BIDLOO AND COWPER, ANATOMISTS By FENWICK BEEKMAN, M.D. NEW YORK CITY HEN William, Prince of deserve a special mention.” Having Orange, crossed from studied under the supervision of so Holland to reside in Eng- inspiring a teacher, it is probable land in the year 1688, that young Bidloo made up his mind he was accompanied by a largeto retinuefollow as quickly as possible in Wof servants, followers and advisors. his Master’s footsteps. It must, there- Many of these he retained in his fore, have been soon after finishing service following the proclamation of his studies with Ruysch that Bidloo February 13, 1689, which made him laid his plans to produce an atlas and his wife, Alary, co-rulcrs of of anatomy that would eclipse all England. Though but thirty-eight others that had been previously pub- years of age, William in was in poor lished, from the standpoint of orig- health and required the constant inality and artistic merit of the supervision of a physician. The physi- illustrations. Thus his magnum opus cian whom he chose to accompany finally appeared in the year 1685, him on his journey to his new country under the title of “Anatomia Humani was Godfried Bidloo. Corporis.” But let us, before we Bidloo was born in Amsterdam describe this work and the conse- in 1649. We know but little of his quences that followed its publication, early life; it is said that in his youth continue our story of the life of he was interested in literature and Godfried Bidloo. had written plays. He did not, how- Having terminated his studies with ever, continue for long in these pur- Ruysch, Bidloo practiced medicine suits, for we next hear of him at and surgery and served in the army, the age of twenty-one (1670) becoming also finding time to travel in France apprenticed to a surgeon and studying and Germany. However, he was not at The Hague under Frederik Ruysch contented to continue in practice (1638-1731). Ruysch was a well- without holding a degree for we find known anatomist, was thoroughly him in the year 1682 registered as trained in dissection and prepared a student in the University at Frane- many beautiful anatomical specimens. ker,2 from which he obtained the He had acquired the skill of injection degree of “Mcdicinae Doctoris & from Jan Swammerdam (1637-1680) Chirurgi,” having presented a thesis and had applied this talent to so entitled “Variae prolusiones Anat. great an extent that his specimens Medicae” (1682). Little is known were known throughout Europe for of what occurred during the next their artistic merits. Garrison1 tells six years of his life except that he us that “for whimsical originality returned to Amsterdam but it may and exquisite delicacy of details, the be presumed that, following the com- plates drawn by Frederik Ruysch pletion of his book on anatomy in 1 History of Medicine. Ed. 4, Phila., 2 The University was suppressed by Na- Saunders, 1929, p. 251. poleon 1 in 1811. the year 1685, he again joined the the meetings between the doctors army which was fighting the French appear to have been usually amicable. under Louis xiv in Flanders. It mav This may seem strange for we find have been at this time that the attention of Prince William of Orange, who was leading the Dutch armies, was first attracted to the young surgeon. Bidloo was appointed Professor of Anatomy at The Hague in 1688, as successor to Anton Nuck, but left soon after to accompany William to that Bidloo was difficult to get along England for we find, according to with and had many acrimonious con- Macmichaefs “Goldhcaded Cane,” troversies with others over situations John Radcliffe in consultation with which were of far less importance than Bidloo and Dr. Thomas Lawrence that of the care of the health of a in the autumn of 1689, when William king. It is probable, however, that iii was suffering from one of his Radcliffe, who is known to have been periodic attacks. He was a favorite of rough and to have possessed an William but this did not prevent inflammable temper but could be the king’s advisors, Bcntinck, later diplomatic when the need arose, re- the Earl of Portland, and Zulestein, fused to enter into controversies of a who became the Earl of Rochford, personal nature. from calling upon English physicians In 1690 Bidloo returned to his when they thought that the condition native land, having been appointed of His Majesty’s health required. by William hi general superintendent Though Radcliffe differed radically of all civil and military hospitals of in his opinion on the treatment to Holland. Two years later he was be prescribed for the royal patient, arrested for having published a pam- phlet3 which caricatured some judges in England