2012 January Newsletter - Milwaukee Academy of Medicine

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From the Academy’s Rare Book Collection Review by H.D. Kerr, M.D. Thomas Bartholin (1616-1680) Thomas Bartholin was a noted Danish physician of the 17th century who made lasting contributions in defining the lymphatics as a body system and in the teaching of medicine. Born in Copenhagen, he was the son of Casper Bartholin, chief of medicine at the University of Copenhagen and one of twelve eminent family members who became professors there over three generations. The university was founded in 1475, one of the earliest in northern Europe. Although beset by religious controversies it grew to become a prestigious institution largely because of the work and achievements of the remarkable Bartholin family. Although Copenhagen’s population at that time was 25,000 the seaport city thrived because of its strategic location. The North Sea ends at the barrier of the Jutland peninsula. The waters of the west-flowing Baltic pass through the many islands east of Jutland and separate Copenhagen from the Swedish shore by the narrow Ore Sound. The Baltic extends nearly 1000 miles northeast, connecting with Novgorod and through the Volga and Dnieper Rivers to southeast Europe and on by caravan to Baghdad. From the Middle Ages forward sea trade was heavy in this area, promoted and guided first by the Vikings and succeeded by the Hanseatic League of cities. Trade brought new methods Th. Bartholini. De Sanquine Vetito Disquisitio Medica: Cum Cl. Salmasii Judicio. Frankofurti : P. Hauboldi, 1673. Thomae Bartholini Opuscula Nova Anatomica: De Lacteis Thoracicis Et Lymphaticis Vasis, Uno Volumine comprehensa/ Ab Autore Aucta & Recognita. Francofurti: D. Paulli, 1670. (Readex Microprint, 1972. New York...Landmarks of Science). Thomae Bartholini Casp. Filii De Luce Animalium Libri III. Admirandis Historiis Rationibusque Novis Referti. Lugduni Batavorum: ex officina Francisci Hackii, 1647. Anatome Quartum Renovata: Non Tantum Ex Institutionibus B. M. Parentis, Caspari Bartholini, Sed Etiam Ex Omnium Cum Veterum, Tum Recentiorum Observationibus, Ad Circulationem Harveianam, & Vasa Lymphatica Directis, Cum Iconibus Novis Et Indicibus / Thomoe Bartholini. Lugduni (Batavorum Leyden) : Sumpt. Marci & Joan. Henrici Huguetan, 1684. Thomae Bartholini Anatome Ex Omnium Veterum Recentiorumque Observationibus Inprimis Institutionibus B.M. Parentis Caspari Bartholini, Ad Circulationmem Harvejanem, Et Vasa Lymphatica Quartum Renovata. Lugduni Batavorum (Leyden): ex Officina Hackiana, 1673. 4 and materials, knowledge, and interchange of ideas. A renaissance grew here nearly as early as in Italy. Casper Bartholin the Elder (1585-1629) published the first edition of his celebrated anatomy textbook with illustrations in 1611. The text was later continued and edited by his son,Thomas and grandson Casper. At age 19 Casper the Elder travelled throughout Europe first studying theology and philosophy, then medicine (2). At Padua he was taught anatomy by Hieronymus Fabricius (1537-1619) who also taught William Harvey (1578-1657). He organized his textbook from his Padua notes and sketches. Thomas‘ grandfather, Thomas Finke (1561- 1656) was a professor of medicine also as was Thomas’ uncle, Ole Worm (1588-1654). At age 16 Thomas’ father died and Ole Worm became his guardian, providing him with well considered advice, steady guidance, and able assistance especially regarding his education. This sustained him. Thomas later discovered isolated bones within the sutures of the skull that he named “wormian bones” after his esteemed guardian. Thomas entered the University of Copenhagen in 1634 as a student of theology. In his third year he was awarded a royal scholarship that permitted him to study at Europe’s best universities. He did so eagerly for the next Continued on page 5
nine years. At Leiden he benefited from the influence of Jan de Waal (1604-1649) particularly regarding the work of William Harvey and also his encouragement to study medicine . De Waal had been a sharp critic of Harvey but reversed his views after witnessing a public demonstration of blood circulation by Sylvius and as a result of his own experiments with circulation. In 1641 Thomas published a new edition of his father’s anatomy textbook which included Harvey’s work on blood circulation. Ill with tuberculosis he sought treatment and studied at Paris and Montpelier. He completed his doctorate of medicine at Basle , and then travelled to Padua. His added interests included fossils, philosophy, and law. Travel took him to Rome, Messina, and Malta. In Naples he met Marco Severino (1580-1656), a surgeon who had experimented in the use of ice and snow packing to produce local anesthesia allowing painless amputations and other procedures. In later years, crediting Severino, Bartholin continued experiments into refrigeration anesthesia. His illness improved, and he returned to Copenhagen where he was appointed professor of anatomy in 1648. Marriage the following year resulted in three children, one being Casper Bartholin the Younger, future discoverer of Bartholin’s gland and Bartholin’s duct. (1) Thomas’ detailed studies of the lymphatics stemmed from his observation of their close connection with the circulatory system. In describing the thoracic duct in humans, he noted its earlier discovery in animals by the French anatomist, Jean Pecquet. In 1652 he published the first description of the human lymphatic system as a unique system. Thomas was active in many other areas of university education. He founded “Acta Medica et Philosophica Hafniensia”, one of the first scientific journals in the world. He described the multiple congentital abnormalities of a newborn, believed centuries later to be the result of trisomy 13, and called the Bartholin-Patau or Patau Syndrome. He reported on topics as diverse as an encephalitis epidemic in Denmark in 1657, pediatric sore throat, and aortic aneurysms. He found fame as a teacher of medicine. and wrote the first Danish pharmacopoeia (1658). His public dissections were described as dignified and respectful (2). He was among the first to recognize the importance of Malpighi’s discovery of the capillaries, the hypothetical missing essential link noted by Harvey. This information was included in his “De pulmonum substantia et motu” (1663), the second such publication in Europe. In 1661 he was elected professor honorarius and freed from academic duties. He was appointed physician to King Christian V of Denmark which included a substantial salary. There followed appointments as rector and librarian of the university but failing health abbreviated these opportunities and forced him to move from his farm back to Copenhagen where he soon died. His family is remembered to this day by a street in Copenhagen, the Bartholinsgade. Thomas Bartholin strongly believed in the importance of books as the path to learning. He noted that “Without books God is silent, justice dormant, natural science at a stand, philosophy lame, letters dumb, and all things involved in Cimmerian darkness.” References: 1. Porter IH. Thomas Bartholin (1616- 1680) and Niels Steensen (1638-86) Master and Pupil. Med Hist 1963;7(2):99-125. 2. Hill RV. The contributions of the Bartholin family to the study and practice of clinical anatomy. Clin Anat 2007;20:113-115. 5
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2012 January Newsletter - Milwaukee Academy of Medicine

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