Frans Cornelis Donders, 1818-1889.

Date:
1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Frans Cornelis Donders, 1818-1889. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    sentences, honourable alike to each of these eminent men, exhibiting true modesty, transparent candour, and in all simplicity a most generous appreciation of merit in the other.* But to resume the tenour of Donders’ life. In 1847, that his ser¬ vices might the better be secured to his University, he was named Professor Extraordinary, there being no vacancy among the ordinary chairs ; and such was the confidence inspired by his character that he was asked to select his own subjects for lecture. He chose four, viz., Forensic Medicine, Anthropology (especially for students in theology and law), General Biology, Ophthalmology. To this last he had been drawn, not only by its own intrinsic charm, but from his having, in the preceding year, in order to eke out his slender resources (for he had now wifef and child), undertaken a Dutch translation of the great German treatise of Ruete on that subject, and from having thereupon thrown himself, as was his wont, heart and soul into what¬ ever lines of original research this work, as it proceeded, had sug¬ gested to him. It is impossible here to particularise, but several of these were among the more subtle problems lying on the borderland of physiological optics, problems remaining to perplex even the most observant practitioner, until by their solution the path is made clear to all alike. Suffice it that Donders in this way became more and more attracted towards Ophthalmic Practice; for with readiness he gave all the help in his power to the physicians and patients who were eagerly approaching him, as they heard of his discoveries in the physiology of vision. And when it was proposed to him by some of our passing countrymen that he should acquaint himself with English methods of treatment, then much esteemed abroad, he came to London in 1851, on the occasion of our first “ Great Exhibition,” return¬ ing by way of Paris. Some of the incidents of this journey he himself soon after placed on record,J and he always spoke of it as having had a great influence in moulding his life. It was his first travel, and it brought him, at least, one thing for which he had great reason to be thankful—the personal friendship of Albrecht von Graefe, an asso¬ ciation soon to be fraught with splendid results for the expanding science of Ophthalmology; for these two men, both of the first capacity, laboured ever afterwards to advance it as brothers in council, and alike fruitfully; freely communicating their ideas to each other, always in perfect harmony of aim. While von Graefe, a stranger in London, was able to tell Donders of the European hos¬ pitals he had been visiting, and of the new clinical ideas he was * Vide Chas. Darwin ‘ On Expression, &c.,’ Nov. 1872, p. 160, &c. The writer is indebted to Mr. Erancis Darwin for the opportunity of perusing these letters. f His first wife was Ernestine J. A. Zimmerman, daughter of a Lutheran pastor. (She died Sept., 1887.) J Notes on London and Paris, ‘ Nederlandsch Lancet,’ 1852.
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