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THE LIFE and WORK of SAMUEL THOMAS VON SÖMMERRING* by THEODORE H

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THE LIFE and WORK of SAMUEL THOMAS VON SÖMMERRING* by THEODORE H THE LIFE AND WORK OF SAMUEL THOMAS VON SÖMMERRING* By THEODORE H. BAST, PH.D. MADISON, WISCONSIN N the history of physiology and anat- when his father took him to autopsies as omy there is an epoch of development often as possible. which began with Boerhaave and Sömmerring’s mother, Regina Geret, born Bernhard Siegfried Albin, reached its June 4, 1721, was the daughter of Christoph height in Albrecht von Haller, was con- Heinrich Andreas Geret, minister of the Itinued along the same Iines by Wrisberg, Evangelical church and senior of the Prot- Scarpa, Cuvier, Meckel, Rudolphi, Blumen- estant ministers of Thorn. In 1724 when, on bach and Bojanus, and was closed by the account of certain demonstrations by the accurate dissections of Bichat. One of the students of the Protestant gymnasium, the most important places in this epoch,which students of the Jesuit gymnasium per- extended approximately from the beginning secuted the Protestants by beheading ten to the end of the eighteenth century, was persons publicly, the Reverend Mr. Geret filled by Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring. had to flee to another town to escape death. Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring was This incident was often related in the born in Thorn, East Prussia, January 18, Sömmerring home and it Ieft a Iasting 1755, almost 300 years after Copernicus, impression on Samuel. In his Iater Iife, who first saw the Iight of the world in this whenever his thoughts were religiously same city. His father, Johann Thomas inclined he often related with great feeling Sömmerring, was born February 24, 1701. the account of the “Blood-bath of Thorn.” He began his medical education in the Samuel Thomas was the ninth of eleven then prominent high school of Lannenburg, children. AII died except one older brother, continued under Frederick Hoffmann at Johann Gottlob, who Iater became mayor Halle and finished under Boerhaave and of Thorn, and two sisters, Johanna Doro- Albin at Leyden, HoIIand. It is of note thea and Elisabetha Catharina, who mar- that in 1725, Albin (whose great scientific ried and Iived in Thorn. Only the Iatter of endeavors were rivaled fifty years Iater these was younger than he. only by the great anatomist, von Sömmer- Samuel, Iike his brother, displayed great ring) placed on the father, Johann Söm- enthusiasm for making collections of various merring, his doctor’s hat. When Samuel sorts. Among these was a collection of his Thomas was born his father was city earlier practice writings in German and in physician of Thorn, a position which he Latin, as well as many Christmas, New held as Iong as he Iived. This position no Year and birthday greetings to his parents, doubt gave Samuel Thomas an early uncon- which testify to his Iiterary ability at the scious acquaintance with medical and ana- early age of six to nineteen. The earliest tomical terminology. These influences were of these were in German verse but the Iater especially felt during his gymnasium years ones were in Latin prose. AII of them ex- * Read before the Wisconsin Medical History pressed a deep childlike thankfulness for the Seminar, University of Wisconsin, February 20, 1924. beneficence of his parents and the goodness Note . Acknowledgment is made for the help of God. At the age of eleven he prepared received from Dr. William Snow Miller and for a Iittle book entitled “Flowers and Plants access to the many works of Sömmerring which his Iibrary contains; also to Dr. M. J. Greenman who from Life, drawn by Samuel Thomas Söm- kindly furnished the copy of Sömmerring’s Ietter to merring, Anno 1766,” which gives evidence Caspar Wistar. of his early careful observation of natural forms and his skill at drawing. Not only his Iife and to which he contributed so does this book contain drawings of plants much knowledge. but also of highly colored butterflies placed The very prolific written communications in natural relationship to them- with his father during the years of his stay At the age of twelve he began a diary at Göttingen present in a most vivid manner which he continued throughout his college his pleasures and hardships and Ioves and career. The first notation in it was that at disappointments, but through them all his the beginning of September, 1767, he stop- unquenchable enthusiasm for knowledge ped taking drawing Iessons. He gave and firm determination to achieve the detailed account of all the happenings in highest attainments are evident. the family and in the city. Among these In September, 1774, he began his journey were births, deaths, marriages, and visits to Göttingen. He stopped at Berlin, at of traveling