Twilight at the birth of modern neuroscience

摘要

Hermann von Helmholtz (1821–94) was a German physician,nphysiologist, physicist (he was named Reichskanzler der Physik)nand philosopher who made significant contributions to severalnwidely varied areas of modern science, including ideas on thencivilizing power of science.n‘Amid his unruffled professional success, Helmholtz published anlong series of papers and books. It has been said that as each ofnseven cities contended for Homer, so seven sciences—mathematics,nphysics, chemistry, physiology, medicine, philosophy and aesthetics—nclaimed Helmholtz for their own, and it is interesting tonnote how early he took the comprehensive view of science whichnjustifies this rhetorical statement. If judged both by their varietynand importance, they have, perhaps, never been equalled. Theynsecured for him in his lifetime the admiration and respect of thenwhole civilized world. Honours were showered upon him . . . learnednsocieties’, to quote his own words, ‘ “spread over the wholenworld, from Tomsk to Melbourne”, expressed by diplomas andnaddresses their sense of the importance of his scientific work’n(Obituary, 1894).