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‘Medicine in the library’ describes the continued influence of ancient manuscripts throughout Europe and the Middle East, and how individuals with access to such texts dominated healthcare until the emergence of medical schools and universities from the eleventh century onwards. Early medical schools and hospitals allowed medicine to be taught on a wider scale, but led to little scientific research until the discovery of anatomy in the fourteenth century. Public dissections inspired greater interest and research on the nature of the body, as part of the Renaissance's scientific revolution. Despite this, diagnosis remained holistic and treatment methods changed little. ...Less

Modern science continues to seek out greater scientific knowledge using the same aims and methods as the early modern natural philosophers. Some of these came from the Middle Ages and before, but much comes from the era of the Scientific Revolution. Despite these links with the past, much has changed too. The Conclusion summarizes the legacy of the Scientific Revolution and examines what has changed since then in the world of scientific exploration. The Scientific Revolution was a period of both continuity and change, of innovation as well as tradition. The complexity and exuberance of that period means that it is a most fascinating and important era in the history of science. ...Less

‘The development of anatomy’ provides a short history of anatomical study beginning with Aristotle (384–322 bc) who named the subject anatome, meaning ‘cutting up’. Herophilus of Chalcedon (c.300 bc), ‘The Father of Anatomy’, was the first to dissect human bodies in public and recognized the brain as the central organ of the nervous system. Galen (c.ad 150–200) elaborated a system of pathology based on the ideas of Hippocrates. His work was the standard text until the 16th century when Andreas Vesalius (1514–64), produced his masterpiece, On the Fabric of the Human Body. William Harvey (1578–1657) and Marcello Malpighi (1628–94) described the anatomy of the heart and blood vessels in further detail. ...Less

‘The microcosm and the living world’ explores early modern thought on the human body and biology. Astrology had a large influence on early modern medicine, guiding personalised treatment plans. Anatomical dissections were rare in antiquity, but in early modern times they became commonplace, allowing for important discoveries in the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. Microscopy fuelled debate about the nature of embryonic development, but gave new insights into plant physiology and biomecahnics. Some natural philosophers developed new systems of medicine, such as Helmontianism, which places water as the central element in the human body. New species from the Americas caused classification systems to be rethought. ...Less

‘Galileo's early years’ provides an insight into Galileo's childhood and early work. Galileo was born in Pisa, and attended the University there. He became chair of mathematics at Pisa where he wrote the unpublished De Motu, which contained the first seeds of his departure from Aristotle. He then became professor of mathematics at Padua, where, in 1595, he came upon an explanation for the tides using the Copernicus' ideas, rather than the accepted Ptolemaic system. In 1602 Galileo derived his theories of motion from De Motu. The new basis for these discoveries was careful measurement. This began to replace the search for causes with the search for physical laws. ...Less

‘The vital systems’ focuses on two of the body’s main systems—the cardiovascular system and the respiratory system. The heart is the most important muscle in the body and its function is essential for life. It works as a pulsatile, four-chamber pump that moves the blood around the body. The lungs are a key part of the respiratory system that provides oxygen to the body. The lymphatic system plays an important role in circulation by draining fluids that accumulate in the extracellular space during capillary exchange and returning them to the blood. It also helps in defence against bacteria and cancerous tumours as well as in transporting fats. ...Less