Primary Sources

De humani corporis fabrica libri septem

The image to the side is from Vesalius’ book De humani corporis fabrica (On the Fabric of the Human Body) and it was the first accurate drawing of the human body.
He started writing the book in 1540 and finished in 1542.
It proved that many of Galen’s studies were wrong and inaccurate.
Galen’s standards of bone structure had been in use for centuries but, Vesalius was able to prove Galen’s observations wrong through repeated dissection of human bodies.
As more people began to doubt Galen’s studies, the culture of Europe gradually took Vesalius’ studies as the set standard.
He also transformed human anatomy into a subject that relied on observations first-hand dissection.

De humani corporis fabrica libri septem

The picture to the right is from Vesalius’ book Andreae Vesalii suorum de humani corporis fabrica librorum epitome which he wrote for his students while he was teaching.
His books were used in many medical schools because of its great accuracy
Students of his took his ideas and expanded on his ideas.
For example, Fallopio, who was one of his former medical students took his studies and eventually discovered the fallopian tubes.
It improved surgery and expanded knowledge to other people as well.

Andreae Vesalii suorum de humani corporis fabrica librorum epitome