Waldeyer

WALDEYER, Wilhelm (Wilhelm von Waldeyer, 1836--1921), famous German anatomist, a student of Henle. Known as a profound, versatile scientist and excellent teacher. He worked in comparative anatomy, embryology, pathology, macroscopic and topographical anatomy, as well as in anthropology and methods of teaching anatomy. After graduating from the medical faculty of Berlin University in 1861, he defended his dissertation in Berlin on the topic 'De claviculae articulis et functione' and received the degree of doctor of medicine. He was assistant in pathological anatomy in Königsberg, and then in Breslau assistant to Professor Heidenhain. At the age of 29 (1865) he became professor there, and in 1867 - ordinary professor of pathological anatomy. In 1872 he received a professorship in Strasbourg. In 1883 he was invited to Berlin, where he remained until the end of his life as director of the Anatomical Institute. Waldeyer was an honorary member of many scientific societies in Germany, France, Russia, Austria, Norway and other countries. His most significant works, which have the character of monographs, are 'Eierstock und Ei' and 'Das Becken'. The first work is considered the best of Waldeyer's works; it gives an exact comparative anatomical and, especially, histological description of the ovary of vertebrates and invertebrates, describes the history of its development and traces the fate of the Müllerian and Wolffian ducts. The second work represents a topographical-anatomical description of the pelvis with special attention to those parts that are important for the surgeon and gynecologist. In his other works, Waldeyer touched upon the most diverse branches of anatomy and related sciences. Many terms proposed by Waldeyer, such as 'neuron', have gained universal acceptance.