The Fabric of the Human Body

True to Vesalius’ own philosophy for his original work, this translation takes advantage of the best of modern design and technology, the highest quality materials, and painstaking production endeavors to do justice to the inimitable quality of the Fabrica’s text and artwork. The  New Fabrica truly transforms this 16th-century anatomical magnum opus. De humani corporis fabrica , published in Latin in 1543 and 1555, is perhaps the most important book in the history of anatomy, revolutionizing science with its detail, insight and exquisite imagery. The new translation, The Fabric of the Human Body , will be available by the end of 2013 – in time for the 500th anniversary of the birth of Andreas Vesalius in 2014.   Experts Daniel H. Garrison and Malcolm H. Hast have teamed up with Karger Publishers to create a comprehensive work of the highest quality that brings Vesalius’ masterpiece to life for modern readers. “It does justice to the kind of efforts that Vesalius himself wanted to produce”, says Sachiko Kusukawa, Tutor and Fellow in History and Philosophy of Science at Trinity College Cambridge. “It’s a modern homage in the spirit of Vesalius.” The Fabric of the Human Body includes not only the truest English translation of Vesalius available, but also new tools and essays to help readers better navigate the work and understand the ingenious original. The detailed titles of each of the seven books of  The Fabric of the Human Body are illuminating Vesalius’ organization of human anatomy and his concern for the ideal placement of figures and tables. The book is published in two volumes, in cassette, in the original Full Foolscap format 17 x 13 ½ inches (432 x 343 mm, actually A3 format). Book I:  “Dedicated to Those Things That Sustain and Support the Entire Body, by Which All Things Are Steadied, and to Which They Are Attached” Book II:  “Dedicated to All the Ligaments and Muscles, Instruments of Voluntary Motion Dependent on Our Judgment, Presenting Virtually All the Figures Proper to It Prior to the Chapters as Now Set Forth” Book III:  “In Which the Series of Veins and Arteries throughout the Entire Body Is Described and the Figures Peculiar to It Are Placed at the Beginning of the Chapters to which They Belong” Book IV:  “Dedicated to the Nerves, Showing Figures Peculiar to It in Front of the Chapters to Which They Are Suited” Book V:  “Dedicated to the Organs of Nutrition by Food and Drink and, because of Their Connection and Proximity, to the Instruments Serving Generation, Showing at the Beginning, Together and in Order, All the Figures Belonging Thereto, to Avoid the Necessity of Placing the Same Figures at the Beginning of the Several Chapters” Book VI:  “Dedicated to the Heart and the Organs Serving It, Presenting Figures Peculiar to It at the Beginning to Avoid Placing the Same Figures at the Head of All the Various Chapters in this Book As Well” Book VII:  “Dedicated to the Brain, Seat of the Animal Faculty, and to the Organs of the Senses, Showing at the Beginning Virtually All Its Figures as in the Preceding Two Books” Introductions by Vesalius Experts Introduction by medical historian Vivian Nutton, including findings from newly discovered notes written by Vesalius Translator’s Introduction by Daniel H. Garrison Anatomist’s Introduction by Malcolm H. Hast Introduction to Book II by Nancy Siraisi Easy to Navigate Listing of all chapter titles and section headings Indicating pagination of the 1543/1555 editions and the English translation Showing thumbnails of figures and tables as used in each chapter