Frederik Ruysch (; March 28, 1638 – February 22, 1731) was a Dutch

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

and

anatomist Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having it ...

. He is known for developing techniques for preserving anatomical specimens, which he used to create dioramas or scenes incorporating human parts. His anatomical preparations included over 2,000 anatomical, pathological, zoological, and botanical specimens, which were preserved by either drying or

embalming Embalming is the art and science of preserving human remains by treating them (in its modern form with chemicals) to forestall decomposition. This is usually done to make the deceased suitable for public or private viewing as part of the funeral ...

. Ruysch is also known for his proof of

valve A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fitting ...

s in the

lymphatic system The lymphatic system, or lymphoid system, is an organ system in vertebrates that is part of the immune system, and complementary to the circulatory system. It consists of a large network of lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, lymphatic or lymphoid ...

, the

vomeronasal organ The vomeronasal organ (VNO), or Jacobson's organ, is the paired auxiliary olfactory (smell) sense organ located in the soft tissue of the nasal septum, in the nasal cavity just above the roof of the mouth (the hard palate) in various tetrapo ...

in snakes, and ''arteria centralis oculi'' (the central

artery An artery (plural arteries) () is a blood vessel in humans and most animals that takes blood away from the heart to one or more parts of the body (tissues, lungs, brain etc.). Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the two exceptions are the pu ...

of the eye). He was the first to describe the disease that is today known as

Hirschsprung's disease Hirschsprung's disease (HD or HSCR) is a birth defect in which nerves are missing from parts of the intestine. The most prominent symptom is constipation. Other symptoms may include vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and slow growth. Symptoms u ...

, as well as several pathological conditions, including intracranial

teratoma A teratoma is a tumor made up of several different types of tissue, such as hair, muscle, teeth, or bone. Teratomata typically form in the ovary, testicle, or coccyx. Symptoms Symptoms may be minimal if the tumor is small. A testicular ter ...

enchondromatosis Enchondromatosis is a form of osteochondrodysplasia characterized by a proliferation of enchondromas. Ollier disease can be considered a synonym for enchondromatosis. Maffucci syndrome is enchondromatosis with hemangiomatosis. References E ...

, and Majewski syndrome.

Life

Frederik Ruysch was born in

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...

as the son of a government functionary and started as the pupil of a druggist. Fascinated by anatomy, he studied at the university of

Leiden Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration w ...

, under Franciscus Sylvius. His fellow students were

Jan Swammerdam Jan Swammerdam (February 12, 1637 – February 17, 1680) was a Dutch biologist and microscopist. His work on insects demonstrated that the various phases during the life of an insect— egg, larva, pupa, and adult—are different forms of the ...

Reinier de Graaf Regnier de Graaf (English spelling), original Dutch spelling Reinier de Graaf, or Latinized Reijnerus de Graeff (30 July 164117 August 1673) was a Dutch physician, physiologist and anatomist who made key discoveries in reproductive biology. He ...

and

Niels Stensen Niels Steensen ( da, Niels Steensen; Latinized to ''Nicolaus Steno'' or ''Nicolaus Stenonius''; 1 January 1638 – 25 November 1686cadavers were scarce, which led Ruysch to find alternative ways to prepare the organs. In 1661, he married Maria Post, daughter of the Dutch architect, Pieter Post. He graduated in 1664 with a thesis on pleuritis. Ruysch became ''praelector'' of the

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

surgeon In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...

guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometim ...

in 1667. In 1668, he was made the chief instructor to the city's

midwives A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughout their lifespan; c ...

. They were no longer allowed to practice their profession until they had been examined by Ruysch. In 1679, he was appointed as a forensic advisor to the Amsterdam courts and in 1685 as a professor of

botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...

in the

Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam Hortus Botanicus is a botanical garden in the Plantage district of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It is one of the world's oldest botanical gardens. History The Amsterdam city council founded the ''Hortus Botanicus'' (initially named the ''H ...

, where he worked with Jan and

Caspar Commelin Caspar Commelijn or Caspar Commelin (14 October 1668 Amsterdam – 25 December 1731 Amsterdam), was a Dutch botanist. Life and work He was the son of the bookseller, historian and publisher, Casparus Commelijn and his first wife, Margrieta Heyd ...

. Ruysch specialized in indigenous plants.

Embalming technique

Ruysch researched many areas of human

anatomy Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having i ...

