William Cowper (anatomist)

[1] Some have called Cowper's Anatomy of the Humane Bodies one of the greatest acts of plagiarism in all of medical publishing, though others have not been as harsh.

In 1685, Govard Bidloo (1649–1713) published his Anatomia Humani Corporis in Amsterdam using 105 beautiful plates drawn by Gérard de Lairesse[2] (1640–1711) and engraved by Abraham Blooteling (1640–1690).

Cowper proceeded to write a new English text to accompany the plates, many of them showing a great deal of original research and fresh new insights.

He also commissioned nine new plates drawn by Henry Cooke (1642–1700) and engraved by Michiel van der Gucht (1660–1725), among which were front and back views of the entire musculature.

Whatever the truth may be, it is undeniable that Cowper was a great anatomist and surgeon in his own right – and that he clearly did not give Govard Bidloo proper credit for his involvement in this work.