Henry Pickering Bowditch
Encyclopedia
Henry Pickering Bowditch (4 April 1840 – 13 March 1911)
was the dean
of the Harvard Medical Faculty
from 1883 to 1893. Following his teacher Carl Ludwig
, he promoted the training of medical practitioners in a context of physiological
research. His teaching career at Harvard spanned 35 years.
. Harvard’s Lawrence school of science provided his early training, which was interrupted by his service for the Union army in the United States Civil War. After graduation he went to Paris in 1868 to study with Claude Bernard
. In Bernard’s lab he worked alongside Louis-Antoine Ranvier
, later known for neuroanatomy, and Etienne Jules Marey who promoted the use of photography to capture physiological dynamics. According to Walter Bradford Cannon
, when in Paris, Bowditch joined with fellow Bostonians John Collins Warren, Jr.
, William James
, and Charles Emerson for frog-hunting parties.
Bowditch continued his European studies in Bonn with Wilhelm Kuhne
and Max Schultze
. Ultimately he proceeded to Leipzig where Carl Ludwig
was conducting the program that he would emulate at Harvard. Bowditch impressed Ludwig by constructing an improvement on the kymograph
in use. His studies in Leipzig brought him into contact with, among others, Ray Lankester
, Angelo Mosso
, Hugo Kronecker
and Carl von Voit
.
who instituted his program of experimental psychology
in 1875. Bowditch and James represented the New Education esposed by Charles William Eliot
, Harvard President. By 1876 Bowditch was promoted to full professor. In 1887 he co-founded the American Physiological Society
. At Harvard he rose to the position of dean of the medical school, serving 1883 – 1893. In 1903 he was honoured with the George Higginson chair. After 35 years teaching for Harvard, he retired in 1906. His students included Walter Bradford Cannon
, Charles Sedgwick Minot
and G. Stanley Hall
.
Manfred Bowditch, Henry's son, gave a personal description of the man he knew as father. A certain Adirondack camp at the head of the Keene Valley provides much of his context. There, with a well-equipped workshop the son witnessed considerable "inventiveness and manual skill" that Henry also applied in the physiology lab.(see external link)
Bowditch was granted honorary degrees from these universities: Cambridge, Edinburgh, Toronto, Pennsylvania, and Harvard.
and knee jerk.
He also developed an interest in anthropometry
, and showed that nutrition and environmental factors contribute to physiological development.
Bowditch can be seen as a link between the milieu interieur
of Claude Bernard, his teacher, and homeostasis
as developed by his student Walter Cannon.
was the dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the Harvard Medical Faculty
Medical education
Medical education is education related to the practice of being a medical practitioner, either the initial training to become a doctor or additional training thereafter ....
from 1883 to 1893. Following his teacher Carl Ludwig
Carl Ludwig
----Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig was a German physician and physiologist.In 1842 Ludwig became a professor of physiology and in 1846 of comparative anatomy...
, he promoted the training of medical practitioners in a context of physiological
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
research. His teaching career at Harvard spanned 35 years.
Early life
Henry P. Bowditch was the grandson of Nathaniel BowditchNathaniel Bowditch
Nathaniel Bowditch was an early American mathematician remembered for his work on ocean navigation. He is often credited as the founder of modern maritime navigation; his book The New American Practical Navigator, first published in 1802, is still carried on board every commissioned U.S...
. Harvard’s Lawrence school of science provided his early training, which was interrupted by his service for the Union army in the United States Civil War. After graduation he went to Paris in 1868 to study with Claude Bernard
Claude Bernard
Claude Bernard was a French physiologist. He was the first to define the term milieu intérieur . Historian of science I. Bernard Cohen of Harvard University called Bernard "one of the greatest of all men of science"...
. In Bernard’s lab he worked alongside Louis-Antoine Ranvier
Louis-Antoine Ranvier
Louis-Antoine Ranvier was a French physician, pathologist, anatomist and histologist, who discovered nodes of Ranvier, regularly spaced constrictions of the myelin sheath, occurying at varying intervals along the length of a nerve fiber.Ranvier was born and studied medicine at Lyon, graduating in...
, later known for neuroanatomy, and Etienne Jules Marey who promoted the use of photography to capture physiological dynamics. According to Walter Bradford Cannon
Walter Bradford Cannon
Walter Bradford Cannon, M.D. was an American physiologist, professor and chairman of the Department of Physiology at Harvard Medical School. He coined the term fight or flight response, and he expanded on Claude Bernard's concept of homeostasis...
, when in Paris, Bowditch joined with fellow Bostonians John Collins Warren, Jr.
John Collins Warren, Jr.
John Collins Warren was an American surgeon and president of the American Surgical Association.-Early life and education:...
, William James
William James
William James was a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher who was trained as a physician. He wrote influential books on the young science of psychology, educational psychology, psychology of religious experience and mysticism, and on the philosophy of pragmatism...
, and Charles Emerson for frog-hunting parties.
Bowditch continued his European studies in Bonn with Wilhelm Kuhne
Wilhelm Kühne
Wilhelm Friedrich Kühne was a German physiologist. Born in Hamburg, he is best known today for coining the word enzyme.-Biography:...
and Max Schultze
Max Schultze
Max Johann Sigismund Schultze was a German microscopic anatomist noted for his work on cell theory.-Biography:Schultze was born at Freiburg in Breisgau...
