Karl Patterson Schmidt
Encyclopedia
Karl Patterson Schmidt was an American herpetologist.
. His family left the city in 1907 and settled in Wisconsin
. They worked on a farm near Stanley, Wisconsin
, where his mother and his younger brother died in a fire on August 7, 1935. The brother, Franklin J. W. Schmidt
, was prominent in the then new field of wildlife management.
In 1913, Schmidt entered Cornell University
to study biology and geology. In 1915, he discovered his preference for herpetology during a four-month training course at the Perdee Oil Company in Louisiana
. In 1916, he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts
and made his first geological expedition to Santo Domingo
. From 1916 to 1922, he worked as scientific assistant in herpetology
at the American Museum of Natural History
in New York
, under the well-known American herpetologists Mary Cynthia Dickerson and Gladwyn K. Noble. He made his first collecting expedition to Puerto Rico
in 1919, then became the assistant curator of reptiles and amphibians at the Field Museum of Natural History
in Chicago in 1922. From 1923 to 1934, he made several collecting expeditions for that museum to Central and South America, which took him to Honduras
(1923), Brazil
(1926) and Guatemala
(1933-1934). In 1937, he became the editor of the herpetology and ichthyology journal Copeia
, a post he occupied until 1949. In 1938, he served in the U.S. Army. He became the chief curator of zoology at the Field Museum in 1941, where he remained until his retirement in 1955. From 1942 to 1946, he was the president of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
(ASIH). In 1953, he made his last expedition, which was to Israel
.
Schmidt died in 1957 after being bitten by a juvenile boomslang
snake, which had been sent to his lab at the Field Museum in Chicago for identification by Marlin Perkins
, who was then the director of the Lincoln Park Zoo
. Schmidt underestimated the severity of the snakebite (which occurred 28 hours before his death) and, as a result, did not seek medical treatment until it was too late to counteract the effects of the boomslang's venom.
Schmidt was one of the most important herpetologists in the 20th century. Though he made only a few important discoveries by himself, he named more than 200 species. Many species are named karlschmidti in his honor. He wrote more than 200 articles and books, including Living Reptiles of the World, which became an international bestseller.
Biography
Schmidt was the son of George W. Schmidt and Margaret Patterson Schmidt. Schmidt's father was a German professor who, at the time of Schmidt's birth, was teaching in Lake Forest, IllinoisLake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest is an affluent city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The city is south of Waukegan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in...
. His family left the city in 1907 and settled in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. They worked on a farm near Stanley, Wisconsin
Stanley, Wisconsin
Stanley is a city in Chippewa and Clark counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 1,898 at the 2000 census.- History :Stanley was settled and platted in 1881 when the Wisconsin Central Railway built its line through the area...
, where his mother and his younger brother died in a fire on August 7, 1935. The brother, Franklin J. W. Schmidt
Franklin J. W. Schmidt
Franklin J. W. Schmidt was an American naturalist, noted as one of the first practitioners of the field of "wildlife management". Hired by Wisconsin, Schmidt's main work was on the prairie grouse, and its habits in the central marshes of Wisconsin. He published one paper on feeding habits of the...
, was prominent in the then new field of wildlife management.
In 1913, Schmidt entered Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
to study biology and geology. In 1915, he discovered his preference for herpetology during a four-month training course at the Perdee Oil Company in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. In 1916, he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and made his first geological expedition to Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
. From 1916 to 1922, he worked as scientific assistant in herpetology
Herpetology
Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians and reptiles...
at the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, under the well-known American herpetologists Mary Cynthia Dickerson and Gladwyn K. Noble. He made his first collecting expedition to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in 1919, then became the assistant curator of reptiles and amphibians at the Field Museum of Natural History
Field Museum of Natural History
The Field Museum of Natural History is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It sits on Lake Shore Drive next to Lake Michigan, part of a scenic complex known as the Museum Campus Chicago...
in Chicago in 1922. From 1923 to 1934, he made several collecting expeditions for that museum to Central and South America, which took him to Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
(1923), Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(1926) and Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
(1933-1934). In 1937, he became the editor of the herpetology and ichthyology journal Copeia
Copeia
Copeia is a quarterly peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research in ichthyology and herpetology that was named after Edward Drinker Cope, a prominent American researcher in these fields. It is the official journal of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists...
, a post he occupied until 1949. In 1938, he served in the U.S. Army. He became the chief curator of zoology at the Field Museum in 1941, where he remained until his retirement in 1955. From 1942 to 1946, he was the president of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists is an international organization devoted to the scientific studies of ichthyology and herpetology...
(ASIH). In 1953, he made his last expedition, which was to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Schmidt died in 1957 after being bitten by a juvenile boomslang
Boomslang
The boomslang is a large venomous colubrid snake.-Taxonomy & etymology:It is currently the only species in its genus, although several species and subspecies have been described in the past...
snake, which had been sent to his lab at the Field Museum in Chicago for identification by Marlin Perkins
Marlin Perkins
Richard Marlin Perkins was a zoologist best known as a host of the television program Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom from 1963 to 1985.-Biography:...
, who was then the director of the Lincoln Park Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo is a free zoo located in Lincoln Park in Chicago, Illinois. The zoo was founded in 1868, making it one of the oldest zoos in the nation. The zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums ....
. Schmidt underestimated the severity of the snakebite (which occurred 28 hours before his death) and, as a result, did not seek medical treatment until it was too late to counteract the effects of the boomslang's venom.
Schmidt was one of the most important herpetologists in the 20th century. Though he made only a few important discoveries by himself, he named more than 200 species. Many species are named karlschmidti in his honor. He wrote more than 200 articles and books, including Living Reptiles of the World, which became an international bestseller.
Works (selected)
- Homes and Habits of Wild Animals (1934)
- Our Friendly Animals and When They Came (1938)
- Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada with Delbert Dwight Davis (1941)
- Principles of Animal Ecology with Warder Clyde AlleeWarder Clyde AlleeWarder Clyde Allee was an American zoologist and ecologist who taught animal ecology. He is best known for his research on animal behavior, protocooperation, and for identifying the Allee effect.-University career:...
(1885-1955) and Alfred Edwards Emerson (1949) - A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles (1953)
- Living Reptiles of the World with Robert Frederick Inger