Ambroise Paré (1510-1590) and His Innovative Work on the Treatment of War Injuries.

The purpose of this study is to summarize the innovations of Ambroise Paré (1510-1590) on the treatment of war wounds and improving amputation technique through ligature in arteries and veins. Ambroise Paré debunked the widely accepted idea that gun powder was poisonous for wounds. He also minimized the use of cautery of wounds by his dressing methods and the application of ligature during amputations. All these innovative rationales revolutionized the practice of war surgery during the Renaissance and paved the way for the introduction of modern surgery. Nevertheless, although his wound dressing innovations became widely accepted, the same did not happen with ligature and amputation; those techniques could become widely applicable if one could somehow control bleeding until the blood vessels had been tied. This became possible much later in the 18th century when Jean Louis Petit invented the first useful and efficient tourniquet.

Gerard Blaes (Blasius) (1627-1682): The Dutch Physician and Chemist, His Work and Description of the Spinal Cord.

In this historical review we summarize the work of the Dutch physician, chemist, and anatomist Gerard Blaes (Blasius). A detailed account of his life and work is presented with emphasis on his contribution to anatomy. In particular, special reference is made to his innovative description of the spinal cord and spinal nerves. Blasius's contributions to neuroanatomy are remarkable when taking into account the limited technology of his era. As a true man of his era, he made significant contributions in research and teaching of anatomy, botany, and chemistry. He published a detailed description of the spinal cord with its gray and white matter and the spinal nerve roots, which significantly increased the knowledge of neuroanatomy in his era. He also is considered one of the founders of comparative anatomy through his work in both humans and animals.