Bartholomaei Eustachii Sanctoseverinatis medici ac philosophi Opuscula anatomica

In 1562 and 1563 Bartolomeo Eustachi (circa 1505-1574) wrote a series of anatomical treatises on the kidneys (De Renum Structura), the organ of hearing (De Auditus Organis), the venous system (De Vena quae Azygos Graecis Dicitur) and the teeth (De Dentibus), which he issued together with the annotations of his relative, Pier Matteo Pini (born circa 1540) under the title Opuscula Anatomica. The treatise on the kidney, the first work devoted specifically to that organ, showed a detailed knowledge of the kidney surpassing any earlier work; it contained the first account of the adrenal (suprarenal) gland and a correct determination of the relative levels of the kidneys. The treatise on the ear provided the first post-classical account of the Eustachian tube, while the work on the azygos vein contained the first description of the thoracic duct and of the valvula venae in the right ventricle of the heart, the so-called "Eustachian valve."

In his treatise on dentistry Eustachi was the first to study the teeth in any great detail: basing his work on the dissection of fetuses and stillborn infants, he gave an important description of the first and second dentitions, described the hard outer tissue and soft inner structure of the teeth, and attempted an explanation of the problem (not yet completely solved) of the sensitivity of the tooth's hard structure. This last work was also issued separately; it bears its own title-leaf dated 1563.

The work contains 8 engraved full-page text illustrations probably drawn by Eustachi and Pier Matteo Pini, and engraved by Giulio de Musi (fl. 1550). Pini also prepared the 168 pages of annotations to Eustachi's anatomical treatises. The illustrations are on the unnumbered pages between pp. 1-20 (first series). These plates are the first 8 in the series of 47 anatomical plates that Eustachi and Pini prepared in 1552, and the only ones of that series to be published during Eustachi's lifetime.--J. Norman, 2006.