A History of Anatomy: The Post-Vesalian Era By T.V.N. Persaud (review)

Yet this is not the end of the tale, as Pinto-Correia quite rightly stresses. Powerful theories which are given the aura of truth because of their underlying cultural presuppositions never really disappear. They remain part of the vocabulary of mass culture. So too with preformation. The most recent image of cloning, as inJurassic Park or Dolly (who appeared after the completion of this book) , in which only one parent was really necessary for the existence of the new adult, shows that preformation as a theory has a power which can not be ignored. The insight of PintoCorreia 's work is that she shows how this debate, which was presumed by historians of science to be of interest precisely because it was antiquarian, lives in our own culture. It presents problems which our culture, with its firm understanding of the role of both parents in the shaping of the genetic identity of the child, responds to with fear and anxiety. The power of theories of preformation, as mirrored in Herrnstein and Murray's The Bell Curve, is their insistence on the permanence of inheritance, while those who argue for a social context further the Enlightenment view of the malleability ascribed to epigénesis. Thus, the view that the experiences of the mother (such as listening to classical music) will improve the quality' of the fetus may well be read from both perspectives. This book is an indicator of how powerful (and constant) these two models of development are in the shaping of our understanding of how we have come to be who we are. Sander L. Gilman Henry Luce Professor of the Liberal Arts in Human Biology The University of Chicago A History ofAnatomy: The Post-Vesalian Era. By T.V.N. Persaud. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 1997. Pp. 357. $92.95 (cloth), $72.95 (paper). Human beings have had a fascination with the inner workings of their bodies and minds for thousands ofyears. Overwhelming curiosity about the structural and functional nature of man led to the gradual development of the field of anatomy, one of the oldest branches in science and medicine. As time passed, it became increasingly apparent that the diagnosis and treatment of diseases were not possible without an understanding of anatomy. Likewise, increasing anatomical knowledge has been a catalyst for many advances in medicine and surgery. With the publication ofVesalius' masterpiece De Humani Corporis Fabrica in 1543, a new era in the history of anatomy began. Human anatomy rapidly became universally accepted and recognized as a scientific discipline which is essential to the practice of medicine. It is this era that T.V.N. Persaud describes so beautifully for us in his book, A History of Anatomy: The Post-Vesalian Era. In my opinion, a good historical survey is more than a simple recitation of facts; it combines fact with a ' 'time and space' ' perspective in such a way that single events are described in the overall context of the environment in which they occurred. Such an approach more completely defines and illuminates personalities and discoveries and lends significantly greater meaning and relevance to each situation. Persaud insightfully presents such a perspective, providing the reader with the surrounding sociological, political, biological, philosophical, and economic factors 146 Book Reviews that ultimately defined the course of the history of anatomy. As he mentions in the preface to A History ofAnatomy, Persaud had to be "eclectic" and "selective" in writing the book because of the expansiveness and magnitude of the topic at hand. He has done a superb job of "eclectically selecting" the most important people and discoveries which contributed to the progressive understanding of anatomy and the recognition of its importance in the practice of medicine. The book will appeal to a wide range of audiences. Although it is a history of anatomy, it is written for a general readership. Persaud's account of three centuries of medical history will attract the anatomist, biologist, surgeon, scientist, practicing physician, historian, medical student, and resident alike. It will also be of interest to those who are curious about \he development of various branches of science. In the first three chapters, Persaud presents some of the fathers of anatomy who...