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Francesco Redi

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Francesco Redi
Portrait byJacob Ferdinand Voet
Born(1626-02-18)18 February 1626
Arezzo,Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Died1 March 1697(1697-03-01)(aged 71)
Pisa,Grand Duchy of Tuscany
NationalityTuscan
Alma materUniversity of Pisa
Known forExperimental biology
Parasitology
Criticism ofspontaneous generation
Scientific career
FieldsMedicine,entomology,parasitology,linguistics

Francesco Redi(18 February 1626 – 1 March 1697) was anItalianphysician,naturalist,biologist,andpoet.[1]He is referred to as the "founder ofexperimental biology",[2][3]and as the "father of modernparasitology".[4][5]He was the first person to challenge the theory ofspontaneous generationby demonstrating thatmaggotscome from eggs offlies.[6][7]

Having a doctoral degree in bothmedicineandphilosophyfrom theUniversity of Pisaat the age of 21, he worked in various cities of Italy. A rationalist of his time, he was a critic of verifiable myths, such as spontaneous generation.[8]His most famous experiments are described in hismagnum opusEsperienze intorno alla generazione degl'insetti(Experiments on the Generation of Insects), published in 1668. He disproved thatvipersdrink wine and could break glasses, and that their venom was poisonous when ingested. He correctly observed that snake venoms were produced from thefangs,not thegallbladder,as was believed. He was also the first to recognize and correctly describe details of about 180parasites,includingFasciola hepaticaandAscaris lumbricoides.He also distinguishedearthwormsfromhelminths(like tapeworms, flukes, and roundworms). He possibly originated the use of thecontrol,the basis ofexperimental designin modern biology. A collection of his poems first published in 1685Bacco in Toscana(Bacchus in Tuscany) is considered among the finest works of 17th-century Italian poetry, and for which the Grand DukeCosimo IIIgave him a medal of honor.

Biography[edit]

Doctor Redi

The son of Gregorio Redi and Cecilia de Ghinci, Francesco Redi was born inArezzoon 18 February 1626. His father was a renowned physician atFlorence.After schooling with theJesuits,Francesco Redi attended theUniversity of Pisafrom where he obtained his doctoral degrees in medicine and philosophy in 1647, at the age of 21.[4]He constantly moved, toRome,Naples,Bologna,Padua,andVenice,and finally settled in Florence in 1648. Here he was registered at theCollegio Medicowhere he served at the Medici Court as both the head physician and superintendent of the ducalapothecarytoFerdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscanyand his successor,Cosimo III.It is here that most of his academic works were achieved, which earned him membership inAccademia dei Lincei.He was also a member of theAccademia del Cimento(Academy of Experiment) from 1657 to 1667.[9]

He died in his sleep on 1 March 1697 in Pisa and his remains were returned to Arezzo for interment.[10][11]

A collection of his letters is held at the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland.[12]

Scientific career[edit]

Experimental toxicology[edit]

In 1664 Redi wrote his first monumental workOsservazioni intorno alle vipere(Observations on Vipers) to his friend Lorenzo Magalotti, secretary of theAccademia del Cimento.In this he began to break the prevailing scientific myths (which he called "unmasking of the untruths" ) such asvipersdrink wine and shatter glasses, theirvenomis poisonous if swallowed, the head of dead viper is anantidote,the viper's venom is produced from thegallbladder,and so on. He explained rather how snake venom is unrelated to the snake’s bite, an idea contrary to popular belief.[13]He performed a series of experiments on the effects of snakebites, and demonstrated that venom was poisonous only when it enters thebloodstreamvia a bite, and that thefangcontains venom in the form of yellow fluid.[9][14]He even showed that by applying a tightligaturebefore the wound, the passage of venom into theheartcould be prevented. This work marked the beginning of experimentaltoxinology/toxicology.[15][16]

Entomology and spontaneous generation[edit]

Main article:Spontaneous generation
Esperienze intorno alla generazione degl'insettifrontcover