menageries. In astronomical Wittenberg to visit Luther’s grave, at phenomena he took great interest. He made Leipzig to visit his brother, a student of sketches of the phases of every eclipse of Iaw, at Gotha and Kassel. He took unusual the sun and moon, and gave accounts of interest in the university buildings and comets and other uncommon appearances. especially in the biological Iaboratories in The varied experiences of his preparatory these cities. In a Ietter to his father he and academic Iife were all carefully written describes all his observations in great detail, down. The incidents of the war of 1768 to especially the insect cabinet of Dr. Tscha- 1772, when Poland was divided, he pictured ken, which consisted of thirty drawers, each most vividly. This careful transfer of his of which was three times Iarger than his observations and experiences into writing own entire cabinet. and sketches no doubt was a fundamental From Leipzig to Göttingen Sömmerring factor in his keen observations, accurate was accompanied by his brother. On Octo- descriptions and clear illustrations Iater. In ber 14, 1774, he matriculated. In the selec- 1769 Samuel entered the gymnasium of tion of his subjects he states that he followed Thorn. It was under the influence of Rector the advice of his father and Ludwig’s Kries that his Iove for anatomy was first “Methodus doctrinae medicinae.” He kindled. The five years Sömmerring spent accordingly took anatomy under Wrisberg, there were almost entirely devoted to the Iogic and metaphysics under Feder and study of the classics. His Iater writings physics under Erleben. Besides these regular and the fact that he could carry on a subjects he studied Putter’s “Description conversation almost as well in Latin or of Göttingen.” Soon after Richter had com- French as he could in German give evi- menced his Iectures on diseases of the bones, dence of his thorough training during this Sömmerring visited one of them and, upon period. finding that he could follow without diffi- In the autumn of 1774, at the age of culty, attended them regularly. These Iec- nineteen, Sömmerring entered the Uni- tures no doubt were in part responsible for versity of Göttingen, where for four years his keen interest in bones and their diseases. he came in contact with men, methods, Anatomy had the greatest fascination for experiences, and knowledge which had a him. He read all obtainable works on the moulding influence on all his subsequent subject. Wrisberg soon recognized his ability, thoughts and actions. Until his death he praised him publicly, and made it possible for remained in intimate relationship with the Sömmerring to have access to copper plates faculty of Göttingen, their publications to which students as a rule had no access. and the Iibrary. It was during the third Of course special privileges and honors added semester that he dedicated his efforts to extra expense and reduced his already Iimited the subject which he pursued throughout allowance. He writes his father: I deny myself much, and eat no butter, which educated man I also have the duty to all other people in Göttingen eat. For supper I become better acquainted with religion.” eat nothing but dry bread and drink no coffee In January, 1776, he wrote to his father for breakfast. On rare occasions for my desert that he had studied in great detail Weit- at night I eat a piece of dry plum kucben. brect’s work and that he had completed Since one does not wear cuffs every day, I save the fourth volume of Haller’s “ Physiology.” a Iittle on Iaundry money. Besides his close relations with Wrisberg, In all of his Ietters he expressed a child- he became a great friend and admirer of Iike attitude of exceptional devotion to his Blumenbach who became a resident of father and to God, but when it came to Göttingen in 1775 and gave Iectures on money for his education he was in constant natural history. A Iifelong friendship conflict with his frugal father. When bis developed between them. It was Blumen- father wrote that he would give him money bach and Wrisberg who inspired in him for a three year course, he replied: “The enthusiasm for research. This endeavor study of medicine is much too extensive to endangered his finances and again he properly finish in three years. I would humbly begged his father to increase his much rather never have started education allowance. He used every possible Ieverage than to be a half-educated man.” to open his father’s purse. He Iamented In answer to another Ietter from his the deprivations he had to endure. He tried father he writes: to soften his father’s heart by picturing to You wrote, my dear father, “If you wish to him the agony produced by meals of dry be a medicus practicus you must Iearn to take bread and total abstinence from coffee and short cuts and not study Ionger than three years.
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