noted are the articles in Botanisk Tidsskrift vol. 28, p. 185—198 by 

 KoLDERUP RosENViNGE Ph. D. and Ber. d. Deutschen Botanischen Ge? 

 sellschaft vol. XXVI a (47-55) by F. K0LPIN Ravn Ph. D. A more 

 copious biography is being prepared. 



In order to give a better idea of the significance of Rostrup to the 

 development of the mycology and the phytopathology of Denmark 

 I shall give a short account of the history of these branches of science 

 in this country before the time of Rostrup. 



DANISH MYCOLOGISTS PREVIOUS TO ROSTRUP. 



In the middle of the 17. century the study of the different branches 

 of natural science made great progress at the University of Coptnf 

 hagen under such men as Thomas Fincke, Ole Worm, Olav Borch, 

 Otto Sperling, Nic. Steno, Thomas Bartholin etc. In this period, 

 medical science was developing and pharmacy, anatomy and surgery 

 were beginning to assume more independent forms. Danish scholars 

 were in active communication with those of foreign countries, they 

 were studying at the universities of Leyden, Paris, Padua etc., and 

 foreign scholars came to Denmark either to settle, or to pay a visit 

 to the country. The close relation of botany to medicine and phar? 

 macy caused its introduction into the University; the first botanical 

 garden or »hortus medicus« had already been started about 1600, but 

 neither by that time nor during the succeeding 150 years was botany 

 an independent subject at the University; it depended on the medical 

 professor alone how much time might be spent in this study. 



The first professor of the University who occupied himself with 

 the botanical investigation of Denmark was Simon Paulli. He held 

 the office of professor of medicine from 1639 till he died in 1680. 

 Paulli was born in Rostock on April 6. 1603, but he came to Den« 

 mark while a boy and always considered Denmark his native country. 

 He was especially interested in botany, and at least once a week he 

 went outside the walls of the town "herbatim" with the pharmaceu* 

 tical and medical students. His principal work "Flora Danica" or "Dansk 

 Urtebog" is a very considerable work in quarto. All plants known 

 in Denmark at that time both wild and cultivated, are considered 

 especially in regard to their medical use, which is to be expected from 

 a herbal for medical students. The only fungus mentioned in it is 

 AuRicuLARiA juDAE which is recorded to be common on old Sambucus 

 nigra; it enjoyed a certain reputation as a remedy against inflamation 

 of the eyes. 



