Mascagni
was born in the small village of Castelleto in central Italy in February
of 1752. Castelleto is near Siena in the province of Tuscany some
120 miles north of Rome. Mascagni received his early education at
home and then was sent to the University of Siena where he studied
philosophy, literature, physics, mathematics, and medicine.
His
scholarship, intelligence, and interest in the natural sciences were
soon noticed by Pietro Tabarrani, professor of anatomy at the university.
Tabarrani became his mentor, and Mascagni was appointed prosector
in anatomy at the university after receiving his medical degree in
1771. Tabarrani's health began to fail, and when he was forced to
retire in 1774 because of blindness, Mascagni succeeded him as professor
of anatomy. Mascagni felt so strongly that his professorial responsibilities
lay in teaching and in advancing anatomical knowledge that he decided
not to work in clinical medicine preferring to devote himself entirely
to teaching and research.
When
Mascagni became prosector at Siena in 1771, Tabarrani suggested that
he concentrate his investigative efforts on the lymphatic system.
In making this recommendation Tabarrani showed a great deal of foresight,
and it was Mascagni's research in this area that was to bring him
lasting fame and recognition. Gaspare Aselli (1581-1626) had made
the first true description of the lymphatic vascular apparatus in
1627 and later, in the eighteenth century, when Frederik Ruysch (1638-1731)
had tried to stimulate interest in the lymphatic system in Holland,
the rest of Europe paid him little attention. This may have been because
of the influence of Albrecht von Haller (1708-1777), who had cast
doubt on the entire lymphatic system by refuting the existence of
lymphatic vessels in several parts of the body. The French scientific
community was also concerned about research in this area and in 1784
the Academy of Sciences of Paris offered a prize for the best work
demonstrating the lymphatic vessels. Mascagni submitted two substantial
illustrated reports to the Parisian Academy. Unfortunately, however,
his work reached Paris after the deadline for acceptance of entries;
but nevertheless, members of the Academy were so impressed that they
awarded Mascagni a special prize. Since much of his work dated back
eight to ten years,he decided to publish his work in French and Italian
that same year in order to protect the priority of his discoveries.
Mascagni
continued his studies of the lymphatic system, and in 1787 published
a large folio volume entitled Vasorum lymphaticorum corporis humani
historia et iconographia. This important monograph contained the
first systematic and definitive description of the human lymphatic
system. A large folio, it contains forty-one brilliantly executed
copperplates which faithfully represent the details of the lymphatic
system. Mascagni has been credited with discovering some 50% of the
lymphatic vessels, and it was this work that opened the way for continued
progress in our understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the
human body.
In
achieving such significant and accurate results, Mascagni performed
numerous experiments, examined and repeated the observations of other
investigators, and developed totally new methods or revised the techniques
of other scientists in order to meet the needs of his research. We
must remember that he was without the benefits of modern technology;
yet he reached such a degree of perfection that modern researchers
find it extremely difficult to duplicate his work. He used mercury
as the contrast medium which he injected into the body's peripheral
lymphatic networks by using a simple glass tube bent at a ninety degree
angle at one end and tapered to an extremely fine point. Mercury was
poured into the other end of the glass tube and it quickly flowed
through whatever part of the lymphatic system was under study. By
following the mercury injection with careful dissection, Mascagni
obtained magnificent preparations which can still be seen and admired
in the museum of the Institute of Normal Human Anatomy at the University
of Siena.
Mascagni
disapproved the theory that the lymphatics originated from the terminal
arteries and were continued in the veins through various very fine
tubules. This ended the idea that there were arterial and venous lymphatics.
After thoroughly examining the work of other anatomists and analyzing
the results of his own investigations, he concluded that the lymphatic
system originates from all the internal and external cavities and
surfaces of the body and is directly related to the function of absorption.
By means of colored injections he demonstrated that there is a link
between the lymph and serous vessels. He also refuted the belief that
there was an anastomosis between the lymphatics and the veins by showing
that there is no connection between the two systems except at the
point where the thoracic duct and the thoracic vein merge into the
venous system. Mascagni discovered and described lymphatic vessels
in regions of the body where they had not previously been known to
exist. He determined that all the lymphatics pass through one or more
lymph nodes during their course and provided excellent illustrations
to document this fact. He did not limit himself to the study of the
anatomy of the lymphatic system alone but also studied its physiology
and pathology and emphasized the vital role it plays in maintaining
the body's well being.
After Mascagni's death in 1815, manuscripts and sketches for three
additional works were found among his papers. The first, an anatomy
for artists, was edited and published by two relatives at Florence
in 1816. The relatives died soon after its publication, and a group
of individuals interested in the welfare of Mascagni's family undertook
the publication of the other two works. Responsibility for editing
these last two works was given to Francesco Antommarchi (1780-1838),
a physician who had been Mascagni's prosector. The second work, dealing
with histological investigations into the anatomy of the human body
as well as animals and plants was published in two editions, one at
Florence in 1819 and the other at Milan in 1821.
The
story of Antommarchi's involvement with the third work is an interesting
and involved tale. However, suffice it to say, that difficulties arose
which ultimately led to his publication of a pirated edition. The
authorized work was assembled and edited by three professors from
the faculty of the University of Pisa.
The
Anatomia universa is a comprehensive work of anatomy lacking
only microscopic anatomy, histology, and the lymphatics of the skin.
The beautifully executed plates depict the anatomical and skeletal
structure of the human body in great detail. In addition, Mascagni
included a series of plates that cover the abdominal organs, gravid
uterus, placenta, and fetus.
The
book was published in a series of nine parts between 1823 and 1832
at Pisa. Each of the 44 plates in the University of Iowa copy is hand-colored
and accompanied by a duplicate outline plate which contains nomenclature
for identifying the anatomical parts in the accompanying volume of
text. The plates are so large that it has never been bound and is
stored in a large book-shaped wooden box especially constructed for
that purpose. The plates are so designed that a man five and one-half
feet tall can be assembled from three of the plates if they are joined
together. The plates were superbly engraved and the hand-coloring
by pen and brush was done so carefully and with such skill that the
artist often achieved a three-dimensional effect.
Mascagni
also made a number of significant contributions to science in other
fields but he will always be remembered for this work on the lymphatic
system. Indeed, he is best known for his Vasorum lymphaticorum, but
that work is overshadowed, as a work of art, by his Anatomia universa,
and it is ironic that this great work should be so relatively unknown.
Its great cost and its rarity have undoubtedly contributed to its
undeserved obscurity. In fact, the University of Iowa's copy appears
to be one of only three or four copies in the United States.
