Rudolf Virchow: Four Lives in One

Book excerpt: This is a story of one of the most powerful spirits in history. This historical fiction is based on the true life of Rudolf Virchow, M.D. 1821-1902 whose titles in history include, "Pope of Medicine," and "Father of Pathology." Virchow's discoveries and persistent medical and political battles changed the course of medicine. Virchow's story comes alive through the letters he wrote to his parents. After graduating medical school, Virchow was sent to study an outbreak of typhus. The diseased people groveled for food, kissed the hem of his coat, their children were content in foster care for the luxuries of food and heat. Virchow turned in a report but not what his superiors expected. He laid the blame of the citizen's plight at the feet of the government, the king in particular, and the church. This pivoting event lit a fire in young Virchow that burned until his death in 1902. Though banished from Berlin by order of the king, after settling in Wurzburg Virchow continued his relentless work improving the lives of others. Virchow's research and sometimes zany teaching methods earned him a base of fans among colleagues and students. Virchow eventually achieved international fame in multiple countries. He was featured on the cover of Time Magazine. Today, hospitals bear his name as well as streets in Berlin, Virchow Archiv has continued for more than 150 years and annual scholarships bear his name. Virchow was not just a hero of his time. He is a hero of all time. "Of what good is a doctor to overworked, starving patients with a disease spread by rats?" Rudolf Virchow, M.D.