Steven Blankaart
{{Short description|Dutch physician, iatrochemist, and entomologist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
Steven Blankaart Latinized as Stephanus Blancardus (24 October 1650, Middelburg – 23 February 1704, Amsterdam) was a Dutch physician, iatrochemist, and entomologist, who worked on the same field as Jan Swammerdam.{{cite book|author=David M. Damkaer|title=The Copepodologist's Cabinet: A Biographical and Bibliographical History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TgUNAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA26|year=2002|publisher=American Philosophical Society|isbn=978-0-87169-240-5|page=26}} Blankaart proved the existence of a capillary system, as had been suggested by Leonardo da Vinci, by spouting up blood vessels, though he failed to realize the true significance of his findings. He is known for his development of injection techniques for this study and for writing the first Dutch book on child medicine.{{cite journal|pmc=2669241 | pmid=19421357 | volume=17 | issue=4 | title=From the seat of heat and intelligence to regular heart activity as automatic movement: progress in cardiology up to 1900 from a Dutch perspective |date=April 2009 | author=van Tellingen C | journal=Neth Heart J | pages=130–5 | doi=10.1007/bf03086234}} Blankaart translated works of John Mayow.
Life
File:Steven_Blankaart_dissecting.jpg
Blankaart was the son of Nicolaas Blankaart, a professor in Greek and History in Steinfurt (1645–1650) and Middelburg (1650–1666), who moved to Heerenveen to become the physician of Countess Albertine Agnes of Nassau; he was appointed in Franeker in 1669.P.C. Molhuysen and P.J. Blok, [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/molh003nieu04_01/molh003nieu04_01_0239.htm Nieuw Nederlandsch biografisch woordenboek. Deel 4]. Dbnl.org. Retrieved on 15 June 2012. His son started as an apprentice of an apothecary.G.A. Lindeboom, [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/lind006gesc01_01/lind006gesc01_01_0006.htm Geschiedenis van de medische wetenschap in Nederland]. Dbnl.org. Retrieved on 15 June 2012. In 1674 he moved to Amsterdam after becoming a doctor of Philosophy and Medicine at the University of Franeker.
Blankaart followed the principles established by René Descartes and was one of the first physicians to be a scientist or empiricist. In order to disprove the theory that insects originated spontaneously from filth and to demonstrate that they developed from eggs, Blankaart repeated the experiments carried out by Francesco Redi. Blankaart used oil made from turpentine to save the insects from mites, and mentioned it in his book Schou-burg from 1688.
Blankaart corresponded with the mystical writer Antoinette Bourignon.Eric Jorink, [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/jori009boec01_01/jori009boec01_01_0005.htm Het 'Boeck der Natuere']. (2006) p. 186. DBNL. Retrieved on 15 June 2012.{{cite book|author=Wiep Van Bunge|author-link=Wiep Van Bunge|title=The Early Enlightenment in the Dutch Republic, 1650–1750: Selected Papers of a Conference, Held at the Herzog August Bibliothek, Wolfenbüttel 22–23 March 2001|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TO7cTNpqDFIC&pg=PA104|year=2003|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-13587-1|page=104}} He argued in one letter that an earthly paradise would be created if there were a prohibition of alcohol. He collaborated with Maria Sibylla Merian on the publication of her work.
In 1682, he had married Isabella de Carpentier, the daughter of a referent from Amersfoort, and in 1683, they had one child. At that time he lived on Warmoesstraat. Blankaart was one of the first to do research on children's education and incontinence. Blankaart was a follower of Franciscus Sylvius, who recommended drinking copious quantities of tea and coffee.{{cite book|author1=Bennett Alan Weinberg|author2=Bonnie K. Bealer|title=The World of Caffeine: The Science and Culture of the World's Most Popular Drug|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qyz5CnOaH9oC&pg=PA102|year=2001|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-92723-9|page=102}}{{cite book|author1=Roy Porter |author-link1=Roy Porter |author2=Mikuláš Teich |author-link2=Mikuláš Teich |title=Drugs and Narcotics in History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I1YxRwBn5poC&pg=PA31|year=1997|publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-58597-2 |page=31}} and worked on syphilis.{{cite book|author=Ulf Lagerkvist|title=The Enigma of Ferment: From the Philosopher's Stone to the First Biochemical Nobel Prize|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cP1IrqiBPCwC&pg=PA41|year=2005|publisher=World Scientific|isbn=978-981-256-421-4|page=41}} Blankaart was living in the Leidsestraat when he died; he was buried in the Westerkerk.
