Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 667.1

GOVARD BIDLOO (1649-1713) Gulielmus Cowper, criminis literarii citatus, coram tribunali nobiliss., ampliss. Societatis Britanno-Regiae / per Godefridum Bidloo. Apud Jordanum Luchtmans 1700 1st Edition. [2], 54 p., [3] leaves of plates (1 folded) : ill. (engravings). 23 cm.

For more information on this author or work, see number: 667

The rare accusation of William Cowper submitted to the Royal Society by Bidloo on account of Cowper’s use of the plates of his Anatomia humani corporis. Cowper arranged with Bidloo’s publisher to have sets of his original plates sent from Holland to England, but provided them with his own English text, which he published in 1698, with the title The anatomy of humane bodies. Cowper’s concealment of Bidloo’s name is one of the most famous instances of plagiarism in medical literature, because of the very fine quality of Bidloo’s plates, which are the best of the Baroque period, and among the greatest of all time, superbly engraved after the drawing of the celebrated painter Gérard de Lairesse. However, because Bidloo’s text is generally considered inferior to Cowper’s, Cowper’s action is not too harshly judged. In his accusation of Cowper, Bidloo presents a number of documents relevant to the publication of his book, and details and illustrates some disputed points in anatomy.

See Related Record(s): 723.9 724 667

Cited references: Osler, 2033; Choulant 252; Waller 16683

Gift of John Martin, M.D.