1708-1777

Swiss Physiologist and Poet

Albrecht von Haller was the father of modern experimental physiology. By uniting the fields of anatomy and "living anatomy," Haller created a functional approach to studying the physiology of the body. Haller's doctrine concerning the contractility or irritability of muscle tissue laid the foundation for the emerging field of neurology. An illustrious scholar and prolific writer, Haller influenced eighteenth century thought in poetry, botany, philosophy, and medicine.

Born in Bern, Switzerland, Haller was a physically frail but precocious student. He wrote scholarly articles by age eight, and finished a Greek dictionary by age ten. At seventeen, Haller studied medicine at The University of Leiden in the Netherlands under Hermann Boerhaave (1668-1728), the century's greatest medical teacher. After obtaining his medical degree in 1727, Haller continued his studies of anatomy, surgery, and mathematics in London and Paris. During this time, Haller...