143 Wilhelm His 



he became acquainted with Ludwig's physiology which was then hetero- 

 dox and called forth severe criticism. Ludwig, very critical towards 

 others with pupils who were more so, kept the camp stirred up pretty 

 well; this had the right eifect upon his critics (His included) for they 

 studied the new physiology. Converts were made at a rapid rate and 

 before His had reached middle age, he found that both Virchow and Lud- 

 wig were very orthodox; the scientific world had come to them. 



In Wiirzburg, a great opportunity came to His — Virchow at once set 

 him at work in a good field to answer fundamental questions. Probably 

 the most important step in the life of a scientist is to be started aright 

 in research after a good preliminary training. The earlier this is done 

 the better. His was twenty-one years old, mature for his years and he 

 was given every opportunity to use all of his ingenuity and strength in 

 :answering important questions. Plenle and Virchow had crossed swords, 

 'but this did not make the great pathologist try to enslave the mind of 

 His in order to win a victory, but now as so frequently afterward, a 

 desire to know and to understand were Virchow's only considerations 

 in directing a pupil in his work. The results of His were not what 

 Virchow had anticipated for they showed that Bowman's corneal tubes 

 and Coccius' serous spaces were artifacts and had nothing whatever to do 

 with the system of connective-tissue spaces described by Virchow. But 

 His was encouraged to continue and the monograph upon the cornea 

 which he published a number of years later has proven to be a standard 

 until the present day. His had been in the arena and had shown his 

 prowess ; he had originality and strength as well as training from a great 

 master and henceforth during all his life he was to win victory after 

 ^victory for science. 



It was still necessary for His to take his medical degree and as was 

 customary with many at that time, he proceeded to Prague and A^ienna 

 to study with the great clinicians there. At the end of a year he re- 

 turned to Basel and passed his examination with the highest mark. 



The young student had received the best from his home, the school, the 

 gymnasium and the university of his native city, had wandered for four 

 years studying at famous foreign universities receiving information and 

 inspiration from the greatest masters — ^Miiller, Virchow, Kolliker and 

 many others — and had now returned to Basel to receive his degree. How 

 much longer must we wait for similar privileges in -America ? 



The following three years of leisure and lack of responsibility, those 

 in which the real stuff in a scholar is tested, were devoted to a continu- 

 ance of the work already so well begun.' Part of the time was passed in 

 his private laboratory, one of the years being broken by a journey to 



