Rudolf Virchow
Rudolf Ludwig Karl Virchow (born
October 13,
1821, in
Schivelbein,
Pomerania; died
September 5,
1902, in
Berlin) was a
German doctor,
pathologist,
prehistorian,
biologist and
politician.
Virchow studied
medicine in Berlin at the military academy of
Prussia, where he graduated in 1843. He became professor in 1847. Due to political reasons, he moved to
Würzburg two years later, where he worked on
anatomy. In 1856, he returned to Berlin.
Virchow is credited with multiple significant discoveries. He is cited as the first to recognize
leukemia. However, he is perhaps best known for his law
Omnis cellula e cellula ("every cell originates from another cell") which he published in
1855. (The
epigram was actually coined by
François-Vincent Raspail but popularized by Virchow.) This relates to his findings that not the whole organism, but only certain cells or groups of cells can become sick. Virchow is also famous for elucidating the mechanism of pulmonary
thromboembolism, thus coining the term
embolism. He noted that blood clots in the pulmonary artery originate first from venous thrombi, stating: "The detachment of larger or smaller fragments from the end of the softening thrombus which are carried along by the current of blood and driven into remote vessels. This gives rise to the very frequent process on which I have bestowed the name of Embolia." Related to this research Virchow has been attributed a triad describing the factors contributing to venous thrombosis,
Virchow's triad. Virchow founded the medical disciplines of
cellular pathology,
comparative pathology (comparison of diseases common to
humans and
animals) and
anthropology.
|
Rudolph Virchow, by Hugo Vogel |
In 1869 he founded the Society for anthropology,
ethnology and
prehistory (Gesellschaft für Anthropologie, Ethnologie und Urgeschichte) which was very influential in coordinating and intensifying German archaeological research.
In 1892 he was awarded the
Copley Medal.
He was a very prolific writer. Some of his works are:
*
Mittelheilungen über die Typhus-Epidemie, (1848)
*
Die Cellularpathologie, (1858), English translation, (1860)
*
Handbuch der speciellen Pathologie und Therapie, (1854-62)
*
Vorlesungen über Pathologie, (1862-72)
*
Die krankhaften Geschwülste, (1863-67)
*
Gegen den Antisemitismus, (1880)
He also developed a standard method of
autopsy procedure, named for him, that is still one of the two main techniques used today.
Virchow also worked as a politician (member of the Berlin City Council, the Prussian parliament since 1861, German Reichstag 1880-1893) to improve the health care conditions for the Berlin citizens, namely working towards modern water and sewer systems. Virchow is also credited with the founding of "social medicine", frequently focusing on the fact that disease is never purely biological, but often, socially derived. As a co-founder and member of the liberal party (Deutschen Fortschrittspartei) he was an important political antagonist of
Bismarck.
One area where he co-operated with Bismarck was in the
Kulturkampf, the anti-clerical campaign against the Catholic Church
[Authentic German Liberalism of the 19th Century by Ralph Raico] claiming that the anti-clerical laws bore "the character of a great struggle in the interest of humanity".
["The term came into use in 1873, when the scientist and Prussian liberal statesman Rudolf Virchow declared that the battle with the Roman Catholics was assuming "the character of a great struggle in the interest of humanity."" from Kulturkampf. (2006). Britannica Concise Encyclopedia . Retrieved March 25, 2006, from Encyclopædia Britannica]. It was during the discussion of
Falk's May Laws (Maigesetze) that Virchow first used the term
[A leading German anthropologist, Rudolf Virchow, characterized Bismarck's struggle with the Catholic Church as a Kulturkampf - a fight for culture - by which Virchow meant a fight for liberal, rational principles against the dead weight of medieval traditionalism, obscurantism, and authoritarianism." from The Triumph of Civilization by Norman D. Livergood and "Kulturkampf \Kul*tur"kampf`\, n. [G., fr. kultur, cultur, culture + kampf fight.] (Ger. Hist.) Lit., culture war; - a name, originating with Virchow (1821 - 1902), given to a struggle between the Roman Catholic Church and the German government" Kulturkampf in freedict.co.uk] The general ideological enthusiasm among the liberals for the Kulturkampf
["Liberals were the most enthusiastic champions of the general policy, because it satisfied a tradition of passionate anti-clericalism. It was, in fact, a Progressive party deputy in the Prussian legislature - the distinguished medical scientist and pioneer of public health methods, Rudolf Virchow - who coined the term Kulturkampf to describe the stakes. Virchow meant it as a term of praise, signifying the liberation of public life from sectarian impositions (though the term was later taken up by Catholic leaders in a spirit of bitter derision)." From A Supreme Court in the culture wars by Jeremy Rabkin in the Fall edition of the Public Interest] was in contrast to Bismarck's pragmatic attitude towards the measures
["Even Bismarck - who initially saw a variety of tactical political advantages in these measures - took pains to distance himself from the rigors of their enforcement." From A Supreme Court in the culture wars by Jeremy Rabkin in the Fall edition of the Public Interest] and growing disquiet from the Conservatives.
["Conservative political forces, centering on the old Prussian aristocracy, became increasingly critical of these measures, fearing that they would jeopardize the status of their own Protestant Evangelical Church."From A Supreme Court in the culture wars by Jeremy Rabkin in the Fall edition of the Public Interest].
Virchow was respected in masonic circles
["Rizal's Berlin associates, or perhaps the word "patrons" would give their relation better, were men as esteemed in Masonry as they were eminent in the scientific world--Virchow, for example." in JOSE RIZAL AS A MASON by AUSTIN CRAIG, The Builder Magazine, August 1916 - Volume II - Number 8], and according to one source
["It was a heady atmosphere for the young Brother, and Masons in Germany, Dr. Rudolf Virchow and Dr. Feodor Jagor, were instrumental in his becoming a member of the Berlin Ethnological and Anthropological Societies." From Dimasalang: The Masonic Life Of Dr. Jose P. Rizal By Reynold S. Fajardo, 33° by Fred Lamar Pearson, Scottish Rite Journal, October 1998] may have been a freemason, though no official record of this has been found.
* Becher,
Rudolf Virchow, Berlin, (1891)
* J. L. Pagel,
Rudolf Virchow, Leipzig, (1906)
* A biography of Virchow at
Whonamedit.com, including phenomena
named after him
Virchow, RLK (1978) Cellular pathology. 1859 special ed. ,204-207 John Churchill London, UK.
*
Short biography and bibliography in the Virtual Laboratory of the
Max Planck Institute for the History of Science* (co-authored by Virchow with
Tomás Comyn,
Fedor Jagor, and
Chas Wilkes)
