The collected scientific papers of John James Waterston / edited, with a biography, by J.S. Haldane.

  • Waterston, J. J. (John James), 1811-1883.
Date:
1928
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The collected scientific papers of John James Waterston / edited, with a biography, by J.S. Haldane. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    widely read Cyclopaedia of Commerce; George developed the family business with great vigour and success; Charles became a banker in Inverness and director of several companies; and Robert, a merchant in Rio de Janeiro and later in Auckland. They were educated at the Edinburgh High School, at that time the leading school in Scotland. In accordance with Scottish custom it was a day-school, though boys from all parts of Scotland were sent to Edinburgh to attend it. Its standard was a very high one, largely OAving to the tradition established by its former Rector, Dr Adam. On leaving the High Scliool, Waterston became a pupil with Messrs Grainger & Miller, civil engineers, but attended lectures at the University, and also, as letters of his show, took a very active part in a students’ Literary Society. He studied mathematics and physics under Sir John Leslie, the well-known physicist, and was medallist of his year in Leslie’s class. This perhaps meant more in those days than it would now : for Leslie seems to haAm taken special care that Ihis prizes Avent to those whom he himself considered best. Waterston also attended lectures on anatomy under the tliird Monro, as Avell as on chemistry and surgery. This someAvhat remarkable choice of subjects AvaS;, doubtless connected Avitli the fact that both his father and he were much influenced by the physio- logical and educational teaching of George and Andrew Combe. In a cupboard in the old house on St John’s Hill tliere Avere still, until recently, a number of gruesome-looking casts collected by Waterston’s fatlier, of the heads of criminals and other persons. One great difficulty in Avriting a biograj)liy of Waterston is the fact that though a number of his letters haA'e been preserved, there is hardly any detailed reference in them to his scientific work and ideas. It is also evident that throughout his life he felt strongly that he had no right to trouble those who Avere near to him Avith his personal disa23pointments OA^er matters which they were not in a position to folloAv. Not even to his brothers, deeply attached as he was to them, did he endeavour to explain the main aims of his scientific Avork. He also carefully concealed from them the fact that Avhat he considered his greatest joapers had been rejected by the