The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-14
Why P1OE. VIRCHON
WAS 50 GREAI.
He ExceIIed in Medicine,
Archaeology and Politics,
HIS DISCOVERY OF CELLS
And Its Effect on the Study of
Physiology.

the other day, aged nearly eighty-One
years one Of the greatest medical dis
c0verers Of this or any other age, ne
spent nearly sixty years in adding TO the
sum OF human knowledge. ...len, on the
occasion Of his eishtieth birthday, states
men and medical men Of all the world
united TO G We him an unparalleled ova-
ton and Prof. Virchow made a speech OF
two hours, tracing the development Of
pathological science, IL was necessary for
him 10 recount TO q great extent MS own
achievements. The history Of Prof
Nirchow life and work" declared the
Times, in this connection, forms one Of
the grandest illustrations Of the triumph
achieved over every obstacle by genius
manifested in infinite labor and guided
BY absolute love Of truth and by daunt-
less courage
he history Of Prof. virchoWs life.
from his birth, in 1921 as the son Of a
small shopkeeper and farmer in the vii
lage Schiefelbein. in Pomersnia. has fire.
QUently been narrated. TIL the age Of
thirteen he was educated at the Volks-
schulz Of his native village. at seven
teen he passed his departing examin-
alton at the Gymnasium Of Kosslin
and Immediately afterwards proceeded
20 Berlin to study medicine. he gradu-
sted as doctor in 1913 and became assist
ant professor Of the Berlin Charity
Hospital In the spring Of lS4s he was the
Junior member Of the government ccm-
mission sent TO investigate an epidemic
Of typhus caused BY famine among the
hand-loom weavers Of the Snesian high
lands, and the result of studies,
which ne embodied In a brilliant ana
forceIul report, gave a permanent direc-
ton both 10 his scientific and to his
political career
Before undertaking this task. he had
been appointed. in 1s47. a regular lee
turer in the University Of Berlin. and in
the same year he founded, together with
DR.. Rheinhardt. his invaluable Archives
OF Pathological Anatomy and Physiology
and OF Clinical Medicine. which nave been
published ever since His radical views
during the stirring revolutionary times
OF 1883 led TO the expulsion from his
Berlin chair Accepting cali from the
University a Wuertzburg he did there
some OF the most remarkable work OF
his life, and with a coterie Of brilliant
fellow teachers soon raised the little
unworthy into the front rank Of medical
schools. In 1856 the University OF Berlin
recalled him TO fun professorship and,
despite his intense interest in politics.
he carried on his studies and his teach
ings without cessation from that time
until within six months Of his death.
His greatest discovery was made AT
wuertzburg. where he first laid down the
theory OF the cellular nature Of animal
tissue. and it was mis- book, entitled
cellular Pathology" which not only es-
tabnshed his reputation throughout
Germany but made his name respected
and honored throughout the entire civil
liked world Taking the place Of the
former vague views Of vitality this
theory formed the basis for new science
of physiology
After this great achievement, Professor
Virchow made one discovery after
another. Never a practitioner himself
he was eminently a teacher Of physicians.
To these. IN later days. the rise and
development OF bacteriology seemed at
first 70 be IN conflict with Virchow's cell
lulsr system The entire medical profess
sion now understands that. while bacteria
may cause disease. the disease itself is
& particular static Of the cells OF which
the human organism is composed.
Bnt the range Of his investigation and
discoveries were never confined TO any
one line or field. Our knowledge of tum-
OTIS. Of tuberculosis. of diphtheria. OF en-
bolisms and Of the brain is very largely
what yirchow has made it. Indeed. q
medical authority has recently declared
cine as a science directly and Indirectly
owes TO him comparatively little would
b left" with him it continues. be
sins the scientific era in the healing art.
and it is he who has made US the CO.
equals and the copartners of all s5riva-s
IN the realm Of science Between 1s4s
and 1879 he wrote unanimously on sub
Jects connected with public hygiene the
reform Of medicine. epi6emics and en-
denies. statistics Of morbidity and NOR
tally hospitals, military medicine. school
hygiene criminal law. forenic medicine.
and the cleaning OF cities At the same
time he kept on publishing his writings
on special subjects. such as the IN
fammation q Blood Vessels. "Contribu-
tions 70 the Pathology of the Skull and
Brain. "Cranial Determines. New
Formation ~ Gray Cerebral Substance.
.'Cretinisn etc. etc In the use Of his
special knife. which he named The
Patholosists sword in the operating
room. h. displayed an accuracy an a
skill that were the wonder cf bchoiders
But aside from the Geld OF medicine
this great man displayed a versatility that
gave point 10 the popular saving about
him in Berlin. thar when he died il
would be found that DE was not one man
bit four men. lie rapidly made himself
while stu young. an authority in ethno-
logy, an able archaeologist and q lead
ing Egyptoiogist He established the
measurements for comparative arthro-
pology and collected race data as no
other man had ever done. The dis
coveries az Troy were due as much to
his knowledge and encouragement as %
schlieman himself. whose stsunch friend
and invariable defender yirchow was
With Schliemsn ne Travelled through Nu-
hia. Egypt and tbs Peloponnesus IN
1873 he took part Ia Schleman's exca-
vations Of Hissarlsk. The graves ~
Koban he described in ISos and similarly
vslusbl works IN archaeology appeared
in 1880 and ISS2 He was for years one
Of ths teachers o. the Berlin Association
OF Artisans and devoted no Httle - his
precious time to the spreading q the
kaOwlsdSe Of nature among the pocr.