EARLY STUDENT YEARS 
33 
ing thereto were available, with the exception of 
Professor Roberg’s small collection of rarities, 
amongst which were a speckled snake a quarter-ell 
[6 inches] in length, with two heads, also a dragon; 
whilst in the University library a few zoological 
objects were kept, but never utilized for instruction. 
To sum up ; it may be said with reason, that a worse 
provision for medical teaching could hardly exist. 
Linnaeus said that he worked at medicine during the 
greatest barbarism at Uppsala. But in considering 
this, it can only awaken surprise and wonder, that 
almost without guidance, he developed under such 
conditions in a few years into a great man and 
pioneer, not only in natural history, but also in the 
domain of pure medicine. The copiousness with 
which the foregoing has been narrated regarding the 
disgraceful state at Uppsala, should find its explana¬ 
tion and excuse in the desire to set out the contrasts 
in this aspect. Without knowing how to obtain the 
slightest help from teachers such as he formerly 
encountered, Linnaeus displays most plainly his 
uncommon endowments and energetic mind in 
their clearness and greatness against this dark 
background. 
Naturally Linnaeus did not neglect to make use 
of even the crumbs of instruction, which were available 
in the medical faculty. During his first year of study, 
these were restricted, so far as regards Rudbeck, who, 
however, in the autumn term of 1728 gave a few 
public lectures on Swedish birds, during which he 
reached no further than the domestic fowl and some of 
the smaller waders, put forward in a very unpre¬ 
tentious way. To Linnaeus and probably to the other 
hearers, these lectures were of great interest, for, in 
the course of them,, Rudbeck showed his drawings of 
birds drawn from life in their proper colours. In 
the following term, Professor Rudbeck gave three 
lectures before Easter on the raptorial birds, and these 
were attended by Linnaeus, but when after Whitsun- 
C 
