CHAPTER VI 



HELMHOLTZ IN KONIGSBERG MEASUREMENT OF THE 

 RAPIDITY OF THE NERVOUS IMPULSE 



IN 1849, m n ' s twenty-ninth year, Helmholtz was 

 appointed to the Chair of Physiology and General 

 Pathology in the University of Konigsberg. Here 

 he spent six busy years, fully engaged in teaching 

 and investigation. In the year of his removal, 1849, 

 no contributions appeared, and we can readily believe 

 the youthful professor was establishing himself in his 

 new sphere of duty. 



Early in this year, also, he married Miss Olga 

 Von Velten, of Potsdam, who died soon after his 

 settlement in Heidelberg in 1859. Two children 

 were born of this marriage a daughter, who became 

 the wife of Professor Branco, a well-known geologist, 

 and a son, who is an engineer in Munich, still sur- 

 vives. Helmholtz loved a quiet home life, with the 

 pleasures of congenial society and music, to which he 

 was devoted. He was an accomplished pianist, and 

 he sang a little, but his voice was not strong. As 

 his days were devoted to scientific labour, and as he 

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