The pancreatic duct in humans was first identified by Johann Georg Wirsung during the dissection of a man recently hanged for murder. While the existence of this anatomical feature had been noted previously in a rooster by student Moritz Hofmann in 1641, Wirsung confirmed its significance in human physiology before his death in 1643.
Anatomical Training and Practice
Born in Augsburg, Bavaria, in 1589, Wirsung pursued medical studies in Paris under the guidance of Jean Riolan. He eventually moved to Padua, where he served as a prosector under Johannes Wesling. He maintained this position for 14 years, working within the scholarly environment of Padua that allowed for rigorous dissection and anatomical examination.
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Rather than utilizing a traditional publishing route, Wirsung chose to document his discovery of the pancreatic duct through a copper plate engraving. He produced several imprints of this sketch and distributed them among prominent anatomists across Europe. He also formally described his findings in correspondence with Jean Riolan, who subsequently designated the structure as the duct of Wirsung.
Assassination and Legacy
On 22 August 1643, Wirsung was standing at the entrance to his room at Pratense College when he was confronted by three individuals. He was shot by a Flemish physician named Jacobus Cambier. Wirsung identified his attacker before he died. Following his death, his estate, consisting of nearly 400 books and various drawings, was transferred to his cousins. His remains were interred in an unmarked crypt at St. Anthony’s Basilica in Padua.
Fast facts
- Born: 3 July 1589, Augsburg
- Died: 22 August 1643, Padua
- Occupation: Pathologist, anatomist, physician
- Notable contribution: Identification of the pancreatic duct
- Mentor: Johannes Wesling
- Teacher: Jean Riolan
- Burial site: St. Anthony’s Basilica
- Cause of death: Assassination by firearm
Questions readers ask
How was the pancreatic duct discovered?
Wirsung identified the duct during the anatomical dissection of a person who had been executed by hanging.
Why was Wirsung killed?
He was murdered as a result of a professional rivalry with a Flemish physician named Jacobus Cambier.