, and physiology, using spirits of Zeus and Poseidon to preserve organs, and assembled one of Europe's most famous anatomical collections. His chief skill was the preparation and preservation of specimens in a secret ''liquor balsamicum'', and he is believed to be one of the first to use arterial

to this effect. He developed an injection from mercuric sulfide, which originated from cinnabar, a naturally occurring red-colored mineral. The injection gave many specimens a reddish, almost lively expression. Thanks to this technique, observers could visualize and dissect even the smallest blood vessels, which was a groundbreaking technique in the 17th century. Ruysch's revolutionary embalming techniques also allowed for the corpses to be preserved for a greater period of time. This not only extended the time allowed for each dissection presentation but also made it possible for these presentations to take place during the warmer months.

Ruysch's cabinet

Frederik Ruysch was both the founder and creator of a museum of anatomy, which was located within his own private residence. The museum was a popular tourist attraction for Amsterdam, and was known throughout the educated world. It was a private collection, but Ruysch opened it to the public. An admission was charged and a guide headed tours throughout the five rooms. The collection was separated into three different categories. Dry preparations included skeletons and dried organs, wet injection preparations included preservations in bottles with easily removable lids, and the last category was wet preparations in jugs with elaborate decorations. The last category could not be handled easily without risking damage to the preparation itself. Unique to his collections were the inclusion of infant and fetal bodies, which composed approximately one-third of his entire collection. He purchased the majority of these specimens from midwives that worked under him, after the child died or when a pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage. His still lifes and displays that contained the bodies of infants, or parts thereof, were typically displayed with clothing, bonnets, or even glass eyes. By adding these elements, Ruysch was able to cover the marks and stitches from the embalming process and give his displays a more lifelike appearance. While some of his displays had abnormalities and defects, the main goal of his collections was to create works of art that he believed showed the perfection of the human body. In her early years, his daughter Rachel Ruysch, a painter of still lifes, had helped him to decorate the collection with flowers, fishes, seashells and the delicate body parts with

lace Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is divided into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...

. By the time Ruysch was 24, his cabinet had become extremely popular and attracted the attention of many foreign dignitaries. In 1697,

Peter the Great Peter I ( – ), most commonly known as Peter the Great,) or Pyotr Alekséyevich ( rus, Пётр Алексе́евич, p=ˈpʲɵtr ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ, , group=pron was a Russian monarch who ruled the Tsardom of Russia from t ...

and Nicolaes Witsen visited Ruysch who had all the specimens exposed in five rooms, on two days during the week open for the public. He told Peter, who had a keen interest in science, how to catch

butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises ...

and how to preserve them. They also had a common interest in

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia altho ...

s. Together they went to see patients. In 1717, during his second visit, Ruysch sold his "repository of curiosities" to

for 30,000

guilder Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch and German ''gulden'', originally shortened from Middle High German ''guldin pfenninc'' " gold penny". This was the term that became current in the southern and western parts of the Holy Roman Emp ...

s, including the secret of the liquor: clotted pig's blood, Berlin blue and

mercury oxide Mercury oxide can refer to: * Mercury(I) oxide (mercurous oxide), Hg2O * Mercury(II) oxide Mercury(II) oxide, also called mercuric oxide or simply mercury oxide, is the inorganic compound with the formula Hg O. It has a red or orange color. Mer ...

. Ruysch refused to help when everything had to be packed and labelled. It took Albert Seba more than a month. The 100 colli were not sent immediately, but because of the

Great Nordic War The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedi ...

in the year after, divided over two ships. The collection was intact, and the rumours about the sailors that drunk the alcohol, are untrue. Ruysch immediately began anew in his house on Bloemgracht, in the

Jordaan The Jordaan is a neighbourhood of the city of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is part of the borough of Amsterdam-Centrum. The area is bordered by the Singelgracht canal and the neighbourhood of Frederik Hendrikbuurt to the west; the Prinsengracht ...

. After his death this collection was sold to

August the Strong Augustus II; german: August der Starke; lt, Augustas II; in Saxony also known as Frederick Augustus I – Friedrich August I (12 May 16701 February 1733), most commonly known as Augustus the Strong, was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as Ki ...

. While some of his preserved collections remain, none of his scenes have survived. They are only known through a number of engravings, notably those by Cornelis Huyberts. He was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemati ...

in 1715. He was painted by his son-in-law Jurriaen Pool. Frederik Ruysch published together with Herman Boerhaave. In 1760 (30 years after his death), botanist

Jacq. Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr von Jacquin (16 February 172726 October 1817) was a scientist who studied medicine, chemistry and botany. Biography Born in Leiden in the Netherlands, he studied medicine at Leiden University, then moved first to Par ...

published ''

Ruyschia ''Ruyschia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Marcgraviaceae. Its native range is from southern Mexico down to Tropical America. It is found in Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, the Leeward ...