Redi is best known for his series ofexperiments,published in 1668 asEsperienze intorno alla generazione degl'insetti(Experiments on the Generation of Insects), which is regarded as his masterpiece and a milestone in the history of modern science. The book is one of the first steps in refuting "spontaneous generation"—a theory also known as Aristotelianabiogenesis.At the time, prevailing wisdom was thatmaggotsarose spontaneously from rotting meat.[6]

A modern rendering of Redi's experiment on abiogenesis

Redi took six jars and divided them into two groups of three: In one experiment, in the first jar of each group, he put an unknown object; in the second, a dead fish; in the last, a raw chunk ofveal.Redi covered the tops of the first group of jars with finegauzeso that only air could get into it. He left the other group open. After several days, he saw maggots appear on the objects in the open jars, on which flies had been able to land, but not in the gauze-covered jars. In the second experiment, meat was kept in three jars. One of the jars was uncovered, and two of the jars were covered, one with cork and the other one with gauze. Flies could only enter the uncovered jar, and in this, maggots appeared. In the jar that was covered with gauze, maggots appeared on the gauze but did not survive.[17][18]

Illustration from RediʼsEsperienze intorno alla generazione degl'insetti

Redi continued his experiments by capturing the maggots and waiting for them to metamorphose, which they did, becoming flies. Also, when dead flies or maggots were put in sealed jars with dead animals or veal, no maggots appeared, but when the same thing was done with living flies, maggots did. His interpretations were always based on biblical passages, such as his famous adage:omne vivum ex vivo( "All life comes from life" ).[4][19]

Parasitology[edit]

Redi was the first to describeectoparasitesin hisEsperienze intorno alla generazione degl'insetti.His notable illustrations in the book are those relevant toticks,including deer ticks and tiger ticks; it also contains the first depiction of the larva ofCephenemyiinae,the nasal flies of deer, as well as the sheep liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica). His nexttreatisein 1684 titledOsservazioni intorno agli animali viventi che si trovano negli animali viventi(Observations on Living Animals, that are in Living Animals) recorded the descriptions and the illustrations of more than 100 parasites. In it he also differentiates theearthworm(generally regarded as ahelminth) andAscaris lumbricoides,the human roundworm. An important innovation from the book is his experiments inchemotherapyin which he employed the "control"', the basis ofexperimental designin modern biological research.[2][4][20]He described some 180 species of parasites. Perhaps, his most significant observation was that parasites produce eggs and develop from them, which contradicted the prevailing opinion that they are produced spontaneously.[21]

Statue of Francesco Redi on the Uffizi Gallery (Piazzale degli Uffizi) in Florence. At his feet is a copy ofBacco in Toscana.

Literary career[edit]

As apoet,Redi is best known for thedithyrambBacco in Toscana(Bacchusin Tuscany), which first appeared in 1685. His bacchanalian poem in praise ofTuscan winesis still read in Italy today.[9]He was admitted to two literary societies: theAcademy of Arcadiaand theAccademia della Crusca.[10]He was an active member of Crusca and supported the preparation of theTuscan dictionary.[22]He taught the Tuscan language as alettore pubblico di lingua toscanain Florence in 1666. He also composed many other literary works, including hisLetters,andArianna Inferma.[9]

