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  On The Fabric of The Human Body

  Introduction by Vivian Nutton

To the Divine Charles V, the Mightiest and Most Unvanquished Emperor: Andreas Vesalius’ PREFACE to his books On the Fabric of the Human Body

PRINTER’S NOTE TO THE READER [Vesalius's instructions to the printer]

  Book One -- The things that sustain and support the entire body, and what braces and attaches them all. [the bones and the ligaments that interconnect them]

  Chapter 1 The Nature, Use, and Diversity of Bone

  Chapter 2 The Nature, Use, and Varieties of Cartilage

  Chapter 3 Names by which the Parts and Surfaces of Bones are Identified

  Chapter 4 On the Structural Relationships of Bones

  Chapter 5 The Structure of the Head: Why It Is Shaped As It Is, and How Many Configurations It Has

  Chapter 6 On the Eight Bones of the Head and the Sutures Connecting Them

  Chapter 7 On the Jugal Bone, and the Bones Resembling a Rock Outcropping

  Chapter 8 On the Ossicles That Enter Upon the Construction of the Organ of Hearing

  Chapter 9 On the Twelve Bones of the Upper Maxilla, Including the Bones of the Nose

  Chapter 10 On The Lower Maxilla

  Chapter 11 On The Teeth, Which are also counted as bones

  Chapter 12 On The Foramina of the Head and the Upper Maxilla

  Chapter 13 On the Bone Resembling the Greek Upsilon

  Chapter 14 On the Spine and its Various Bones

  Chapter 15 On the Vertebrae of the Neck or Cervix

  Chapter 16 On the Vertebrae of the Thorax

  Chapter 17 On the Lumbar Vertebrae

  Chapter 18 On the Sacral Bone and the Coccyx

  Chapter 19 On the Bones of the Thorax

  Chapter 20 On the Cartilaginous Substance Which Is Ascribed to the Base of the Heart, Or the Bone of the Heart

  Chapter 21 On the Scapuli

  Chapter 22 On the Clavicles

  Chapter 23 On the Humerus or Arm Bone

  Chapter 24 On the Bones of the Forearm: the Ulna and Radius

  Chapter 25 On the Carpus

  Chapter 26 On the Metacarpus

  Chapter 27 On the Digits of the Hand

  Chapter 28 On the Ossicles Which Resemble a Sesame Seed

  Chapter 29 On the Bones Which Are Attached to the Sides of the Sacrum

  Chapter 30 On the Femur

  Chapter 31 On the Tibia and Fibula

  Chapter 32 On the Patella

  Chapter 33 On the Bones of the Foot

  Chapter 34 On the Nails

  Chapter 35 On the Cartilages of the Eyelids

  Chapter 36 On the Cartilage of the Ear

  Chapter 37 On the Cartilages of the Nose

  Chapter 38 On the Cartilages of the Rough Artery, and What Therein Would Be Called by the Greeks Glottis and Epiglottis

  Chapter 39 By What Method the Bones and Cartilages of the Human Body May Be Prepared for Inspection

  Chapter 40 On the Number of Bones

Anterior Aspect of the Bones of the Human Body Assembled Together

Drawing of the Bones of the Human Body, Seen from the Side

Bones of the Human, Shown in the Posterior Aspect

Index of Characters placed on the three figures representing the entire skeleton

  Book Two -- All the ligaments and muscles, instruments of voluntary and deliberate motion

First Table of Muscles

Second Table of Muscles

Third Table of Muscles

Fourth Table of Muscles

Fifth Table of Muscles

Sixth Table of Muscles

Seventh Table of Muscles

Eighth Table of Muscles

Ninth Table of Muscles

Tenth Table of Muscles

Eleventh Table of Muscles

Twelfth Table of Muscles

Thirteenth Table of Muscles

Fourteenth Table of Muscles

Fifteenth Table of Muscles

Sixteenth Table of Muscles

Chapter 1 What is a Ligament: Its Function and Types

Chapter 2 What is a Muscle

Chapter 3 On the Varieties of Muscle

Chapter 4 On the Number of Muscles

Chapter 5 On the Skin, the Cuticle, the Membrane placed beneath the skin throughout the body, and the fat located between the skin and the fleshy membrane

Chapter 6 How the Nature of the Cuticle, Skin, Fat, and Fleshy Membrane Should Be Observed in Dissection

