European Taxidermy, perhaps the first record of a specific museum

Ole Worm, a Danish Naturalist

Ole Worm was born in rhus, where he attended the city's grammar school, which was known for its humanist traditions. At the age of 13 he was sent to Germany to continue his education, first at the high school in Laneburg, and later in the Hanseatic town of Emmerich, where he had family. All of his subsequent university education In 1605 he commenced theological studies in Marburg, and later in Giessen, but after two years he decided to specialize in medicine. In the spring of 1607 he was studying in Strasbourg, and then later in Basel, where he studied under a physician who possessed an outstanding collection of natural history specimens, of which some had been inherited from the pre-eminent collector Conrad Gesner (1516-65). It was also here in Basel that Ole Worm became acquainted with that branch of medicine known as iatrochemistry, and first encountered the ideas of Theophrastus Paracelsus (1490-1541) - which were aimed at finding the chemical element that would cure all illnesses. From a botanist Worm learned the significance of collecting plants systematically, as well as the principle that direct observation is the basis of scientific advancement. In July 1613 Worm was recalled from England and appointed Professor of Latin at the University of Copenhagen. He lived and stayed in Copenhagen for the rest of his life. He was married in 1615 to a daughter of the senior Professor of Medicine, Thomas Fincke (1561-1656), becoming at the same time brother-in-law to his friend Caspar Bartholin. Worm was later to become Professor of Greek, Physics, and finally in 1624 received a chair in his original subject, medicine. Added to this, Worm served as Rector of the University several times, the first time being in 1627 and the last in 1654.


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