Eponyms[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Francesco Redi".Encyclopædia Britannica.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Archivedfrom the original on 23 October 2013.Retrieved22 October2013.
  2. ^abLeikola A (1977–78). "Francesco Redi as a pioneer of experimental biology".Lychnos Lardomshist Samf Arsb.1977–78 (1–3): 115–122.PMID11628017.
  3. ^Ioli, A; Petithory, JC; Théodoridès, J (1997). "Francesco Redi and the birth of experimental parasitology".Histoire des sciences médicales.31(1): 61–6.PMID11625103.
  4. ^abcdeRoncalli Amici R (2001)."The history of Italian parasitology"(PDF).Veterinary Parasitology.98(1–3): 3–10.doi:10.1016/S0304-4017(01)00420-4.PMID11516576.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 23 October 2013.
  5. ^Mehlhorn H (2008).Encyclopedia of Parasitology, Volumes 1-2(3 ed.). Springer-Verlag. p. 610.ISBN978-3540489948.Archivedfrom the original on 24 June 2016.{{cite book}}:|journal=ignored (help)
  6. ^abLevine R, Evers C."The Slow Death of Spontaneous Generation (1668-1859)".Archived fromthe originalon 26 April 2008.Retrieved18 April2013.
  7. ^"Francesco Redi and Controlled Experiments".www.scientus.org.Retrieved10 December2018.
  8. ^"Francesco Redi".brunelleschi.imss.fi.it.27 February 2008.Retrieved10 December2018.
  9. ^abcdHawgood BJ (2003). "Francesco Redi (1626-1697): Tuscan philosopher, physician and poet".Journal of Medical Biography.11(1): 28–34.doi:10.1177/096777200301100108.PMID12522497.S2CID23575162.
  10. ^abFrancesco Redi of Arezzo (1909) [1668]. Mab Bigelow (translation and notes) (ed.).Experiments on the Generation of Insects.Chicago: Open Court.ISBN9780527744007.Retrieved2 March2010.
  11. ^Francesco Redi of Arezzo (1825) [1685]. Leigh Hunt (translation and notes) (ed.).Bacchus in Tuscany.London: Printed by J. C. Kelly for John and H. L. Hunt.Retrieved2 March2010.
  12. ^"Francesco Redi Letters 1683-1693".National Library of Medicine.
  13. ^Francesco Redi (1988). Knoefel PK (ed.).Francesco Redi on Vipers.Leiden, the Netherlands: E.J. Brill. pp. 11–17.ISBN9004089489.Archivedfrom the original on 30 April 2016.Retrieved18 April2013.
  14. ^abHabermehl GG (1994). "Francesco Redi¬—life and work".Toxicon.32(4): 411–417.doi:10.1016/0041-0101(94)90292-5.PMID8052995.
  15. ^Buettner KA (2007).Francesco Redi (The Embryo Project Encyclopedia ).ISSN1940-5030.Archived fromthe originalon 19 June 2010.Retrieved18 April2013.
  16. ^Hayes AN, Gilbert SG (2009). "Historical milestones and discoveries that shaped the toxicology sciences".Molecular, Clinical and Environmental Toxicology.Experientia Supplementum. Vol. 99. pp. 1–35.doi:10.1007/978-3-7643-8336-7_1.ISBN978-3-7643-8335-0.PMID19157056.{{cite book}}:|journal=ignored (help)
  17. ^Redi F."Esperienze intorno alla generazione degl'insetti fatte da Francesco Redi".Archivedfrom the original on 3 September 2012.
  18. ^Barnett B (30 September 2011)."Francesco Redi and Spontaneous Generation".Archived fromthe originalon 23 May 2013.Retrieved18 April2013.
  19. ^Gottdenker P (1979). "Francesco Redi and the fly experiments".Bull Hist Med.53(4): 575–592.PMID397843.
  20. ^Ioli A, Petithory JC, Théodoridès J (1997). "Francesco Redi and the birth of experimental parasitology".Hist Sci Med.31(1): 61–66.PMID11625103.
  21. ^Bush AO, Fernández JC, Esch GW, Seed JR (2001).Parasitism: The Diversity and Ecology of Animal Parasites.Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p.4.ISBN0521664470.
  22. ^One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Francesco Redi".Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  23. ^SpaceRef (14 August 2004)."NASA Mars Odyssey THEMIS Image: Promethei Terra".Retrieved18 April2013.[permanent dead link]
  24. ^International Society on Toxinology."IST Redi Awards".Archived fromthe originalon 4 October 2013.Retrieved18 April2013.
  25. ^REDIA – Journal of Zoology."History".Archivedfrom the original on 4 October 2013.Retrieved18 April2013.
  26. ^"Vipera aspis francisciredi".Integrated Taxonomic Information System.Retrieved2 May2015.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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