Chapter 7 On the Instruments That Can Be Obtained for Performing Dissections

Chapter 8 On the Muscle That Moves the Skin of the Forehead

Chapter 9 Dissection of the Muscle That Moves the Skin of the Forehead

Chapter 10 On the Muscles of the Eyelids

Chapter 11 On the Muscles of the Eye

Chapter 12 On the Dissection of the Eye Muscles

Chapter 13 On the Muscles of the Cheeks, Lips, and Alae of the Nose

Chapter 14 Dissection of the Muscles Moving the Cheeks, Lips, and Alae of the Nose

Chapter 15 On the Muscles Moving the Lower Maxilla

Chapter 16 Dissection of Muscles moving the Lower Maxilla

Chapter 17 On the Muscles attached to the Hyoid Bone

Chapter 18 Dissection of Muscles belonging to the Hyoid Bone

Chapter 19 On the Muscles of the Tongue

Chapter 20 Dissection of the Muscles of the Tongue

Chapter 21 On the Muscles of the Larynx

Chapter 22 Dissection of the Muscles of the Larynx

Chapter 23 On the Muscles moving the Humerus

Chapter 24 Dissection of the Muscles moving the Humerus

Chapter 25 On the Ligaments of the Shoulder Joint near the Scapula

Chapter 26 On the Muscles moving the Scapula

Chapter 27 Dissection of the Muscles moving the Scapula

Chapter 28 On the Muscles moving the Head

Chapter 29 Dissection of the Muscles moving the Head

Chapter 30 On the Ligaments of the first and second cervical Vertebrae

Chapter 31 On the Muscles of the Abdomen

Chapter 32 Dissection of the Muscles of the Abdomen

Chapter 33 On the Muscles of the male Testes and the female Uterus

Chapter 34 Dissection of the Muscles of the Testes

Chapter 35 On the Muscles moving the Thorax

Chapter 36 Dissection of the Muscles moving the Thorax

Chapter 37 On the Ligaments of the Thorax

Chapter 38 On the Muscles moving the Dorsum

Chapter 39 Dissection of the Muscles moving the Dorsum

Chapter 40 On the Ligaments of the Vertebrae

Chapter 41 On the Muscle attached by thin, sinewy tissue to the middle of the Vola and the inside of the Skin of the Fingers

Chapter 42 On the Fleshy Substance spread beneath the inner region of the digits, their roots, and the middle of the Vola

Chapter 43 On the Muscles moving the fingers

Chapter 44 On the Muscles that cause movements of the Carpus

Chapter 45 On the Muscles pronating and supinating the Radius

Chapter 46 On the Muscles flexing and extending the Forearm

Chapter 47 On the Ligaments situated between the Shoulder Joint and the End of the Fingers

Chapter 48 Dissection of the Muscles and Ligaments that occupy the upper and lower Arm and the Hand

Chapter 49 On the Muscles peculiar to the Penis

Chapter 50 On the Muscle of the Neck of the Bladder

Chapter 51 On the Muscles of the Rectum

Chapter 52 Dissection of the Neck of the Bladder and Muscles of the Anus

Chapter 53 On the Muscles moving the Lower Leg

Chapter 54 Dissection of the Muscles moving the Tibia

Chapter 55 On the Muscle hidden behind the Knee

Chapter 56 On the Muscles moving the Thigh

Chapter 57 Dissection of the Muscles moving the Thigh

Chapter 58 On the hidden Tendon attached to the Skin of the Sole

Chapter 59 On the Muscles moving the Foot

Chapter 60 On the Muscles moving the Toes

Chapter 61 On the Ligaments attaching the Iliac Bones to the Sacrum, those of the Hip and Knee joints, and all the others that are in the Tibia and the Foot

Chapter 62 Method of dissecting the Muscles located in the Tibia and the Foot, and all the others that have so far not been resected

  Book Three -- The series of veins and arteries throughout the body

Chapter 1 What is a Vein; its Makeup and Function

Chapter 2 What is an Artery; its Makeup and Function

Chapter 3 The Number of the Veins and Arteries

Chapter 4 On the Glandules assigned to the networks of Vessels for the sake of strength and attached to them

Chapter 5 The Origin and Branches of the Portal Vein

Chapter 6 How Branches of the Vena Cava in the Liver are attached to Branches of the Portal Vein, and how the Vena Cava exits the Liver or distributes branches into it

