Herophilus - Erasistratus - The Nervous System.

Two doctors who followed the teachings and theories of Aristotle to verify that there was a complex network of connections in our body: The Nervous System. How could these two men know about the Nervous System? because through the typical dissections that were practiced in Ancient Greece. Although the life of these two doctors is very little known, there is no little merit in the history of medicine.

Herophilus and Erasistratus

The doctors of Ancient Greece

Herophilus

Doctor of Ancient Greece from the School of Alexandria. He was said to be the father of anatomy dissecting corpses.

It was dedicated specifically to the part of the brain, the cavity, that which is considered the center of the Nervous System. It is assumed that in Greece the practice of dissecting corpses was censored, but Tertullian allowed it by giving him 600 live prisoners to dissect them in public. From that fact, Herophilus was known as the butcher.

Erasistratus

On the other hand, we have Erasistratus who was also a Greek doctor who lived in the town of Kos.

He was known mainly by Antiochus I Soter, king of the Seleucid Empire, who became ill every time he saw Stronice of which he was in love. In fact, each time the emperor saw the lady, his skin would heat up and his pulse would speed up.

After this experience, Erasistratus was dedicated to the dissection of criminal bodies along with Herophilus.

Working together

Herophilus's Contributions

Firstly, Herophilus is known for discovering that the veins only carried blood, since previously it was believed that they carried other elements, for example, the theory of the four humors. Under this concept, Herophilus was able to distinguish between arteries and veins, something that doctors before did not distinguish.

Another important work was the discovery that the brain did have an impact on the intellectual, rather than on the biological. As we can remember, Aristotle told us that the brain was an organ that regulated the heat that came from the heart, and that was its specific function. He could distinguish between Cerebrum (Brain) and Cerebellum which is the part below the Cerebrum.

In these research he also collaborated in the parts of the eye, especially the optic nerve and the retina. He believed that the ''pneuma'' (air circulating in the body that will later be called ''oxygen'') was responsible for the nerves in the body. These research allowed him to establish that human diseases were mainly due to the excess of a mood in the brain, and how it impeded the circulation of the "pneuma".

On the other hand, Herophilus also took charge of establishing a medical terminology; In fact, he was the one who invented the word '' duodenum '' which is the first section of the small intestine.

Herophilus had a saying:

'' When health is absent, wisdom cannot be revealed, art does not become manifest, strength cannot be exercised, wealth is useless and reason is weak ''

As we see, Herophilus gave special importance to food and good exercise.

Erasístrato's Contributions

Erasistratus focused much more on the blood than on the brain. He discovered that veins not only carry blood, but also air. He gave the first descriptions of the vena cava, following the postulates of Herófilo who said he discovered the specific functions of the veins and arteries.

Now, if Herófilo said that the excess of humours prevented the circulation of the pneuma, Erasístrato will say that what prevents this circulation is blood. In a way, Erasístrato felt different than his colleague, although he also accepted that the pulse of the human being was explained by air in the blood.

In the field of the Nervous System, Erasistratus distinguished the hemispheres of the brain and the structure of the cerebellum to describe everything related to the motor. He divided the nerves among those who are responsible for sensitivity and mobility. These discoveries make him worthy of having signaled the first indications of a Central Nervous System.

Finally, like his colleague, Erasistratus believed more in the theory that the brain deals with the intellect, contrary to Aristotle who said it was in the heart.

Conclusion

Of course, everything said here by these two great doctors is merely superficial information. Unfortunately, all his works were lost during the story (or burned or censored who knows) but we are grateful to these two men. The nervous system is one of the fundamental systems in our daily life, and its process and development goes totally unnoticed. The body works at an impressive speed, especially if we look at the scientific investigations of now.