WILHELM HIS. 

 His Relation to Institutions of Learning. 



BY 



FRANKLIN P. MALL. 

 Professor of Anatomy, Johns Hopkins University. 



The ancient science of anatomy has been perpetuated and extended 

 during the many centuries of its existence by great men who have dedi- 

 cated their lives to it. The list is a long one for the development of the 

 science has been slow and progressive from the earliest ages to the present 

 time; we find in it on the one hand, some of the names of the greatest 

 who have ever lived — Aristotle, Vesalius — on the other, the names of 

 those who rank as leaders of a generation, Bichat, His. 



Undoubtedly the reason for the continuous progress of anatomy 

 through so many centuries is that man has always shown an interest in 

 a knowledge of his own structure and, in turn, that this knowledge has 

 been of great service in battling for rationalism against mysticism in 

 many directions. But in order that a science may progress, it must be 

 in the hands of able men with the highest ideals and with inexhaustible 

 zeal. The full benefits of a science cannot be obtained from its literature 

 alone; it is well known that countries without leaders in a science live 

 almost in ignorance of it. No science will develop to its fullness unless 

 it is represented by men who are great enough to grasp the science as a 

 whole and broad enough to understand its relation to cognate sciences 

 as well as to the needs of a civilized community. 



A man of this caliber was Wilhelm His. He was born of a distinguished 

 family which felt that it owed much to the community and therefore 

 educated its children for a strenuous life to be dedicated to the com- 

 munity. He was in no sense a self-made man though he had in him the 

 qualities to make one; his powers were fortunately developed under the 

 best possible conditions. His father taught him, by example, simplicity 

 in living, clearness of thought and seriousness of life. His mother, who 

 died while he was still a youth, guided his education Avith the greatest 

 care, laying much stress upon a good command of German. In a pri- 



American Journal op Anatomy. — Vol. IV. 

 10 