. Ultimately he proceeded to Leipzig where Carl Ludwig
Carl Ludwig
----Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig was a German physician and physiologist.In 1842 Ludwig became a professor of physiology and in 1846 of comparative anatomy...
was conducting the program that he would emulate at Harvard. Bowditch impressed Ludwig by constructing an improvement on the kymograph
Kymograph
A kymograph is a device that gives a graphical representation of spatial position over time in which a spatial axis represents time...
in use. His studies in Leipzig brought him into contact with, among others, Ray Lankester
Ray Lankester
Sir E. Ray Lankester KCB, FRS was a British zoologist, born in London.An invertebrate zoologist and evolutionary biologist, he held chairs at University College London and Oxford University. He was the third Director of the Natural History Museum, and was awarded the Copley Medal of the Royal...
, Angelo Mosso
Angelo Mosso
Angelo Mosso , 19th century Italian physiologist, who created the first crude neuroimaging technique by recording the pulsation of the human cortex in patients with skull defects following neurosurgical procedures...
, Hugo Kronecker
Hugo Kronecker
Karl Hugo Kronecker was a German physiologist from Liegnitz, Prussian Silesia. He was the brother of Leopold Kronecker....
and Carl von Voit
Carl von Voit
Carl von Voit was a German physiologist and dietitian.Von Voit was born in Amberg. From 1848 to 1854 he studied medicine in Munich and Würzburg; habilitation in 1857 at the University of Munich, professor of physiology since 1860, as well as curator of the physiological collection.Carl von Voit is...
.
Teacher
Bowditch purchased European materials to support the investigative training program he planned. And dramatically, on 9 September 1871, just days before sailing for Boston, he married Selma Knuth of Leipzig. The Bowditch laboratory at Harvard began modestly in attic rooms allotted to him. Bowditch's career at Harvard was parallel to that of William JamesWilliam James
William James was a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher who was trained as a physician. He wrote influential books on the young science of psychology, educational psychology, psychology of religious experience and mysticism, and on the philosophy of pragmatism...
who instituted his program of experimental psychology
Experimental psychology
Experimental psychology is a methodological approach, rather than a subject, and encompasses varied fields within psychology. Experimental psychologists have traditionally conducted research, published articles, and taught classes on neuroscience, developmental psychology, sensation, perception,...
in 1875. Bowditch and James represented the New Education esposed by Charles William Eliot
Charles William Eliot
Charles William Eliot was an American academic who was selected as Harvard's president in 1869. He transformed the provincial college into the preeminent American research university...
, Harvard President. By 1876 Bowditch was promoted to full professor. In 1887 he co-founded the American Physiological Society
American Physiological Society
The American Physiological Society was founded in 1887 with 28 members. Of them, 21 were graduates of medical schools, but only 12 had studied in schools that had a professor of physiology. Today, the APS has 10,500 members, most of whom hold doctoral degrees in medicine, physiology or other...
. At Harvard he rose to the position of dean of the medical school, serving 1883 – 1893. In 1903 he was honoured with the George Higginson chair. After 35 years teaching for Harvard, he retired in 1906. His students included Walter Bradford Cannon
Walter Bradford Cannon
Walter Bradford Cannon, M.D. was an American physiologist, professor and chairman of the Department of Physiology at Harvard Medical School. He coined the term fight or flight response, and he expanded on Claude Bernard's concept of homeostasis...
, Charles Sedgwick Minot
Charles Sedgwick Minot
Charles Sedgwick Minot was an American anatomist.-Life:Charles Sedgwick Minot was born December 25, 1852 in Roxbury, Massachusetts. His mother was Catharine "Kate" Maria Sedgwick and father was William Minot II...
and G. Stanley Hall
G. Stanley Hall
Granville Stanley Hall was a pioneering American psychologist and educator. His interests focused on childhood development and evolutionary theory...
.
Manfred Bowditch, Henry's son, gave a personal description of the man he knew as father. A certain Adirondack camp at the head of the Keene Valley provides much of his context. There, with a well-equipped workshop the son witnessed considerable "inventiveness and manual skill" that Henry also applied in the physiology lab.(see external link)
Bowditch was granted honorary degrees from these universities: Cambridge, Edinburgh, Toronto, Pennsylvania, and Harvard.
Research
Henry Pickering Bowditch was known for his physiological work on cardiac contractionMuscle contraction
Muscle fiber generates tension through the action of actin and myosin cross-bridge cycling. While under tension, the muscle may lengthen, shorten, or remain the same...
and knee jerk.
He also developed an interest in anthropometry
Anthropometry
Anthropometry refers to the measurement of the human individual...
, and showed that nutrition and environmental factors contribute to physiological development.
Bowditch can be seen as a link between the milieu interieur
Milieu interieur
Milieu intérieur or interior milieu, from the French, milieu intérieur, is a term coined by Claude Bernard to refer to the extra-cellular fluid environment, and its physiological capacity to ensure protective stability for the tissues and organs of multicellular living organisms.-Origin:Claude...
of Claude Bernard, his teacher, and homeostasis
Homeostasis
Homeostasis is the property of a system that regulates its internal environment and tends to maintain a stable, constant condition of properties like temperature or pH...
as developed by his student Walter Cannon.