Olaus Rudbeck
Olaus Rudbeck (also known as
Olof Rudbeck the Elder, to distinguish him from his son, and occasionally with the surname Latinized as
Olaus Rudbeckius) (
1630-
1702),
Swedish scientist and writer, professor of medicine at
Uppsala University and for several periods
rector magnificus of the same university. He was the son of Bishop
Johannes Rudbeckius, who was personal chaplain to King
Gustavus Adolphus, and the father of
Olof Rudbeck the Younger, who was ennobled in 1719 (noble family Rudbeck, nr. 1637).
Rudbeck was one of two early discoverers of the
lymphatic system in 1651 (see
History of anatomy in the 17th and 18th centuries) when he was young, contributing to the success of his early career. To facilitate his studies of human anatomy, he had a
cupola built on top of
Gustavianum, the university house, and in it was built an arena-like
Theatrum anatomicum, where dissection could be carried out in front of students. The cupola still remains and is a landmark in
Uppsala. The house, which stands in front of the cathedral, is now called
Gustavianum and is still part of the university.
Rudbeck was active in many scientific areas, including
astronomy, and left many traces still visible in the city of Uppsala today. He was also said to be a good singer with a strong voice. On the personal level, he was said to be very strong-willed.
Rudbeck also became involved in the rhetoric of the era.
Sweden had ascended to a position as a
great power in Europe, and as is usual, there was a need for an "intellectual reason" for this power. Rudbeck, partially for this purpose, wrote
Atlantica, where he argues that Scandinavia, specifically Sweden, is identical with the sunken
Atlantis.
Rudbeck has been called "the first Swede to make a scientific discovery." Unfortunately, much of his work was lost in the fire that destroyed most of Uppsala in
1702. During the course of the fire, Rudbeck himself directed the people of the city, shouting orders from a roof while his house burned down. Shortly after the fire, Rudbeck died.
Alfred Nobel was a descendant of Rudbeck through his daughter Wendela, who married one of her father's former students, Peter Olai Nobelius.
*
Olof Rudbeck the Younger* King, David.
"Finding Atlantis: A True Story of Genius, Madness, and an Extraordinary Quest for a Lost World." Harmony Books, New York, 2005. ISBN 1-4000-4752-8.
