A HISTORICAL EXCURSION INTO THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MECHANISM OF HUMAN CONCEPTION

Two scientific revolutions occurred in the medicine of Western Europe in the 17—19-th centuries, which determined the complete disproof of the anatomical, physiological, general pathological, therapeutic-and-diagnostic, and prophylactic ideas that had been dominant over 15 centuries and the emergence of qualitatively new beliefs in the principles of the vital activity of the human body, the essence of diseases, as well as approaches to their treatment and prevention. A radical revision of traditional ideas about sexual processes became one of the most important aspects of revolutionary changes, which is covered by many largest natural scientists in the 17—19th centuries. Galen’s main views on conception are briefly outlined; the studies by W. Harvey and R.De Graaf are shown to play a role in their disproof. The basic conception theories that emerged in the 17—18-th centuries are analyzed. Major natural scientific breakthroughs in the study of spermatogenesis, oogenesis, and fertilization in the 19-th century are given; the emergence of hypotheses close to the present views on conception was historically reconstructed. The present publication contains historical information on the views of human conception in the period of scientific revolutions in the 17—19-th centuries.

spermatozoon, ovum, conception, fertilization