Welcome to the Bibliotheca Anatomica Database.

I have always been fascinated by old anatomy books, their plates and their bindings. This Bibliotheca Anatomica Database project dates back to my first years of medical studies, that is to the early 1980s, when I could find a reprint of Albrecht von Haller masterpiece Bibliotheca Anatomica (1774-1777). But very quickly, I realized the enormity of my project. A book form edition had little chance to be accepted by a publisher and could not be regularly updated: it was time to turn to the internet.

This website describes as accurately as possible most anatomy books published between 1476 and 1950 (more recent books of historical importance, such as reprints and anatomical bibliographies, may however be included in this bank): author(s) name(s), title, date of publication, imprint, language, editions, translations and translators, reprints, pagination, plates and text illustrations, drawers and engravers, historical comments including short biographical data, and bibliographical references (hundreds of medical and anatomical bibliographies, private collections and public libraries catalogues, and booksellers catalogues have been compiled).

Please note that the authors are not listed in alphabetical order but according to my discoveries. Access to this site is free and its content is regularly updated.

Régis Olry, md, msc,

Full Professor of Anatomy

Department of Anatomy, University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres

C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, Qc, Canada G9A 5H7