The Late Sir William Bowman

Abstract

TO many of the readers of NATURE the distinguished man of science whose life was so unexpectedly brought to an end a little more than a fortnight ago, was best known as a great ophthalmic surgeon who for a long period of years occupied the first rank in his own line of professional work. But to those of us who are old enough to remember what physiology and anatomy were forty years ago, the name of Bowman has very different associations. It recalls to us a series of splendid anatomical discoveries communicated to the Royal Society between 1840 and 1850, of which the chief results were afterwards brought together in the great work which Bowman subsequently published in association with Dr. Todd on the “Physiological Anatomy of Man.” In the following paragraphs I have endeavoured to give a sketch of the most important of these discoveries, in the hope that the many scientific friends to whom his memory is dear may find it, however imperfect, yet acceptable for his sake.