Rudolf Virchow

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Image:Rudolf Virchow.jpg Rudolf Ludwig Karl Virchow (born October 13, 1821, in Schivelbein, Pomerania; died September 5, 1902, in Berlin) was a German doctor, pathologist, prehistorian, biologist and politician.

Virchow studied medicine in Berlin at the military academy of Prussia, where he graduated in 1843. He became professor in 1847. Due to political reasons, he moved to Würzburg two years later, where he worked on anatomy. In 1856, he returned to Berlin.

Virchow is credited with multiple significant discoveries. He is cited as the first to recognize leukemia. However, he is perhaps best known for his law Omnis cellula e cellula ("every cell originates from another cell") which he published in 1855. (The epigram was actually coined by François-Vincent Raspail but popularized by Virchow.) This relates to his findings that not the whole organism, but only certain cells or groups of cells can become sick. Virchow is also famous for elucidating the mechanism of pulmonary thromboembolism, thus coining the term embolism. He noted that blood clots in the pulmonary artery originate first from venous thrombi, stating: "The detachment of larger or smaller fragments from the end of the softening thrombus which are carried along by the current of blood and driven into remote vessels. This gives rise to the very frequent process on which I have bestowed the name of Embolia." Related to this research Virchow has been attributed a triad describing the factors contributing to venous thrombosis, Virchow's triad. Virchow founded the medical disciplines of cellular pathology, comparative pathology (comparison of diseases common to humans and animals) and anthropology. Image:Hugo Vogel Rudolf Virchow.jpg Virchow also worked as a politician (member of the Berlin City Council, the Prussian parliament since 1861, German Reichstag 1880-1893) to improve the health care conditions for the Berlin citizens, namely working towards modern water and sewer systems. Virchow is also credited with the founding of "social medicine", frequently focusing on the fact that disease is never purely biological, but often, socially derived. As a co-founder and member of the liberal party (Fortschrittspartei) he was an important political antagonist of Bismarck.

One area where he co-operated with Bismarck was in the Kulturkampf, the anti-clerical campaign against the Catholic Church<ref name="Progs>"This anti-Catholic crusade was also taken up by the Progressives, especially Rudolf Virchow, though Richter himself was tepid in his occasional support." Authentic German Liberalism of the 19th Century by Ralph Raico</ref> claiming that the anti-clerical laws bore "the character of a great struggle in the interest of humanity".<ref name="britannica">"The term came into use in 1873, when the scientist and Prussian liberal statesman Rudolf Virchow declared that the battle with the Roman Catholics was assuming “the character of a great struggle in the interest of humanity.”" from Kulturkampf. (2006). Britannica Concise Encyclopedia . Retrieved March 25, 2006, from Encyclopædia Britannica</ref>. It was during the discussion of Falk’s May Laws (Maigesetze) that Virchow first used the term <ref name="virchrow">A leading German anthropologist, Rudolf Virchow, characterized Bismarck's struggle with the Catholic Church as a Kulturkampf - a fight for culture - by which Virchow meant a fight for liberal, rational principles against the dead weight of medieval traditionalism, obscurantism, and authoritarianism." from The Triumph of Civilization by Norman D. Livergood and "Kulturkampf \Kul*tur"kampf`\, n. [G., fr. kultur, cultur, culture + kampf fight.] (Ger. Hist.) Lit., culture war; - a name, originating with Virchow (1821 - 1902), given to a struggle between the the Roman Catholic Church and the German government" Kulturkampf in freedict.co.uk</ref>

The general ideological enthusiasm among the liberals for the Kulturkampf<ref name="PI1">"Liberals were the most enthusiastic champions of the general policy, because it satisfied a tradition of passionate anti-clericalism. It was, in fact, a Progressive party deputy in the Prussian legislature - the distinguished medical scientist and pioneer of public health methods, Rudolf Virchow - who coined the term Kulturkampf to describe the stakes. Virchow meant it as a term of praise, signifying the liberation of public life from sectarian impositions (though the term was later taken up by Catholic leaders in a spirit of bitter derision)." From A Supreme Court in the culture wars by Jeremy Rabkin in the Fall edition of the Public Interest</ref> was in contrast to Bismarck's pragmatic attitude towards the measures<ref name="PI2">"Even Bismarck - who initially saw a variety of tactical political advantages in these measures - took pains to distance himself from the rigors of their enforcement." From A Supreme Court in the culture wars by Jeremy Rabkin in the Fall edition of the Public Interest</ref> and growing disquiet from the Conservatives.<ref name="PI3">"Conservative political forces, centering on the old Prussian aristocracy, became increasingly critical of these measures, fearing that they would jeopardize the status of their own Protestant Evangelical Church."From A Supreme Court in the culture wars by Jeremy Rabkin in the Fall edition of the Public Interest</ref>.

In 1869 he founded the Society for anthropology, ethnology and prehistory (Gesellschaft für Anthropologie, Ethnologie und Urgeschichte) which was very influential in coordinating and intensifying German archaeological research.

In 1892 he was awarded the Copley Medal.

He was a very prolific writer. Some of his works are: