In Splendid Isolation: A History of the Willie Commelin Scholten Phytopathology Laboratory, 1894-1992

by Patricia E. Faasse

Overview

For almost a hundred years, the Willie Commelin Scholten laboratory was the hub of phytopathology research in the Netherlands, where generations of students learned the principles of plant pathology. In Splendid Isolation reconstructs the history of this unique institution, from its beginnings as a small private laboratory in the late nineteenth century to its final days as a renowned university research center. This unique volume chronicles how the laboratory’s scientific reputation spread far beyond the country’s borders as it diagnosed and researched thousands of plant diseases.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789069845418
Publisher:	Edita-The Publishing House of the Royal Netherlands Academy
Publication date:	09/15/2009
Series:	Edita - History of Science and Scholarship in the Netherlands Series , #11
Pages:	302
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.80(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Patricia E. Faasse is an independent researcher in the history of science. She lives and works in Amsterdam.
 
 
 

Table of Contents

Prologue

1        WHAT DID WILLIE WANT?

Bulb trade and bulb-growing: Ernst Krelage

Research on plant diseases: Hugo de Vries

2        PHYTOPATHOLOGY: A PRIVATE OR A PUBLIC INSTITUTE?

A private initiative

A service for agriculturalists

Trojan horse

A public concern

Two phytopathology institutes

3        THE LADY FROM ROEMER VISSCHERSTRAAT

A new direction

Fungus lady

Prospects of a professorship

4        ‘OUT IN BAARN’

Diseased elms

In splendid isolation

‘Some gnashing of teeth on both sides’

Professor in Amsterdam

5        STURM UND DRANG

The growth of phytopathology

Disease as a process

Elm disease

Poplar canker

Antagonism research

The Phytopathology Laboratory in wartime

6        ‘TOIL AND MOIL’

Science of dynamic equilibrium

The demands of education and research

Fundamental research

A changing world

7        TRIANGULAR RELATIONS

Having your cake and eating it. . . and eating it again!

Ecologically-oriented phytopathological research

Physiologically-oriented phytopatholocial research

Virologically-oriented phytopathological research

8        CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME

‘Can those things fly?’

Mutually enhancing effects

Up against the wall

‘Too much’

A final word

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

Table of terms and abbreviations

Bibliography

Appendix

Index