Talk on the early histological research at Ghent University, presented during the 23rd International Congres on the History of Science and Technology (Budapest).

1. The early years of histological research at Ghent University (Belgium) Kristel Wautier Alexander Jonckheere Danny Segers Museum for the History of Sciences – Ghent University http://www.ScienceMuseum.UGent.be

2. An overview of it’s history Histology Histology, the study of the microscopic structure of tissues, has its remote roots in the seventeenth century, germinated sporadically in the eighteenth, grew apace in the middle of the nineteenth, to flower and fruit mightily at the end of this last century. Brain Bracegirdle The history of histology: a brief survey of sources Hist. Sci., xv (1977): 77-101 ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 2

3. Part I A very brief history of histology ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 3

5. history of specimen preparation, including the history of the microtome

6. general history of disciplines using histological research, such as medicine, biological sciences, veterinary sciences, … including the history of education in these disciplinesICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 4

7. History of the Microscope ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 5

9. kick started the field of microscopic observation

10. different tools for microscopy

11. capillaries for the microscopic study of fluids

12. first histological stain

13. alcoholic saffron stain: dried muscle tissue was sectioned, and stained with a solution of saffron in brandyICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 6

15. 2-step focussing

17. object stage

21. 1870 – Ernst Abbe develops a theory for the production of lenses based on scientific principles

22. industrial production of microscopesSelligue, ca. 1825 ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 8

24. mirror not accessible

26. good optics

27. comfortableICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 9

28. History of the Microtome ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 10

30. as flat as possible

31. of equal thickness throughout

32. subsequent sections have to be of equal thickness

33. it must be possible to determine section thickness beforehandembedding staining  no earlier than 1870 ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 11

34. Hand-made sections A brief history of the microtome Making sections with handheld knifes Ranvier microtome Signed ‘Hs. Süchs, Marburg’ Serial Number 134 Bi-concave microtome knife According to Gudden ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 12

36. slanted slope (positioning of tissue block)

37. horizontal plane with knifeLeyser – 1870: produces a Capanema-like microtome Leyser microtome Signed: ‘Leyser, Leipzig’ Serial Number 33 ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 13

38. The big 4 A brief history of the microtome Minot type Late 19th century Sliding microtome Rotation microtome Model ‘Thoma’ Signed: ‘C. Reicert, Wien’ Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company 1889 Rocking microtome Becker microtome Cryotome ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 14

39. Part II How does Ghent University fit the picture? ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 15

41. ca. 60 km southwest of Antwerp

42. ca. 60 km northwest of Brussels

43. 237250 inhabitants (01/01/2008)

44. second largest municipality of BelgiumICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 16

46. 11 faculties:

47. Arts and Philosophy

48. Law

49. Sciences

50. Medicine and Health Sciences

51. Engineering

52. Economics and Business Administration

53. Veterinary Medicine

54. Psychology and Educational Sciences

55. Bioscience Engineering

56. Pharmaceutical Sciences

57. Political and Social Sciences

58. over 30.000 students

59. staff of 6800 personsICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 17

61. Sciences

62. Law

64. 16 professors

65. 13 members of administrative staff190 students ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 18

67. biological sciences: all biological courses were taught by one professor, including zoology, mineralogy, comparative anatomy, botany and plant physiology

68. veterinary sciences: no such faculty existedICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 19

69. 1830 - 1835 Belgian independence: repercussions for Ghent University Profound reorganization of higher education Ghent University is deprived of its Science faculty and its Arts & Philosophy faculty A free Science faculty is founded and maintained by a number of professors ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 20

71. some examplesICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 21

72. Some examples: botany 1835 - 1900 Section through the stem of a fern Section through an onion peal Research: initially conducts histological and embryological research turns to botany and develops the field of biostatistics Julius MacLeod ‘Cours pratique de Botanique’ Academic year 1894-1895 Section through the pistil of a caryophyllaceous plant ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 22

73. Some examples: zoology 1835 - 1900 Felix Plateau ‘Cours de Zoologie’ Academic year 1889-1890 Research: Arthropod physiology Experiment and dissection based ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 23

75. responsible for the course in human anatomyIn those days, the course in human anatomy already included a chapter on microscopic anatomy or histology This will become increasingly more important in Van Bambeke’s teachings Van Bambeke also started a practical course in microscopic anatomy ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 24

76. 1898 Coursd’HistologieSpéciale ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 25

77. Van Bambeke’s scientific research 1859 - 1914 Van Bambeke’s interest for histology, reflected by his teachings, is also mirrored by his scientific research Two main topics: The early development of vertebrates The anatomy and histology of fungi 1868 Recherchessur le développement du Pélobatebrun ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 26

78. Van Bambeke’s instruments 1867 vs. 1880 ‘La méthode à laquelle j’ai eu recours est à peu près celle que les botanistes emploient pour l’examen du pollen; l’oeuf durci est débarrassé de sa couche gélatineuse que l’entoure (…) est placé, au moyen d’un pinceau, dans une petite excavation pratiquée sur un fragment de moelle de sureau; on s’assure alors s’il se trouve dans une position convenable pour la coupe qu’on se propose de faire; une goute de stéarine fondue provenant d’une bougie allumée le fixe en suite dans la petite excavation susdite: après cela, il ne reste plus qu’à faire les coupes au moyen du rasoir; la tranche ou les tranches obtenues sont placées dans un verre de montre renfermant de l’essence de térébenthine et débarrassées ainsi de la stéarine qui les entoure; enfin elles sont portées au moyen du pincet sur le verre porte-objet et préparées d’après les règles ordinaires.’ Gliding microtome, type Rivet-Leyser Signed: ‘C.Reichert, T. Wien’ Serial nr.: 12428 Dated ca. 1880 ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 27

79. Van Bambeke’s other legacy: fungi 1888– 1912 The anatomy and histology of fungi 24 publications several new species ca. 950 slides ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 28

81. started his career as histologist

82. turned to biogeographyGroundbreaking work on phagocytosis ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 29

84. 1884 – deputy assistant histology course

85. 1889 – wins a travel grant

86. 1899 – succeeds Van Bambeke

87. WWI – travels to the USA

88. 1915-17: Fellow in Biology – Western Reserve University, Cleveland (Ohio)

89. 1917-18: Lecturer in Biology – John Hopkins Medical School, BaltimoreGroundbreaking work on: the development of blood the structure of the inner ear ovogenesis and the development of the mammalian egg ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 30

90. Vander Stricht’s heritage 100-1000s of histological slides embedded tissue blocks animal (human) tissue autopsy ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 31

91. Early histological research at Ghent University Conclusions The history of histology is clearly affected by the history of the microscope and the microtome The history of these instruments shows that the prerequisites for histological research were met no earlier than the end of the 19th century This is also reflected by the history of histological research and teachings at Ghent University ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 32

92. The Museum for the History of Sciences ScienceMuseum@UGent.be http://www.ScienceMuseum.Ugent.be http://sciencemuseum.ning.com ICHST Budapest 2009 Kristel Wautier – Museum for the History of Sciences 33