September 28

Théodore de Mayerne was born in Geneva in 1573 and studied medicine at leading European universities. He became a prominent court physician, serving monarchs of England and France during the early 17th century. A proponent of chemical medicine, he blended traditional Galenic practice with emerging Paracelsian methods. He kept extensive casebooks that advanced clinical observation and medical documentation. His writings on therapeutic chemistry influenced the transition toward modern medical science and practice.

Ismaël Bullialdus was born near Dijon in 1605 and became a leading figure in early modern astronomy. His major work, Astronomia Philolaica (1645), sought to reconcile Ptolemaic and Copernican models of the cosmos. He proposed hypotheses on planetary motion that anticipated later formulations of celestial mechanics. Bullialdus combined mathematical analysis with observed data to advance the study of orbits and comets. His correspondence and publications influenced contemporaries and helped lay groundwork for Newtonian astronomy.

Born in 1746, William Jones was a British philologist whose work laid the foundations for comparative linguistics. He served as a puisne judge in colonial India, where he developed a deep interest in Sanskrit and ancient texts. Jones famously observed similarities between Sanskrit, Latin, and Greek, proposing a common ancestral language. His 1786 discourse on the origin of languages sparked the study of the Indo-European language family. He also founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784, promoting Oriental studies and scholarly exchange. He authored numerous translations and writings that influenced later linguists and historians.

Born in 1809 in Massachusetts, Chapman studied medicine but developed a passion for botany while practicing in Florida. In 1860, he published 'Flora of the Southern United States,' the region's first major botanical reference work. His meticulous descriptions and classifications of plants provided a foundation for North American botany. Chapman collaborated with renowned botanists like Asa Gray and contributed specimens to major herbaria. His legacy endures through ongoing research in plant taxonomy and the continued use of his seminal flora guide.

Henri Moissan was born in Paris and became interested in chemistry at a young age. He developed the electric furnace, enabling the study of high-temperature reactions. In 1886, he succeeded in isolating elemental fluorine, a groundbreaking achievement in chemistry. His innovations advanced the study of reactive elements and compounds. Moissan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1906 for his work on fluorine and the electric furnace. His research influenced developments in materials science and industrial chemistry.

Born into an astronomical family, Isis Pogson worked at the Madras Observatory in India. She conducted systematic observations of solar eclipses, planetary transits, and sunspots. Pogson also established meteorological stations and developed early weather mapping techniques. Her dual expertise bridged astronomy and atmospheric science in the late 19th century. She was among the first women to be recognized by scientific communities in Britain. Her pioneering work laid groundwork for future female scientists in observational astronomy.

Paul Ulrich Villard trained as a chemist before joining the Radium Commission in Paris. In 1900, he discovered a highly penetrative radiation later termed 'gamma rays' while studying uranium decay. Villard's identification of gamma radiation distinguished it from alpha and beta particles. His work contributed to understanding radioactive decay processes and radiation detection. He collaborated with leading scientists, including Marie Curie, to refine radiographic techniques. Villard's discoveries underpin modern applications in medicine, nuclear physics, and material science.

Albert Peyriguère was a French priest who devoted his life to ethnological research while embracing a hermitic lifestyle. Born in 1883, he conducted extensive fieldwork among remote indigenous communities, documenting their traditions and languages. His writings provided valuable insight into the social structures and belief systems of the populations he studied. Peyriguère combined religious devotion with scholarly inquiry, publishing articles that contributed to early anthropological thought. He passed away in 1959, remembered for his unique blend of spiritual solitude and academic rigor.

Florence Violet McKenzie was Australia’s first female electrical engineer, graduating in 1919 at a time when few women entered the field. She founded one of Sydney’s earliest commercial radio stations, contributing to the development of Australian broadcasting. During World War II, McKenzie established training programs for women in wireless communication, supporting the war effort. Her advocacy for women in STEM inspired future generations of engineers and technicians. McKenzie’s groundbreaking work left an indelible mark on both engineering and broadcasting before her death in 1982.

Hilda Geiringer was born in Vienna in 1893. She became one of the first women to earn a Habilitation in mathematics at the University of Vienna. Her research on applied mathematics and statistics laid the groundwork for modern elasticity theory. After facing persecution under the Nazi regime, she emigrated to the United States in 1938. At Bryn Mawr College and later at MIT, she taught and published influential papers that shaped probability theory. Her resilience and scholarly achievements opened doors for women in mathematical sciences.

Carl Clauberg was born in Aurich, Germany, in 1898. He joined the Nazi party and served as a physician in Auschwitz concentration camp. There he conducted brutal mass sterilization experiments on female prisoners without consent. His pseudoscientific research aimed to develop methods for racial purification under the Nazi regime. After the war, he was tried by Soviet authorities but released in 1955, returning to West Germany. He was later rearrested and tried for war crimes before his death in prison in 1957. Clauberg remains infamous as a symbol of medical ethics violated by ideology.

Heikki Savolainen was born in Joensuu, Finland, in 1907. He competed in five Olympic Games between 1928 and 1952, earning nine medals, including gold on the pommel horse. Savolainen's athletic longevity made him one of Finland's most decorated gymnasts. Outside the gym, he studied medicine and worked as a physician for many years. His dual career highlighted a commitment to both sport and healthcare in Finnish society. He passed away in 1997, leaving a legacy of excellence in gymnastics and medicine.