SKETCH OF THE ODOR SCHWANN, 263 



individuality with the existence of a single vital force, presiding 

 over the working of all the functions ? It would be necessary to 

 reject such a hypothesis and seek the reason of vital phenomena 

 in the properties of molecules and atoms, or else to assign a 

 vital force in miniature to each cell. Schwann insisted that the 

 hypothesis was both superfluous and insufficient. He could not 

 conceive its existence unless it possessed the attributes of intelli- 

 gent beings ; and preferred to seek the cause of the final purpose 

 in nature in the Creator rather than in the creature. 



Schwann was just putting in press the book containing his 

 microscopical researches and his later results, when he was in- 

 vited, in his twenty-ninth year, to take the place of Windischman 

 as Professor of Anatomy at Louvain. His position at Berlin was 

 pleasant, but overmodest, and offered no near prospects for pro- 

 motion. So he accepted the proffer, and prepared at the end of 

 1838 to remove. He had to meet a considerable difficulty, in the 

 beginning of his career at Louvain, from the necessity of speak- 

 ing in French ; but his lectures were successful, and still form 

 the basis of instruction in microscopic anatomy at the university. 

 During his term here he published a memoir on the uses of the 

 bile, the results of which, while it gave a new operation in physio- 

 logical technics, have not been fully confirmed ; applied Quetelet's 

 method of statistics to physiological phenomena; and attempted 

 the artificial production of organic elements. 



In 1848, Spring, of the University of Lie'ge, finding the com- 

 bined labors of the chairs of Physiology, General Anatomy, and 

 Comparative Anatomy too much for a single professor to perform, 

 asked to be relieved of a part of his burden. Schwann was 

 selected to fill the place, and was installed in November of the 

 same year Professor of Anatomy, Spring reserving to himself 

 the branches of osteology and myology till 1853, when the 

 whole course came under Schwann's charge. Some opposition 

 was expressed at first to the coming of a stranger to the univer- 

 sity ; but this soon passed away, for the brilliant reputation of 

 the new professor, the excellence of his teaching, and the loyalty 

 and amenity of his disposition silenced hostile comment, and won 

 hearts to him. In later years he refused several offers of brilliant 

 scientific positions in Germany — from Breslau in 1852, Wtirzburg 

 and Munich in 1854, and Giessen in 1855. In 1858 he exchanged 

 the chair of Descriptive Anatomy for that of Human Physiology, 

 and in 1870 became an emeritus professor. 



Clearness, order, and method are described by those who at- 

 tended his lectures as the characteristic qualities of Schwann's 

 teaching. His courses in physiology were eminently demonstra- 

 tive and experimental. Laboratory work always presented a 

 great attraction to him. He was interested in the development of 



