Antonio Benivieni


Antonio di Paolo Benivieni was a Florentine physician who pioneered the use of the autopsy and many medical historians have considered him a founder of pathology.

Early life and education

Benivieni was born in Florence, Italy. His father was a nobleman, notary, and a member of a prominent and wealthy Florentine family. Benivieni's early education was provided bu tutors and he then studied medicine at the University of Pisa and Siena.

Contributions to medicine

Benivieni returned to Florence after completing his medical studies and practiced medicine for more than 30 years. He was considered a skilled diagnostician and praised for his ability to treat difficult cases.
Benivieni published a treatise entitled De Abditis Morborum Causis which is now considered one of the first works in the science of pathology. Some of the protocols developed by Benivieni are similar to those used in autopsies to this day, and he has been referred to as the "father of pathologic anatomy."