["Medicinarn aspernari impietas est."--On the relationship of the Reformation and academic medicine in Wittenberg].

Philipp Melanchthon's university reform at Wittenberg which was due to Reformation mainly concerned the Arts faculty, but also affected the medical education. Influenced by Melanchthon's orations about medical subjects and by his textbooks on natural philosophy and anthropology, Wittenberg medicine was taught within the theological framework of evolving Protestantism. This was particularly true for the anatomical education: In the context of the protestant distinction between gospel and law anatomy was considered as part of the law. Anatomical knowledge was therefore regarded necessary for all students, not only for those becoming physicians. Furthermore it seems that the adoption of new anatomical findings (e.g. Vesal's corrections of Galen) was more promoted than hindered by the theological context of Wittenberg anatomy.