Herophilos, the father of modern science: a brief biography In ancient Greece in 335 BC a child was born in Chalcedon. This child would one day become one of the most influential parts of modern science and medicine as we know it. The child's name was Herophilos. Not much is known about Herophilus, except that he moved away from Chalcedon (now Turkey) and to Alexandria early in his life (1). When Herophilus finished his studies he became a teacher and author (1). There are nine known texts for which he is responsible, including his book “On Pulses,” which explains blood flow from the heart to the arteries (1). She also wrote a book that educates readers about the stages of childbirth, titled “Obstetrics” (1). Herophilos was a pioneer of many different medical branches. Herophilus' findings included a detailed description of the brain, which allowed him to demonstrate that the brain was the engine of human intellect (134). Herophilos began with autopsies, but not before studying with Praxagora (1). In many parts of the world it was illegal for anyone to dissect a body. Herophilus remained in Alexandria because it was legal for him to practice dissections. Herophilos began to feel very comfortable practicing these dissections, that he would do them in public and explain what he was doing (1) . Herophilus is believed to have founded a medical school in Alexandria and to have taken on an apprentice, Erasistratus (1). Herophilos, however, encountered some problems with his practice of medical sciences. It is said that Herophilos practiced vivisection on live criminals (1) . He used this practice to examine how the body's organs functioned while the person was alive, all without anesthetics (1). Herophilos u...... middle of sheet ......rn Civilization Volume I (seventeenth edition) New York, NY: Norton& CO. 2011, page 134Wills, Adrian. "Herophilus, Erasistratus and the birth of neuroscience". Lancet 354.9191 (1999): 1719-1720. Premier of academic research. EBSCO. Network. October 18, 2011 Khan, Ijaz A., Samantapudi K. Daya, and Ramesh M. Gowda. "Evolution of circulation theory". International Journal of Cardiology 98.3 (2005): 519-521. Premier of academic research. EBSCO. Network. October 18, 2011 Gillispie, C. C. (2008). Complete dictionary of scientific biography. Detroit, Michigan: Charles Scribner's Sons.Herophilus." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th edition (2010): 1.Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. October 18, 2011"Herophilus." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2005. Retrieved December 6, 2011 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3446400094.html