more famous book Osteographia, or the Anatomy of the Bones. He also made strides by contributing to modern-day copyright law with the Engraving Copyright Act of 1734. He continued his family’s rich history in engraving by having over 30 children, his son Benjamin Vandergucht being the most notable. He later moved to Essex, England where he passed away in 1776.

Significance

In a time that lacked a comprehensive, organized, and readily available medical textbook, this book helped to fix those problems for more than 100 years in the medical field. The unique and precise methodology involved in creating this book allowed readers to enhance their knowledge of various subjects, depicting muscles and tendons with incredible detail. This book ultimately served as a stepping stone and advancement within the development of anatomical atlases.