Note 153 — A STUDY IN EARLY RENAISSANCE ANATOMY,
Reading edition
The mediaeval term, ‘vena chilis’, lasted in anatomy until the end of the sixteenth century and probably later. ‘Chilis’ is a corruption of the Greek κοίλη. This hybrid name was abandoned by Vesalius (Fabrica, 1543 Basle edition, p. 376) in favour of the title ‘vena cava’.