and, in 1696, the Board of Holland, but he was finally freed of Managers of the University severely following repeated requests from Wil- criticized him because of his failure to lecture. In this year Bidloo became involved liam, so that he could accompany him in a quarrel with his old master, to Flanders where further military Frederik Ruysch, who had, with jus- operations were in progress. The fol- tification, criticized some of the il- lowing year, 1693, the King appointed lustrations appearing in Bidloo’s atlas him inspector of military hospitals of anatomy. The latter retorted with in England and, in 1694, he was given his pen in a rude and caustic manner.0 the professorship of anatomy and James Atkinson (1759-1839), speak- surgery at Leyden.4 From now on ing of this incidence, says: he must have been frequently asso- ciated with Herman Boerhaave (1668- This old Ruysch was a formidable 1738), who was at this time giving to competitor and not to be so easily ex- Leyden the lustre that made that tinguished as any common rush-light, or University so famous in the seven- farthing candle. So we may not much teenth century. Bidloo, however, had doubt that Bidloo, with ah his splendor as an anatomist, had not been famous in little time to teach for he was much his day, for an overabundance of milk of " Beurzestryd of saemensprook tuschen human kindness, in his Receptaculum Galenus en Baldus. 4 “ Dissertatio de Antiquitate Anatomes 5 Vindiciae quarundam delineationum ana- . ,” being the title of his inaugural tomicarum contra animadversiones Friderici address. Ruisch. Chyli. It is fair, however, to pay consider- two lectures which were dedicated able respect and attention to his Vin- to the Royal Society, in which the diciae,l in regard to his answer to Ruysch author rejected the theory that the nerves contained fluid and showed that they were composed of numerous delicate fibers. Bidloo died at Leyden in the month of April of the year 1713. Two years later his papers were collected and published.7 The character of the man is of and Cooper. interest. There is no doubt that he was of an ambitious and aggressive Bidloo remained in England from type, having high esteem of his own 1700 to 1702 in attendance upon the abilities. That he had ability there King, who died during the latter is sufficient evidence, but he was prone year. Soon after his return to Holland to seek his advancement through he published a monograph upon the the influence of others who could give last illness and death of William him favors, rather than by means hi .6 This pamphlet contained much of hard work. He neglected his duties controversial matter and through its as Professor of Surgery and Anatomy publication he added to the number at The Hague and was criticised of his enemies. He now settled down for his lack of attendance in teaching in Leyden and devoted himself to at Leyden. During these periods he teaching and writing. It was toward was accompanying his benefactor, the end of this period that Albinus William in, from whom he had evi- (1697-1770) became his student. The dently received these positions. Haller, year 1708 saw the publication of 7 Opuscula omnia anatomico-chirurgica 6 Verhaal cler laatste ziekte en van het edita et inedita. Leyden, 1715-1725 in 40 overbyden van Willem in. with illustration. however, implies that his mode of indulgent, allowing His Majesty to drink life was not above reproach. “Vitae cider, ale— in shoit, all sorts of strong Iiberiori plura tempora dedit quam beer; and to take crude aliments before studiis.”8 going to bed. It was in vain that Doc- We cannot rank Bidloo as an out- tors Hutton, Millington, Blakemore, and standing anatomist or physician, but Lawrence remonstrated. On the King’s return to Hampton Court, the dropsical his anatomic atlas is sufficient testi- swelling of the inferior extremities ex- mony to place him in a position of tended upwards, for which Bidloo pre- authority on the subject of anatomy scribed a vapour bath, and inclosed the for the time in which he lived. As a legs of the patient in a wooden box con- physician his position was such that structed for that purpose. In a constitu- his judgment was respected, though tion so weak, which this treatment’ was many times it was swayed by his reported to have still more debilitated, personal feelings. an accident was likely to prove fatal.10 With King William came the famous Bidloo’s greatest faults were his Dr. Bidloo as chief physician; ... It pugnacious dogmatism and unwilling- was said, indeed, that Bidloo, who was otherwise expert in the knowledge of ness to accept criticism, though it physic, and knew how to prescribe proper was justified.