Steven Blankaart (24 October 1650,

Middelburg Middelburg may refer to: Places and jurisdictions Europe * Middelburg, Zeeland, the capital city of the province of Zeeland, southwestern Netherlands ** Roman Catholic Diocese of Middelburg, a former Catholic diocese with its see in the Zeeland ...

– 23 February 1704, Amsterdam) was a Dutch physician,

iatrochemist Iatrochemistry (; also known as chemiatria or chemical medicine) is a branch of both chemistry and medicine. Having its roots in alchemy, iatrochemistry seeks to provide chemical solutions to diseases and medical ailments. This area of science h ...

, and

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

, who worked on the same field as

Jan Swammerdam Jan Swammerdam (February 12, 1637 – February 17, 1680) was a Dutch biologist and microscopist. His work on insects demonstrated that the various phases during the life of an insect—egg, larva, pupa, and adult—are different forms of the ...

. Blankaart proved the existence of a

capillary system A capillary is a small blood vessel from 5 to 10 micrometres (μm) in diameter. Capillaries are composed of only the tunica intima, consisting of a thin wall of simple squamous endothelial cells. They are the smallest blood vessels in the body: ...

, as had been suggested by

Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...

, 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. Blankaart translated works of

John Mayow John Mayow FRS (1641–1679) was a chemist, physician, and physiologist who is remembered today for conducting early research into respiration and the nature of air. Mayow worked in a field that is sometimes called pneumatic chemistry. Life ...

Life

He was the son of Nicolaas Blankaart, a professor in Greek and History in

Steinfurt Steinfurt (; Westphalian: ''Stemmert'') is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Steinfurt. From roughly 1100-1806, it was the capital of the County of Steinfurt. Geography Steinfurt is situated north- ...

(1645–1650) and

(1650–1666), who moved to

Heerenveen Heerenveen (, fry, It Hearrenfean ) is a town and municipality in the province of Friesland (Fryslân), in the Northern Netherlands. In 2021, the town had a population of 29,790 (1 January) while the municipality had a population 50,859 (1 July). ...

to become the physician of

Countess Albertine Agnes of Nassau Albertine Agnes of Nassau (April 9, 1634 – May 26, 1696), was the regent of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe during the minority of her son Henry Casimir II, Count of Nassau-Dietz, between 1664 and 1679.Geert H. Janssen, Albertine Agnes van O ...

; he was appointed in

Franeker Franeker (; fry, Frjentsjer) is one of the eleven historical cities of Friesland and capital of the municipality of Waadhoeke. It is located north of the Van Harinxmakanaal and about 20 km west of Leeuwarden. As of 1 January 2014, it had 12, ...

in 1669. His son started as an apprentice of an apothecary. In 1674 he moved to Amsterdam after becoming a doctor of Philosophy and Medicine at the

University of Franeker The University of Franeker (1585–1811) was a university in Franeker, Friesland, the Netherlands. It was the second oldest university of the Netherlands, founded shortly after Leiden University. History Also known as ''Academia Franekerensis'' o ...

. Blankaart followed the principles established by

René Descartes René Descartes ( or ; ; Latinized: Renatus Cartesius; 31 March 1596 – 11 February 1650) was a French philosopher, scientist, and mathematician, widely considered a seminal figure in the emergence of modern philosophy and science. Mathem ...

and was one of the first physicians to be a scientist or

empiricist In philosophy, empiricism is an epistemological theory that holds that knowledge or justification comes only or primarily from sensory experience. It is one of several views within epistemology, along with rationalism and skepticism. Empir ...

. 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 Francesco Redi (18 February 1626 – 1 March 1697) was an Italian physician, naturalist, biologist, and poet. He is referred to as the "founder of experimental biology", and as the "father of modern parasitology". He was the first person to cha ...

. Blankaart used oil made from

turpentine Turpentine (which is also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine, terebenthene, terebinthine and (colloquially) turps) is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin harvested from living trees, mainly pines. Mainly used as a special ...

to save the insects from

mite Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods). Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari, but genetic analysis does not show clear evid ...

s, and mentioned it in his book ''Schou-burg'' from 1688. Blankaart corresponded with the mystical writer

Antoinette Bourignon Antoinette Bourignon de la Porte (13 January 161630 October 1680) was a French-Flemings, Flemish mysticism, mystic and adventurer. She taught that the Eschatology, end times would come soon and that the Last Judgment would then fall. Her belief w ...

. He argued in one letter that an earthly

paradise In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in paradis ...

would be created if there were a

prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...

of alcohol. He collaborated with

Maria Sibylla Merian Maria Sibylla Merian (2 April 164713 January 1717) was a German naturalist and scientific illustrator. She was one of the earliest European naturalists to observe insects directly. Merian was a descendant of the Frankfurt branch of the Swiss Mer ...

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 Warmoesstraat ('Chard Street') is one of the oldest streets in Amsterdam, running parallel to Damrak from Nieuwebrugsteeg to Dam Square. Its origins are in the 13th century. In the 16th and 17th century it was the shopping street. During the Dut ...

. Blankaart was one of the first to do research on children's education and

incontinence Incontinence or Incontinent may refer to: *Fecal incontinence, the involuntary excretion of bowel contents *Urinary incontinence, the involuntary excretion of urine * Lack of moderation or self-control, especially related to sexual desire - see I ...

. Blankaart was a follower of

Franciscus Sylvius Franciscus Sylvius (15 March 1614 – 19 November 1672), born Franz de le Boë, was a Dutch physician and scientist (chemist, physiologist and anatomist) who was an early champion of Descartes', Van Helmont's and William Harvey's work and ...

, who recommended copious quantities of tea and coffee. and worked on

syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms of syphilis vary depending in which of the four stages it presents (primary, secondary, latent, an ...

. Blankaart was living in the

Leidsestraat Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the Weteringschans neighborhood ( Centrum borough), immediately northeast of the Singelgracht. It is located on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, Ma ...

when he died; he was buried in the

Westerkerk The Westerkerk (; en, Western Church) is a Reformed church within Dutch Protestant Calvinism in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It lies in the most western part of the Grachtengordel neighborhood (Centrum borough), next to the Jordaan, between ...

Some works

* ''Lexicon medicum graeco-latinum'' (1679)
digital edition from 1718
by the

University and State Library Düsseldorf The University and State Library Düsseldorf (german: Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Düsseldorf, abbreviated ULB Düsseldorf) is a central service institution of Heinrich Heine University. Along with Bonn and Münster, it is also one of th ...

) * (1680, 1683, 1686). * (1688), published by Cornelis Blankaart, bookseller in the

. * ''Lexicon Medicum Graco Latinum'' and many other medical treatises and books on anatomy and surgery. *''Schou-Burg der Rupsen, Wormen, Maden en Vliegende Dierkens daar uit voortkomende. Door eigen ondervindinge by een gebragt''. Amsterdam, J. ten Hoorn. A work on insects titled ''Showplace of caterpillars, worms, maggots and flying things'' (1688). A number of the plates in this work show exotic butterflies. The frontispiece shows two scientists at a table studying butterflies and a number of caterpillars. * . Aus der Niederteutschen in die hochteutsche Sprache übersetzet. Leipzig, Fr. Gelditsch, 1692.Blancard, Stephan
Akupunktur und Moxa
(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 �
digital edition
by the

* . Wucherer, Wien 1788 �
digital edition
by the

*
(1788).
*
(1788).
*
(1788).

References

External links

*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 {{DEFAULTSORT:Blankaart, Steven 1650 births 1704 deaths 17th-century Dutch physicians Dutch entomologists People from Middelburg, Zeeland University of Franeker alumni