An Acknowledgment of Deceased AGA Members

Jacob Benignus Winslow (1669 –1760) was born in Odense, Denmark, the son of a Lutheran pastor whose family originated in Sweden. Inclined to religion, he nevertheless chose to study medicine, first in Holland and later in France, a choice doubtlessly influenced by his great-uncle Nils Stensen (1638 –1686), for whom the salivary duct is named. In Paris, Winslow became a favorite student of the celebrated anatomist Joseph Duverney (1648 –1730). At age 30, he renounced his Protestant faith and embraced Catholicism, whereupon he was disowned by his family. Despite being deprived of his family’s support, he persisted in his career and eventually succeeded to the chair in anatomy formerly occupied by his mentor. In 1732, he published a 4-volume textbook of human anatomy that was a standard reference for nearly a century. In this treatise is a clear description of the epiploic foramen through which the greater and lesser peritoneal sacs communicate.