Background
Casseri was born c. 1552, in Piacenza, Italy, into a humble and quite poor family. His father, Luca, died at an early age; his mother, Margherita, survived her son. While still a youngster Casseri moved from Piacenza to Padua.
Via 8 Febbraio 1848, 2, 35122 Padova PD, Italy
Casseri received his doctorate in medicine and philosophy at Padua around 1580.
Via 8 Febbraio 1848, 2, 35122 Padova PD, Italy
Casseri received his doctorate in medicine and philosophy at Padua around 1580.
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1627
Casseri was born c. 1552, in Piacenza, Italy, into a humble and quite poor family. His father, Luca, died at an early age; his mother, Margherita, survived her son. While still a youngster Casseri moved from Piacenza to Padua.
In Padua, Casseri had the opportunity to serve the renowned Girolamo Fabrizio, public lecturer in anatomy and surgery at the University of Padua from 1565. He encouraged Casseri’s talents, who quickly proved himself, studying literature, especially the classics. He then enrolled in the Facoltà Artista and received his doctorate in medicine and philosophy at Padua around 1580. Besides Fabrizio, he also studied with Mercuriale.
Around 1585 Casseri was an established surgeon in full professional practice in Padua. Shortly before 1590, his financial situation improved, and he brought his mother and brother Teodoro to Padua. Casseri continued to dedicate himself to anatomical research and teaching. Sometimes he was called upon to substitute for the ailing Fabrizio in the anatomy classes, and he also gave private lessons that were well attended and well received. This, however, did not please Fabrizio, who did not always look kindly upon his pupil’s successes. The situation regarding the official teaching of anatomy and surgery - both conducted by Fabrizio - became insupportable around 1608. Fabrizio was no longer able to meet his teaching obligations. In decrees dated 25 August 1609, Fabrizio was given only the post of special lecturer in anatomy, and the title of public lecturer in surgery was conferred on Casseri. He also continued to give private lessons in anatomy, a subject to which he felt especially drawn and in which he would certainly have succeeded Fabrizio, had he not died before him.
Shortly after Casseri’s appointment as lecturer in surgery, Caspar Bartholin, who maintained friendship and admiration for Casseri, came to Padua. He also had the esteem and the veneration of the German students, whom he had defended when an attempt was made to deny them, as Protestants, the privilege of receiving their medical degrees through private instruction. On 3 January 1614, Fabrizio’s poor health caused him to be unable to deliver the anatomy lectures on corpses and Casseri took his place. He did not, however, want to hold the lectures in the famous anatomy theater, founded by Fabrizio in 1595, because he declared that there he would have taught only as an ordinary lecturer. Therefore, Casseri’s demonstrations were held in a theater, a good part of whose construction costs he had paid out of his own pocket, in the Palazzo del Capitanio. In January 1616, at the insistence of the Riformatori dello Studio and of the Capitanio, Casseri consented to hold his lectures in the theater in the Palazzo Céntrale of the university, which still exists. The course lasted three weeks and covered problems of angiology, neurology, myology, and osteology and related areas of pathology. The lectures were warmly received by the large audiences. Suddenly, a serious feverish illness struck Casseri. Five days later he died, on the evening of 8 March 1616. He was buried in the Church of the Hermits, almost opposite the door of the Mantegna Chapel.
Casseri achieved such fame as an anatomist during his lifetime that the universities of Parma and Turin offered him the chairs of anatomy. He always refused because he was convinced he would succeed Fabrizio at Padua, in the chair that had been held by Vesalius, Colombo, and Falloppio.
It is likely that Casseri married, but nothing is known of his wife or children.
