Adriaan van den Spiegel

Adriaan van den Spiegel, name sometimes written as Adrianus Spigelius (1578 - April 7, 1625) was a Flemish anatomist who was born in Brussels. For much of his career he practiced medicine in Padua, and is considered one of the great physicians associated with that city. At Padua he studied anatomy under Girolamo Fabrici.

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His best written work on anatomy is De humani corporis Fabrica libri X tabulis aere icisis exornati which was published posthumously in 1627. In his 1624 treatise De semitertiana libri quatuor, he gives the first comprehensive description of malaria. Also an uncommon hernia of the abdominal wall that he first described is called a Spigelian hernia.

Spiegel also did work as a botanist. The genus Spigelia which has six species, is named after him. Traditionally, the rhizome and roots of Spigelia marilandica were used as a cure for intestinal parasites.

References

• Who Named It?; Adriaan van den Spiegel