LIFE AND WORKS 



OF 



NICOLAUS STENO 



I 



ICOLAUS STENO ° was born in Copenhagen, the 

 capital of Denmark, in 1638. His father was a well* 

 to*do and intelligent tradesman of a respectable fa* 

 mily, who in his capacity of jeweller did much work 

 for the Danish King, Christian IV. When a boy Steno 

 was of delicate health, and he himself relates how 

 he would much rather listen to the discourse of 

 grown*up people, than play with children of his own age. He 

 received a liberal education, and in the grammar*school, which he 

 frequented, he had, besides the headmaster Jergen Eilersen (Geovgius 

 Hilavius) several able teachers, among whom was the young and 

 clever, later on so well*known Ole Borch (Olaus Borrichius). The 

 latter was deeply interested in medicine and natural science, espe* 

 cially chemistry, to the study of which he made valuable contribu* 

 tions; at the same time he was a prominent philologist, and was early 

 appointed Professor at the University of Copenhagen. He spent 

 some time in Holland, where he met with Steno, who often mentions 

 him in his Treatises and Letters, and with whom he always remained 

 on intimate terms. 



In 1656 Steno entered the University of his native town, where he 

 began to study medicine in connection with the related branches of 

 natural science. At the University of Copenhagen these studies were 

 at this period pursued with great zeal and ability by a series of 

 great scholars, the members of a few prominent families. Among the 

 most renowned, some of whom, however, were dead at the time of 

 Steno's entering upon his studies, may be mentioned the physical 

 philosopher Jacob Finke; the astronomer Christen Longomontanus, the 

 pupil and co-operator of Tycho Brahe; and the physicians Casper Bar= 



') The Danish form of this name is Niels Steensen, while the latinized form, generally used 

 by its owner, was Nicolaus Stenonis. The form Stenonius also frequently occurs as well as the 

 French Stenon and the Italian Stenone. The form usually adopted in our days is Sfeno, which 

 is due to the erroneous conception that Stenonis was really the genitive case of a name Steno. 



Copenha* 



gen 1638 



-1660. 