Chapter 7 Distribution of the part of the Vena Cava that stands above the Liver

Chapter 8 System of the Axillary and Humeral Vein through the upper and lower Arm and the Hand

Chapter 9 System of the portion of the Vena Cava distributed beneath the Transverse Septum

Chapter 10 Branches of the Vena Cava distributed into the Leg

Chapter 11 On the Vein of the Umbilicus

Chapter 12 Where the Great Artery begins, and the Branches into which its ascending part is divided

Chapter 13 Series of Branches of the larger, descending Trunk of the Great Artery

Chapter 14 The Cerebral Veins and Arteries

Chapter 15 On the Arterial Vein, and the Venous Artery

Complete and comprehensive Chart of all the Veins and Arteries

Chart combining several small Figures prepared to show a set of Veins and Arteries joined together, to be attached adjacent to the page marked “X” or numbered 505 [1555 edn. only]

  Book Four -- The nerves

Chapter 1 To what Parts of the body the name “Nerve” is given; what is properly called a Nerve, and how it varies and functions

Two figures common to the nine chapters that follow

Chapter 2 How many pairs of nerves originate from the brain and the portion of the dorsal medulla still located in the skull

Chapter 3 On the Olfactory Organ

Chapter 4 On the first pair of nerves originating from the brain

Chapter 5 On the Second Pair of Cerebral Nerves

Chapter 6 On the Third Pair of Cerebral Nerves

Chapter 7 On the Fourth Pair of Cerebral Nerves

Chapter 8 The Series of the Fifth Pair of Cerebral Nerves

Chapter 9 On the Sixth Pair of Cerebral Nerves

Chapter 10 On the Seventh Pair of Cerebral Nerves

First of three figures common to the following Chapters

Line illustration of the thirty pairs of nerves that originate from the dorsal medulla contained in the bones of the spine: the second of three figures common to the following chapters

Third of three figures common to the following chapters, showing the spinal bones in the posterior aspect . . . and the entire series of nerves from the dorsal medulla

Chapter 11 On the Dorsal Medulla and the number of nerves proceeding from it

Chapter 12 The Series of Seven Pairs of nerves exiting from the Cervical Vertebrae

Chapter 13 The Series of Twelve Pairs of nerves of the dorsal medulla contained in the Thoracic Vertebrae

Chapter 14 The Series of nerves through the upper and lower Arm and the Hand

Chapter 15 The Series of Five Pairs of nerves proceeding from the Lumbar Vertebrae

Chapter 16 The Series of nerves exiting from the Sacrum

Chapter 17 The System of Distribution of Nerves going to the Femur, Tibia, and Foot

Illustration of the nerves showing the origins of the seven pairs of nerves that arise from the cerebrum and the beginning of the dorsal medulla, and the distribution of all series that take their origin from the dorsal medulla contained in the spine

  Book Five -- The organs of nutrition and generation

  Book Six -- The heart and organs serving the heart [Chiefly the heart and lungs]

First Figure of the Sixth Book

Second Figure of the Sixth Book

Third Figure of the Sixth Book

Fourth Figure of the Sixth Book

Fifth Figure of the Sixth Book

Sixth Figure of the Sixth Book

Seventh Figure of the Sixth Book

Eighth Figure of the Sixth Book

Ninth Figure of the Sixth Book

Tenth Figure of the Sixth Book

Eleventh Figure of the Sixth Book

Twelfth Figure of the Sixth Book

Thirteenth Figure of the Sixth Book

Chapter 1 What parts the Maker of things constructed for refreshing the airy substance, and which ones severally aid the Vital Spirit

Chapter 2 On the Membrane covering the Ribs

Chapter 3 On the Membranes dividing the thoracic cavity

Chapter 4 On the Rough Artery

Chapter 5 On the Glandules of the Throat

Chapter 6 On the Uvula

Chapter 7 On the Lung

Chapter 8 On the Involucrum of the Heart

Chapter 9 On the Location and Shape of the Heart

Chapter 10 On the Tissue of the Heart

Chapter 11 On the Cavities or Ventricles of the Heart

Chapter 12 On the Vessels of the Heart and their Orifices

Chapter 13 On the Eleven small Membranes of the four orifices of the heart

Chapter 14 On the Auricles of the Heart

Chapter 15 The Function and Use of the Heart and of the Parts already mentioned; how they are constructed

Chapter 16 Method of Dissecting the heart, lungs, and other organs serving respiration

  Book Seven -- The brain and organs of sense