Jesper Brandt Andersen

Danish physician and anatomist Thomas Bartholin (1616-1680) was one of the most important anatomists of the 17th century. As a scientist, his greatest achievement was the discovery and naming of the lymphatic vessels, but he was also a pioneer in a number of other areas of medicine. In Denmark, his tireless efforts as head of the Anatomy House in Copenhagen and professor of anatomy and medicine were crucial to the rise of anatomical science in the 17th century. He was a skilled and sought-after teacher and mentor, and his efforts in this area were crucial to his famous student Niels Stensen's (1638-1686) outstanding career as an anatomist and geologist. With his authorship of over 80 comprehensive books, Thomas Bartholin was one of the most diligent and skilful communicators of his time. The book unfolds the entire life and work of Thomas Bartholin and analyses and puts into perspective his significance for contemporaries and posterity in a scientific context. The book is an expanded English version of the author's Danish biography of Thomas Bartholin from 2017, where the new material relates in particular to his importance to Niels Stensen.

Niels Stensen var en af Danmarkshistoriens mest banebrydende videnskabsmænd. På hans tid fandt man langt de fleste svar på tidens spørgsmål ved at diskutere filosofisk eller lede efter svarene i Biblen. Stensen var en af de første, der benyttede den naturvidenskabelige metode. Han undersøgte døde mennesker og dyr. Han udførte omhyggelige iagttagelser og konstruerede derefter en forklaring, som passede med det, han havde observeret. Han var den første, der forklarede, hvordan vi græder. Tidligere mente man, at spyt og tårer blev dannet hjernen, men Stensen beskrev i 1662 spytkirtler, tårekirtlen og tårekanalen. Han var også den første, som fastslog, at sjælen ikke kan sidde i hjertet. Desuden påviste han, at Jordens geologiske lag er dannet over tid, hvorefter de er blevet påvirket af naturens kræfter. Han foreslog ud fra sin opdagelse, at de geologiske lag er en slags registrering af, hvad der tidligere er sket på Jorden. Bogen er rigt illustreret med over 250 malerier, stik, kort og fotos.