Palla Ákos szerk.: Az Országos Orvostörténeti Könyvtár közleményei 13. (Budapest, 1959)

Dr. I. CSILLAG and Dr. H. JELLINEK: From primitive Haemostatic Methods to Modern Vascular Surgery

called his method "Ruysch's art". His method of injecting was used also to embalm corpses. A museum was filled with the bodies he embalmed and this museum was said to be a "perfect necropolis all the inhabitants of which were sleeping but would instantly begin to speak when awaking". Peter, the Great, tsar of Russia bought later Ruysch's whole necropolis. Getting acquainted with the anatomy of the vessels made a new step possible in the development of vascular surgery. Heister (1719) stresses, in the possession already, of anatomical knowledge that when ligating the vessel the nerves must remain intact since hurting them causes spasm and paralysis. Esmarck brings in 1873 the compression of the vessels, known by the ancients already, into common use. The Tending and Treatment of Vascular Injuries by Retaining the Vessel and Maintaining the Circulation : Lateral Ligature In the early 19th century lateral injuries of the vessels were tried to be ligated so that the blood flow should remain uninterrupted. This meant a great advance if compared to the Erasistratos-Paré-kvaà of ligation. Cooper and Travels apply in 1816 lateral ligature on the femoral varicose vein of a 28 year old man. Many others tried the same method but their efforts reained unsuccessful. The procedure failed to be effective because of constriction of the vessel. Also the method of placing forceps on the injured vessel and leaving them in the wound was applied in this time. This method was practiced in 1943, moreover, in 1953, though the risk of infection was extremely great the wound being open. Application of Vascular Sutures As surgery was developing, vascular ligations seemed to be insufficient. The limb belonging to the vessel ligated due to injury necrotized as a rule. So the idea was raised that the opening of an injured vessel should be sutured. The earliest data