Scarpa, Antonio (1747–1832)

Italian anatomist and surgeon. He was one of the greatest clinical surgeons in Europe and was known especially for his work on the anatomy of the ear, nerve ganglia, and bones. He first demonstrated the innervation of the heart in Tabulae Nevrologicae (1794). He was also a skilful ophthalmologist.

Scarpa was born in Motta, near Treviso, Italy. He was one of the more celebrated pupils of Giovanni Morgagni, the founder of pathological anatomy. Scarpa became professor of anatomy and surgery at Modena in 1772, and was professor of anatomy at Pavia from 1783–1803, and of surgery from 1787–1812. He had an anatomical amphitheatre built at Modena, which is still in existence.