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Sir WM. BOWMAN. 



18 16-1892. 



THE year 1816 saw the birth of two great English men of science, 

 whose names are associated with epoch-making discoveries, 

 Wm. Bowman and A. Waller. Cheshire (Nantwich) and not 

 Lancashire was the birthplace of Wm. Bowman. After gaining 

 renown as an anatomist and physiologist — 



" He stepped naturally and easily into the position of leader and representative of 

 ophthalmic medicine and surgery, holding the same position in this country, though 

 for a far longer period, that was occupied in Germany by his friend Von Graefe, 

 and in Holland by his still more intimate associate Donders." 



Desiring to enter the medical profession, he was apprenticed, at 

 the age of sixteen, to Mr. Joseph Hodgson, a member of the Society 

 of Friends, in Birmingham. In 1837 he went to King's College, 

 London, where he rilled various offices in connection with anatomy 

 and physiology, and where he made the acquaintance of John (after- 

 wards Sir) Simon, R. B. Todd, Wm. (afterwards Sir) Fergusson. 



He was on the surgical staff' of King's College Hospital for several 

 years, but his chief field of clinical labour and success was in the 

 Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital, Moorfields (1846-1876). 



In matters physiological, Bowman's name is associated with four 

 cardinal discoveries, striated muscle (1840-41), mucous membranes 

 and basement membranes, kidney (1842), ciliary region of the eyeball 

 (1847). 



The year 1839 marks the publication of Schwann's Cell Theory. 

 The year 1835-36 marks an event in the history of British anatomy 

 and physiology — the beginning of the publication of the Cyclopaedia of 

 Anatomy and Physiology, by R. B. Todd, which was finished in 1859. 

 Be it remembered that Vol. I. of R. Wagner's Handworterbuch 

 appeared in 1842. 



The Physiological Anatomy and Physiology of Man (1843-56), by 

 Todd and Bowman, well repays perusal even at the present day. It 

 marks an epoch in physiology and histology. The wealth of detail in 

 the latter subject reflects not only the progress of histological discovery, 

 but to that wealth Wm. Bowman added by his own labours no 

 inconsiderable store. 



Bowman's paper On the Minute Structure and Movements of Volun- 

 tary Muscle (Phil. Trans.) gave us the first clear picture of this structure. 

 In all the plates illustrating Bowman's work we find " W. Bowman 

 ad naturam del." The muscle story is a long one, but we would 

 mention the work of Wm. Murray Dobie, of Chester, a veteran still 



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