History of the discovery of hepatic lobule. On the 175th anniversary of the birth of Francis Kiernan (1800-1874)

Abstract

Francis Kiernan (1800-1874) was an eminent Irish anatomist and physician. He is best known for his detailed work on the anatomy of the liver, for which he received the Copley Medal from the Royal Society in 1836. Kiernan also successfully founded a private course in anatomy in London, establishing himself as an excellent lecturer and teacher, but this later led to resistance from the authorities of the Royal College of Surgeons. In 1836, F. Kiernan was one of the founders of the Senate of the University of London and for several years served as an examiner in anatomy and physiology. He was also a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. His work “The Anatomy and Physiology of the Liver” was published in 1833 and included detailed anatomical descriptions of the structures of the liver with detailed illustrations. Kiernan's studies of the liver brought clarity to problematic aspects of liver morphology and served as a springboard for further study of this organ by subsequent generations of scientists.