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STENSEN, NIELS, also known as Nicolaus Steno
(b. Copenhagen, Denmark, 1%6111 January 1638; d.
Schwerin, Germany, 25 November/5 December
1686), anatomy, geology, mineralogy.
that they were fossil shark's teeth. This led
to his paleontological, geological, and mineralogical
discoveries.
Scarcely eighteen months later his great work,
the Prodromus, which outlines the principles of
modern geology, was printed. The book presents
only the outlines of a discussion, yet almost every
sentence or paragraph contains new insights.
After an introductory methodological discussion,
Stensen states his purpose: “to find, in the case of
a body possessed of a certain shape and produced
on the basis of natural laws, the proofs in the body
itself which reveal the site and the type of its origin.”
There follow three important sections: the
first concerning the relationship in time between
the enclosing body and the body enclosed; the
second, the determination of the site and origin of
a solid body; and the third, the role of fluids in
nature.
In the third section Stensen states such important
findings as the fundamental difference between
inorganic bodies formed by apposition, and organic
bodies formed by internal susception. In the third
part the individual enclosing and enclosed bodies
are considered. In the central section on geological
strata Stensen presents his sediment theory, the
time sequence and material of the strata, and data
on the site of the stratification. After general observations
concerning the effects on the strata of the
changes of form through the forces of water and
fire, there follows a special section on the origin of
mountains. He discusses the sites of ores and minerals
and includes an interesting section on crystals.
At the end of the section, in drawings and two
brief sentences, he states the law of the constancy
of crystallic angles. The fourth main part of the
work offers an application of the new finding to the
geology of Tuscany, which is summarized in six
stages of development and illustrated with six
drawings. Finally he suggests the possible adaptation
of all new findings to the generally prevailing
world picture. Although Stensen introduced the
concept of chronology and the history of the earth,
he had little awareness of the actual duration of
geological time.
A glance back to the first main part of the Prodromus
shows the value of Stensen's methodological
directives. He demanded that in the solution of a
problem the questions connected with it be considered,
that facts be distinguished from assumptions,
and that the individual result be examined in
connection with the history of science.
In the preface to his last great dissection of a
female body (1673) Stensen states the spiritual
side of his point of view. He calls the anatomist the
index finger of God, addresses science as the servant
of life, and declares himself a member of three
realms (nature, mind, and faith) and does so in the
name of beauty.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
I. ORIGINAL WORKS.
Collected works of Stensen's
writings are Nicolai Stenonis opera philosophica, Vilhelm
Maar, ed., 2 vols. (Copenhagen, 1910), which includes
the scientific works; Nicolai Stenonis opera theologica
. . ., Knud Larsen and Gustav Scherz, eds.
(Copenhagen, 1941, 1947), the theological and ascetical
writings; Nicolae Stenonis epistolae et epistolae ad eum
datae . . ., Gustav Scherz, ed., 2 vols. (Copenhagen-Fribourg,
1952), which includes Stensen's correspondence
with an introduction on the correspondents, notes,
and documents; and Pionier der Wissenschaft, Niels
Stensen in seinen Schriften (Copenhagen, 1963), with a
short biography and selected texts with introductions.
Stensen's most important writings include Observationes
anatomicae, . . . (Leiden, 1662), which consists
of four treatises, including Stensen's Disputatio
anatomica de glandulis oris . . . (1661); De musculis et
glandulis (Copenhagen, 1664), which includes two letters:
“De anatome rajae epistola” and “De vitelli in intestina
pulli transitu epistola”; Elementorum myologiae
specimen (Florence, 1666%611667), also published as Bibliotheca
anatomica (London, 1709 - 1714), an abridged
English version; Discours . . . sur l'anatomie du cerveau
(Paris, 1669), also published in G. Scherz, Nicolaus
Steno's Lecture on the Anatomy of the Brain
(Copenhagen, 1965); and De solido intra solidum naturaliter
contento dissertationis prodromus (Florence,
1669), trans. by H. O[ldenburg], The Prodromus to a
Dissertation Concerning Solids Naturally Contained
Within Solids . . . (London, 1671), and by John G. Winter,
The Prodromus of Nicolas Steno's Dissertation
Concerning a Solid Body Enclosed by Process of Nature
Within a Solid (New York, 1916).
See also Prooemium demonstrationum anatomicarum
in Theatro Hafniensi anni 1673, in Acata Faniensia
(1673); Nicolai Stenonis ad novae philosophiae reformatorem
de vera philosophia epistola (Florence, 1675);
Nicolai Stenonis de propria conversione epistola
(Florence, 1677); and Parochorum hoc age seu evidens
demonstratio quod parochus teneatur omnes alias occupationes
dimittere et suae attendere perfectioni ut commissas
sibi oves ad statum salutis aeternae ipsis a
Christo praeparatum perducat (Florence, 1684).
II. SECONDARY LITERATURE.
General biographies
about Stensen are M. Bierbaum, Niels Stensen. Von der
Anatomie zur Theologie (Münster, 1959); R. Cioni,
Niels Stensen. Scientist-Bishop (New York, 1962);
A. D. Jörgensen, Niels Stensen (Copenhagen, 1958); and