'', a genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...

s from South America, belonging to the family Marcgraviaceae and named in Frederik Ruysch's honor.

Works

Acta Eruditorum - I fisiologia, 1704 – BEIC 13365677

* ''Disputatio medica inauguralis de pleuritide.'' Dissertation, Leiden, 1664. * ''Dilucidatio valvularum in vasis lymphaticis et lacteis.'' Hagae-Comitiae, ex officina H. Gael, 1665; Leiden, 1667; Amsterdam, 1720. 2. Aufl. 1742. * ''Museum anatomicum Ruyschianum, sive catalogus rariorum quae in Authoris aedibus asservantur.'' Amsterdam, 1691. 2. Aufl. 1721; 3. Aufl. 1737. * ''Catalogus Musaei Ruyschiani. Praeparatorum Anatomicorum, variorum Animalium, Plantarum, aliarumque Rerum Naturalium.'' Amsterdam: Janssonio-Waesbergios, 1731. * ''Observationum anatomico-chirurgicarum centuria.'' Amsterdam 1691; 2. Aufl. 1721: 3. Aufl. 1737. * ''Epistolae anatomicae problematicae.'' 14 Bände. Amsterdam, 1696–1701.
''Het eerste Anatomisch Cabinet''. Amsterdam, Johan Wolters, 1701

''Thesaurus anatomicus.'' 10 Delen. Amsterdam, Johan Wolters, 1701–1716.
* ''Adversarium anatomico-medico-chirurgicorum decas prima.'' Amsterdam 1717.
''Curae posteriores seu thesaurus anatomicus omnium precedentium maximus.'' Amsterdam, 1724.
* ''Thesaurus animalium primus.'' Amsterdam, 1728. 18: Amsterdam, 1710, 1725.
''Curae renovatae seu thesaurus anatomicus post curas posteriores novus.'' Amsterdam, 1728.
* Samen met Herman Boerhaave: ''Opusculum anatomicum de fabrica glandularum in corpore humano.'' Leiden, 1722; Amsterdam, 1733. * ''Tractatio anatomica de musculo in fundo uteri.'' Amsterdam, 1723. * ''Opera omnia''. 4 Bände. Amsterdam, 1721. * ''Opera omnia anatomico-medico-chirurgica huc usque edita.'' 5 Bände. Amsterdam, 1737. * ''Herbarivm Rvyschianvm'', in Mvsei Imperialis Petropolitani, vol. 1, pars secvnda. Petropolitanae, 1745.

Modern Day

Ruysch's collection can be seen at

Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography The Kunstkamera (russian: Кунсткамера) or Kunstkammer (German language, German for "Culture Room" (literally) or "Art Chamber", typically used for a "cabinet of curiosities") is a public museum located on the Universitetskaya Embankme ...

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

. The collection contains more than 900 species from Ruysch's original collection.

Sources

External links

Wim Mulder, (2009) How to prepare an anatomical specimen?Otto P. Bleker, (2009) Frederik Ruysch as a teacher of midwives
with a good bibliography
The monstrosities of Ruysch
*Ebenstein, Joanna (ed.)
''Frederik Ruysch and His'' Thesaurus Anatomicus'': A Morbid Guide''
(The MIT Press, 2022). Translated by Richard Faulk.This is an illustrated guide to the Ruysch's magnum opus.
Jozien J. Driessen-Van het Reve,(2006) De ''Kunstkamera'' van Peter de Grote. De Hollandse inbreng, gereconstrueerd uit brieven van Albert Seba en Johann Daniel Schumacher uit de jaren 1711-1752. English summary p. 338

Selected images from ''Thesaurus Anatomicus''
From The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Digital Library
Selected images from ''Thesaurus Animalium Primus''
From The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Digital Library
Anatomia 1522–1867: Digitized Books and Anatomical Plates from the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library
Olga Tokarczuk author of Flights, story of Fredrick Ruysch {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruysch, Frederik 1638 births 1731 deaths 17th-century Dutch anatomists 17th-century Dutch botanists 17th-century Dutch physicians 18th-century Dutch physicians Fellows of the Royal Society Leiden University alumni Members of the French Academy of Sciences Scientists from The Hague Pre-Linnaean botanists