Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-01-30
miscellaneous.
THE SURGEONS REVENGE


The following deeply interesting story
was related by DIR. Gibson, in one of his
lectures before the medical class of the
University of Pennsylvania. 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 anato-
my of the human body was so impcr-
fectly understood as scarcely to merit
that the terms of science should be an
piled to the dim and confused idea re-
lating to it. Vesale was tine hrst 70
break through the trammels with which
ignorance and bigotry had crippled the
march of science surrounding with ad-
mirable courage and constancy the dis
nv. ho terror and the peril inserarabie
he had devoted nImseitb o .lapor1.sa w which
seen whole days and nights in the GENE
teries, surrounded by the fostering re
mains of mortality, or lowering abou
the gibbets, and disputing the yultur'
for its prey, in order to compose a per
feet skeleton from the remains of exec u
ted criminals, left there by the carriol
bird.
1t was during sojourn at Basic, after
his return from Italy. that Vesale frs
beheid at the house of Hans Holbien
the painter, Isabella Won Stcenwrak,
the daughter of merchant Of Harlaem
who was destined to exercise some indu.
ence over his future life. He was scarce
ly twenty-eight years of age, and al
ready he had attained the summit Of wei
directed ambition.
The family of Won Steenwrak was I
wealthy and honorable one, far superior
to that of Vesale in birth and fortune
but the distinguished position the latte
had acquired for himself, entitled him Il
an alliance even more exalted. The sol
of the Princess Margarefs apothecar,
would have been rejected by the ricl
Harlaem but as the Emperor's first ply
stefan, was accepted by him as a mos
eligible son-in-law. The marriage sol
emnized, Vesale, accompanied by hi
young bride, set off for Seville, wher
Charles then held his court.
Though she loved her husband, Their
was so much awe mingled with her of
lection as to throw an appearance of re
straint over her demeanor towards him
even in the privacy of domestic life. TIL
very nature Of his profession and occupa
ton was calculated to increase that awe
and even TO create some degree of repug
nance in shrinking mind, which moth
ing but strong affection could overcome
lsabella's nature required skilful DRAWN
out and tender fostering. Vesaie, I'M
fortunately, mistook her timidity 70
GOODNESS, and resented it accordingly
this led to arrangement on her part
which he attributed to dislike, and jeal
Gus distrust at last took possession Of hi
, soul.
Vesale's house became the resort ofal
that was noble and gallant in Seville, an
: he for time believed his own scientih
conversation to be the attraction. A
: first the young wife showed her usua
: calm Indifference to the admiration tina
followed wherever she was seen; but. a
last, something in her manner and conn
tenance, whenever one particular pc'sol
appeared, or his name was mentioned
betrayed that there did exist being VIII
had discovered the secret for causing th
j blood to flow more unanimously throug
0 her veins. That person was Don AL
va de Soils; and as he was young, hang
some, gay, and the most inco9St'V esal,
LIANT in Seville, the suseieis tool s;lon,
: we're painfully aropssS .,aons that ao;ts
i no.9 o. me the noblcman wa
tea to ~ ls1Ph icsence.