b. November 11, 1771 and d. July 22, 1802

French physiologist and anatomist. He developed new and important ideas on the anatomy of the tissues and on the distinction between organic and animal functions in his “Treatise on the Membranes” (1798), in “Researches on Life and Death” (1800) and in “General Anatomy Applied to Physiology and Medicine” (1801). He was the first to reduce the organs of the body to their elementary tissues, and explained the chemical, physical and vital properties of each primitive tissue; also the first to recognize the importance of the distinction between organic and animal functions and to make it the basis of a classification.

 He who binds
 His soul to knowledge, steals the key of heaven-
 But ’tis a bitter mockery that the fruit
 May hang within the reach, and when, with thirst
 Wrought to maddening phrenzy, he would taste-
 It burns his lips to ashes.

 —Willis

 300 B. C.—Dissection, previously confined to animals, was first applied to men by Herophilus and Erasistratus.

 1537—The dissection of the human body was performed by Vesalius.

 1620—Bone-setting was first scientifically practiced.

 1718—Jean Louis Petit invented the screw tourniquet for suppressing the flow of blood in surgical operations.

November 10, 1837 and d. ?

American physicist. In 1867 he invented and perfected an electric gyroscope, used to demonstrate the rotation of the earth; in 1872 he used tuning-forks to exhibit Lissajou’s curves and the opeidoscope for the exhibition of the vocal vibrations; in 1876 he perfected and patented his magneto-electric telephone, and in 1879 the static telephone. He published “The Art of Projecting” (1876); “The Speaking Telephone” (1877); and “Sound and Its Phenomena” (1885).

 Come in, To-Day, come in!
 I have confess’d my sin
 To thee, young promise-bearer!
 New Lord of Earth!
 I hail thy birth-
 The crown awaits the wearer.
 Child of the ages past!
 Sire of a mightier line!
 On the same deeps our lot is cast;
 The world is thine-and mine!

 —The Lost Day: Mackay

 All the inventions that the world contains,
 Were not by reason first found out, nor brains;
 But pass for theirs who had the luck to light
 Upon them by mistake or oversight.

 —Butler

 1747—Creed projected a machine having an object similar to that of the phonograph.

b, ? 1809 and d. November 10, 1881

American inventor. In 1832 he patented “awls on the haft.” The awl-haft as made by him was similar to the Aiken awl. In 1849 he patented a combination lock and improved the first lathe dog. He invented a peg-splitting machine, two sewing-machines and a patent clothes-pin. In 1860 he devised machinery to make spring hooks and eyes. He received letters patent for sixty inventions, including one for folding newspapers.

 The wise ones tells us that it is intellect that has
 done it. And all honor to intellect! It is not I, nor you,
 fellow-workers, who will attempt to rob the royal power
 of intellect of one iota of his renown. Intellect is
 also a glorious gift of the Divinity, a divine principle
 on the earth. We set intellect at the head of labor, and
 bid it lead the way to all wonders and discoveries; but
 know that intellect cannot go alone. Intellect cannot
 separate itself from labor.

 —The True Dignity of Labor: William Howitt

 1563—The manufacture of pins was begun in England.

 1695—John Lofting, from Holland, established the manufacture of thimbles at Islington, London.

 1790—Thomas Saint patented a machine for sewing boots and shoes.

 1816—Odion invented a machine for making cut nails.

 1841—Walter Hunt invented a double reciprocating nail engine which cut 600 ten-penny nails a minute.