Some works
- Lexicon medicum graeco-latinum (1679) ([http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:061:2-29744 digital edition from 1718] by the University and State Library Düsseldorf)
- {{lang|nl|Collectanea medico-physico oft Hollands Jaer-Register der geneesen natuurkunde aanmerkingen}} (1680, 1683, 1686).{{cite book|author1=Roy Porter|author2=Mikuláš Teich|title=The Scientific Revolution in National Context|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l61fl6Z1sxQC&pg=PA139|year=1992|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-39699-8|pages=139ff}}
- {{lang|nl|Accurate Abhandlung von dem Podagra und der lauffenden Gicht / Worinnen deren wahre Ursachen und gewisse Cur gründlich vorgestellet, auch die herrlichen Kräfften der Milch / . beschrieben werden durch Steph. Blancard. Anietzo aber wegen seiner Nutzbarkeit / nebst des Herrn Wilhelm ten Rhyne curieuser Beschreibung, wie die Chinesen und Japaner vermittelst des Moxa-Brennens und guldenen Nadel-Stechens alle Kranckheiten, insonderheit aber das Podagra gewiß curiren}}. Aus der Niederteutschen in die hochteutsche Sprache übersetzet. Leipzig, Fr. Gelditsch, 1692.Blancard, Stephan. [http://www.vialibri.net/item_pg/4808000-1692-akupunktur-und-moxa-blancard-stephan-accurate-abhandlung-von-dem-podagra.htm Akupunktur und Moxa] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724123354/http://www.vialibri.net/item_pg/4808000-1692-akupunktur-und-moxa-blancard-stephan-accurate-abhandlung-von-dem-podagra.htm |date=24 July 2011 }} (in German). Vialibri.net. Retrieved on 2012-06-15.
- Den Nederlandschen herbarius, Amsterdam, 1698.
- The physical dictionary : Wherein the terms of anatomy, the names and causes of diseases, chyrurgical instruments and their use; are accurately describ’d. : Also the names and virtues of medicinal plants, minerals, stones, gums, salts, earths, &c. and the method of choosing the best drugs : the terms of chymistry, and of the apothecaries art ; and the various forms of medicines, and the ways of compounding them. First published in 1684, reprints in 1693, 1697, 1702, 1708, 1715, 1726
- Opera Medica, theoretica, practica et clinica. Leiden (1701)
- Lexicon medicum renovatum. Vol. 1 & 2. Overbeke, Lovanii (Editio novissima & ob Additiones / a Viro celeberrimo Joanne Henr. Schulzio) 1754 – [http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:061:2-30148 digital edition] by the University and State Library Düsseldorf
- {{lang|nl|Arzneiwissenschaftliches Wörterbuch : worin nicht nur die Kunstwörter, sondern auch die in der Zergliederungskunst, Wundarzneikunst, Apothekerkunst, Schneidekunst, Gewächskunde u.s.w. gebräuchlichsten Ausdrücken deutlich, bestimt und kurz erklärt werden}}. Wucherer, Wien 1788 – [http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:061:2-30260 digital edition] by the University and State Library Düsseldorf
- [http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:061:2-302601 (1788).]
- [http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:061:2-302602 (1788).]
- [http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:061:2-302603 (1788).]
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=35em}}
External links
{{commons category|Steven Blankaart}}
- [http://ebling.library.wisc.edu/historical/bts/bts_03_blankaart.htm University of Wisconsin]
- http://www.dur.ac.uk/chmd/pranghofer/phdproject/
- http://college.holycross.edu/interfaces/vol26/vasset/vasset_figure_1.htm
- http://college.holycross.edu/interfaces/vol26/vasset/vasset_figure_4.htm
- https://web.archive.org/web/20100703213811/http://itsnt361.iowa.uiowa.edu/fmi/xsl/hardin/heirs/record_detail.xsl?-db=heirs&-lay=weblayout&ID2=711&-find
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Category:17th-century Dutch physicians