Erasistratus

Erasistratus (304–250 BC) was a Greek anatomist and royal physician under Seleucus I Nicator of Syria. Along with fellow physician Herophilus, he founded a school of anatomy in Alexandria. He is credited for his description of the valves of the heart, and he also concluded that the heart was not the center of sensations, but instead it functioned as a pump.

Life and Career

Erasistratus was born on the island of Chios, where he received his early education. He later studied in Athens and Alexandria. He is known to have performed vivisections on criminals provided to him by the king for his research.

Contributions to Medicine

Erasistratus made significant contributions to the field of medicine, particularly in the study of anatomy and physiology. He was one of the first to distinguish between veins and arteries. He also discovered the valves of the heart and believed the heart to be a pump that circulated blood throughout the body.

Legacy

Erasistratus' work laid the foundation for later physicians and anatomists. His theories on the circulatory system were groundbreaking for his time and paved the way for future medical discoveries.

See Also

• History of medicine
• Herophilus
• Seleucus I Nicator

References

Erasistratus Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.

Translate to: East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski