15283-B-Blokker

10 Chapter 1 HISTORY OF THE AUTOPSY The autopsy marks the beginning of scientific medicine, 2-4 and, until today it supports the development of medicine by identifying and clarifying new diseases, and by providing feedback on new diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Back in time The first knowledge about normal and abnormal anatomy was gained fromdescriptions made by prehistoric hunters, butchers and cooks, and from divination performed by animistic philosophers in the ancient Babylon (±3500 BC). The latter were believed to be able to communicate with divine powers and foretell the future using animal organs, mainly livers (figure 2). Figure 2 In ancient Egypt, embalmers removed internal organs through small incisions from the deceased’s body, in order to cleanse the body cavities. Instead of examining these organs, the Egyptians were interested in wounds and fractures and ascribed non- traumatic diseases to demons.