Marie François Xavier Bichat was the first person to look beyond the recognizable organ systems and suggest that each part of the body was composed of various kinds of tissues. In addition, he suggested that disease acted upon these tissue is ways that could be seen and studied. For these insights, Bichat is considered the "father of histology."

Bichat was born in Thoirette, France, in 1771, the son of a physician. When it came time for Bichat to go to college, the French revolution was underway, and his father, a nervous member of the privileged class, sent his son away to the relative safety of Lyons to study.

In Lyons, Bichat studied mathematics and physical science before settling on the study of anatomy. Political turmoil and the threat of military service forced him to leave Lyons and seek refuge in Paris. There he was befriended by the...