From Medical Practice to Theoretical Medicine: An Autobiographic Sketch

FROMMEDICAL PRACTICE TO THEORETICAL MEDICINE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHIC SKETCH W. R. HESS* Ancestry I should like to begin this short sketch ofmy life with a few comments concerning my forebears. This will come as no surprise to readers interested in biology, who are well aware of the decisive influences one's inheritance has in the shaping ofone's life. In my own case it is rather interesting , as two different folk-groups are represented in my pedigree. My father's ancestors belonged to the Alemanni, a Germanic tribe ofthe upper Rhine valley formerly under Roman control. In several expansive movements these peoples drove the Romans southward and over the Alps; they then occupied the now German-speaking region ofnortheastern Switzerland and are considered the principal ancestors ofits present population. My mother's people came from the region of the former kingdom of Saxony where East European types were to be found along with the Nordic. This divergence between the maternal and paternal inheritance generally is ofa certain genetic interest. A rather broad range of trades and professions is to be found in my family tree. It includes farmers, craftsmen, and merchants as well as more distantly related clergymen and politicians who were rather gifted orators. My father, a college teacher in physics, combined a remarkable sense of order with a teacher's talent. Although fundamentally a very serious man, he always retained a good sense ofhumor. My mother had an altogether happy and pleasant disposition, which stood in striking contrast to the rather sober mood and reserved attitude so characteristic ofthe inhabitants ofeastern Switzerland at that time. It is no wonder that we had little contact with our neighbors, who looked upon us almost as strangers with dif- * Goldauerstrasse 25, Zürich, Switzerland. This autobiographic sketch was translated from the original German manuscript by Dr. E. Castagnoli, an American physician, presently in Zürich. 4OO W. R. Hess · From Medical Practice to Tlteoretical Medicine Perspectives in Biology and Medicine · Summer 1963 ferent customs and social standards. My mother also had an unusually lively disposition. She bubbled over with energy—so much so, in fact, that she often had a hard time falling asleep. I, too, was to suffer from this difficulty throughout my life. I have always had to struggle to shut out the impressions and experiences ofthe day. Early Environment The editors who invited me to write a short autobiography encouraged me to include a psychological background to mylife story. This is in keeping with modern autobiographic writing and means that the role played by the external environment in developing, shaping, and limiting an individual's inherited capabilities must not be overlooked. My own childhood was provided with ample opportunities to become aware ofnature at firsthand. My early curiosity about the world around me was stimulated and supported by my father. Even at the age offive, I used to explore the fields and meadows to collect plants, and every new specimen meant an exciting experience, for it was brought home and carefully classified with Father's help. Soon I had my herbarium and a collection ofbutterflies. As time went on, I became aware ofthe significance of the ecological setting, that is to say, of the specific interrelationship between flora and fauna. I could see, for example, that a particular species of caterpillar was always to be found on a certain plant. Such observations were unforgettable. Even much later I remembered the exact place where they had occurred. More and more it became clear that functional manifestations , such as the germination of a seed or the rapid sprouting of a shoot from a willow, were more apt to capture my mind than purely morphological features. Perhaps most fascinating to me was the observation ofthe metamorphosis from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. Ijust couldn't get enough ofnature. How beautiful were those solitary walks through fields and forests and along streams and rivers. By the time I entered elementary school I had thoroughly discovered the countryside surrounding my village. Student Years The phase in my life that did much to form my personality began with my entrance into the Gymnasium at the age oftwelve. My father soon allowed me to visit his...