Eponymous of migraine spectra of fortification: Vauban or Sanmicheli?

Abstract

The most frequent type of aura preceding the migraine headache is the visual one. The visual perception of the migraineur can be variegated, the most common being a zig-zag pattern of luminous lines, the complete denomination of this phenomenon being "fortification spectra of Vauban". We investigated on original sources about the origin of this complex denomination and more in detail about the eponym and the priority on the construction of the Reinassance fortification. This kind of visual aura was compared to Reinassance fortifications by John Fothergill. (1712-1780). In 1870 Hubert Airy, reporting on his own attack of migraine with aura, compared the visual disturbance to a fortified town with its bastions of a colourful appearance. Moreover, realising the illusory nature of these images, he called them "fortification spectra". Later on, William Gowers (1845-1915), with reference to ".its projecting and reintrant angles bearing resemblance to the plan which the French engineer Vauban first described as the most effective for the defence of a fortress.", introduced the term "fortification of Vauban", that since then has been largely used. Historically, these kinds of fortifications were first developed in early sixteen century in Italy by Michele Sanmicheli (1484-1559), a Venetian military engineer, when medieval tall courtains and circular towers were substituted with low and thicker walls and polygonal bastions, to face the destroying power of the new mobile siege guns. Only later Sébastien Le Prestre De Vauban (1633-1707), at the service of Louis XIV, the Sun King, greatly contributed to the development of this branch of military engineering. With reference to the visual aura, the eponym "fortifications spectra of Vauban" should be substituted for that "of Sanmicheli".