The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-08-12
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE SURGEONS REVENGE.

The following deeply interesting story was re-
lated by DR.. Gibson, in one Of his lectures before
the medical class of the University of Pennsyva.
mia. The hero of the story is Vesale one Of the
most eminent Italian surgeons.
Andrew Vesale first saw light in the city of
Brussels. His father was an apothecary, attached
TO the service OF the Princess Margaret, aunt of
Charles ", and governess Of the low countries.
Up to the period when Vesale first rendered
himself conspicuous, the anatomy Of the human
body was so imperefc1y understood as scarcely to
merit that the terms Of science should be applied
to the dim and confused idea relating TO it. We.
sale was the first to break through the trammels
with which ignorance and bgory had crippled the
march Of science; surmounting with admirable
courage and constancy, the disgust, the terror aud
the peril inSeparable from this description of the
labor to which he had devoted himself he was to
be seen whole days and nights in the cemeteries
surrounded by the fostering remains Of mortality,
Or lowering about the gibbets aud disputing the
vulture for its prey, in order to composea perfect
skeleton from the remains Of executed criminals
left there by the carton bird.
1t was during a sojourf at Basle after his re-
turn from Italy, that Vtsale first beheld at the
house Of Hans Holbiep, the painter, Isabella Won
Steenwrak, the daughter Of n merchant of Har-
lacm, who was destin ed to exercise some influence
over his future life. lie was scarcely twenty.eight
init OF well-directcd ambition.
The family Of Won Stcenwrak was a wealthy
and honorable one, far superior TO that of Nesae
in birth and fortune but the distinguished posi-
ton the latter had acquired for himself entitled
him to an alliance even more exalted. The son OF
the Princess Margaret's apothecary would have
been rejected by therch merchant of Harlaem but
as the Emperors first physician, was accepted by
him as q most eligible son.m-law The marriage
soemnized, Vesalc, accompanied by his young
bride, set oil for Seville, where Charles then held
his court.
Though she loved her husband, there was so
much awe mingled with her affection as to throw
an appearance of restraint over her dcmeanor to-
wards him, even in the privacy of domestic iile
The very nature OF his profession and occupation
was calculated tC increase that awe, aud even to
create some degree of rcpugnance in shrinking
mind, which nothing but strong affection could
overcome h,abcla's ,ature required skillfll draw
ing out and te'dcr fostering Vesale, unfortunate
ly, mistook her tindty for coldness, and resented
il accordingly this led TO arrangement or her
part which he attributed TO diske, and Jealous
| distrust at last took possession of his soul.
| Nesales house became the resort OF all thai was
Inoble and gallant in Seville and he for time bc.
| lieVcd his own scientific conversation TO be the
| attraction At first the young wife showed her
usual calm Indifference to the admiration that fol-
lowed wherever she was seen but, ut last some.
| thing in her manner and countenancc, whenever
one particular person appeared, or his name wa.
mentioned, betrayed that there did exist being
who had discovered the secret for causing the
blood to flow more tumultuously through her veins
That person was Don Ava de Soils; and as he wa
young, handsome, gay, and the most inconstan
gallant in Seville, the suspicious OF Vesale wcr