WITH GREAT EFFORTS AND LOTS OF PAIN AND A N UNTOLD, TRULY STUPID PATIENCE VONBISCHOFF,THEODOR,LUDWIG,WILHELM (1807-1882) AS AN EMBRYOLOGIST

THEODOR L. W. VON BISCHOFF (1807-1882), who worked as an anatomist and physiologist in Heidelberg. Giessen and Munich, is among the most exc ellent embryologists of the 19th century. His work on the history of d evelopment of mammals and of man (1842), his finding proof of spontane ous periodic ovulation in mammals (1844), but above all his directive monographies on rabbits, dogs, guinea pigs and deer (1842-1854) provid ed the most comprehensive research into the history of the development of mammals which had been done so far. He was less successfull, howev er, with his physiological research including a project on urea as a m easure for metabolic activity (1853) which had been initiated by JUSTU S LIEBIG. The same is true for his studies of the weight of the human brain and his comparative anatomical research into the anatomy of the scull and brain of primates, which had been his main interest since 18 60. BISCHOFF, who had been raised to nobility for his merits, did not confine his activities to science, but engaged in questions of medical education and in the politics of his profession as a member of influe ntial committees, fiercly opposing the admission of women to medical s tudies (1872).