GOETHE AND THE COMPARATIVE ANATOMY - THE POET AND PROMOTOR OF THE VETERINARY SCHOOL OF JENA

In a letter to Christian Gottlieb v. Voigt, who also was curator of th e Veterinary school of Jena, Goethe expressed his thanks for minerals Voigt had sent him for the museum after being instructed by the grand duke. Thereby Goethe mentioned the upcoming reform of the administrati on of the Veterinary school and his confidence in the activity of the veterinarian Theobald Renner. Renner was the head of the veterinary sc hool, which was founded in the winter term of 1816/1817. In his letter he also mentioned the anatomist Justus Christian Loder, with whom he preferred to exchange ideas particularly on the subject of osteology. In the year of 1831 the poet.promoted the construction of a new buildi ng for the Veterinary school of Jena: Goethe is known as the first to find the intermaxillar bone (Os incisivum) in human beings. His public ation of 1786 was based on a number of comparative anatomical investig ations in animals. Later on the director von Schreibers of Vienna prov ided Goethe with several specimens to support his scientific work.