68 BIOLOGY AND ITS MAKERS 
Early Interest in Natural History.—He was born in 1637, 
nine years after Malpighi. His father, an apothecary of Am- 
sterdam, had a taste for collecting, which was shared by many 
of his fellow-townsmen. The Dutch people of this time 
sent their ships into all parts of the world, and this vast com- 
merce, together with their extensive colonial possessions, 
fostered the formation of private museums. The elder 
Swammerdam had the finest and most celebrated collection 
in all Amsterdam. This was stored, not only with treasures, 
showing the civilization of remote countries, but also with 
specimens of natural history, for which he had a decided 
liking. Thus ‘from the earliest dawn of his understanding 
the young Swammerdam was surrounded by zodlogical 
specimens, and from the joint influence, doubtless, of hered- 
itary taste and early association, he became passionately 
devoted to the study of natural history.” 
Studies Medicine.—His father intended him for the 
church, but he had no taste for theology, though he became 
a fanatic in religious matters toward the close of his life; 
at this period, however, he could brook no restraint in word 
or action. He consented to study medicine, but for some 
reason he was twenty-six years old before entering the Uni- 
versity of Leyden. This delay was very likely owing to his 
precarious health, but, in the mean time, he had not been idle; 
he had devoted himself to observation and study with great 
ardor, and had already become an expert in minute dissec- 
tion. When he went to the University of Leyden, therefore, 
he at once took high rank inanatomy. Anything demanding 
fine manipulation and dexterity was directly in his ine. He 
continued his studies in Paris, and about 1667 took his degree 
of Doctor of Medicine. 
During this period of medical study he made some rather 
important observations in human anatomy, and introduced 
the method of injection that was afterward claimed by 
