Steven Blankaart

Steven Blankaart (24 October 1650, Middelburg - 23 February 1704, Amsterdam), was a Dutch physician, Iatrochemist, and entomologist, who worked on the same field as Jan Swammerdam.[1] Blankaart proved the existence of a capillary system, as had been suggested by Leonardo da Vinci, by spouting up bloodvessels, 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.[2][3] Blankaart translated works of John Mayow.

Steven 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 Albertine Agnes; he was appointed in Franeker in 1669.[4] His son started as an apprentice of an apothecary.[5] In 1674 he moved to Amsterdam after becaming a doctor of Philosophy and Medicine at the University of Franeker.

Blankaart followed the principles established by René Descartes and was one 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 terpentine to save the insects from mites, and mentioned it in his book "Schou-burg" from 1688. Blankaart contacted Antoinette Bourignon [6][7] and stated paradise would appear with 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 copious quantities of tea and coffee.[8][9] and worked on syphilis.[10] Blankaart was living in the Leidsestraat when he died; he was buried in the Westerkerk.

Some works

References

  1. ^ Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society By American Philosophical Society, David M. Damkaer [1]
  2. ^ http://www.ilab.org/db/detail.php?booknr=347785492 (dead link)
  3. ^ . PMC 2669241. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2669241. 
  4. ^ http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/molh003nieu04_01/molh003nieu04_01_0239.htm
  5. ^ http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/lind006gesc01_01/lind006gesc01_01_0006.htm
  6. ^ DBNL
  7. ^ The Early enlightenment in the Dutch Republic, 1650-1750: selected papers by Wiep van Bunge [2]
  8. ^ The world of caffeine: the science and culture of the world's most popular drug by Bennett Alan Weinberg, Bonnie K. Bealer - 2001 [3]
  9. ^ Drugs and narcotics in history By Roy Porter, Mikuláš Teich
  10. ^ The enigma of ferment: from the philosopher's stone to the first biochemical ... By Ulf Lagerkvist [4]
  11. ^ The Scientific revolution in national context By Roy Porter, Mikuláš Teich [5]
  12. ^ In German

External links