Pieter Harting
Encyclopedia
Pieter Harting was a Dutch biologist
and naturalist
, born in Rotterdam
. He made contributions in a number of scientific disciplines, and is remembered for his work in the fields of microscopy
, hydrology
, botany
, and biostratigraphy
.
In 1835 he obtained his medical degree from the University of Utrecht and spent the following years as a doctor in Oudewater
. From 1841 he taught classes in medicine at the Athenaeum
of Franeker
, and two years later returned to the University of Utrecht, where he worked until retirement in 1875. At Utrecht
he was a full professor of pharmacology
and plant physiology
(from 1846), and later zoology
(from 1855). In 1856 he was appointed director of the zoological museum. He was a member of Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
(KNAW) and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leiden. He died in Amersfoort
on 3 December 1885.
Throughout his career he maintained an avid interest in the historical development of the microscope
and in the manufacture of lenses. He is credited with making design improvements to the microscope, and was the author of a landmark book on microscopy that was translated into several languages, including German (Das Mikroskop). At Utrecht he established a popular microscopy laboratory for students.
In the field of hydrology he conducted extensive scientific groundwater
research in an effort to improve the quality of water for public health. Harting was an early, important supporter of Charles Darwin
, and in collaboration with other scientists formed the first committee for creation of a geological
map of the Netherlands. The settlement of Hartingsburg in the Transvaal
was named in his honor (later renamed Warmbad
), as is a species of squid
, Architeuthis hartingii.
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
and naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
, born in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. He made contributions in a number of scientific disciplines, and is remembered for his work in the fields of microscopy
Microscopy
Microscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view samples and objects that cannot be seen with the unaided eye...
, hydrology
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
, botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
, and biostratigraphy
Biostratigraphy
Biostratigraphy is the branch of stratigraphy which focuses on correlating and assigning relative ages of rock strata by using the fossil assemblages contained within them. Usually the aim is correlation, demonstrating that a particular horizon in one geological section represents the same period...
.
In 1835 he obtained his medical degree from the University of Utrecht and spent the following years as a doctor in Oudewater
Oudewater
Oudewater is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht.-Population centres :The municipality of Oudewater consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: Hekendorp, Oudewater, Papekop, Snelrewaard....
. From 1841 he taught classes in medicine at the Athenaeum
Athenaeum
-Educational institutions, museums, libraries:* Melbourne Athenaeum, Melbourne, Australia* Limerick Athenaeum, Limerick, Ireland* Romanian Athenaeum, Bucharest, Romania* Warminster Athenaeum, a theatre in Warminster, Wiltshire, UK* Glasgow Athenaeum, Glasgow, UK...
of Franeker
Franeker
Franeker is one of the eleven historical cities of Friesland and capital of the municipality of Franekeradeel. It is located about 20 km west of Leeuwarden on the Van Harinxma Canal. As of 1 January 2006, it had 12,996 inhabitants. The city is famous for the Eisinga Planetarium from around...
, and two years later returned to the University of Utrecht, where he worked until retirement in 1875. At Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
he was a full professor of pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
and plant physiology
Plant physiology
Plant physiology is a subdiscipline of botany concerned with the functioning, or physiology, of plants. Closely related fields include plant morphology , plant ecology , phytochemistry , cell biology, and molecular biology.Fundamental processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, plant nutrition,...
(from 1846), and later zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
(from 1855). In 1856 he was appointed director of the zoological museum. He was a member of Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences is an organisation dedicated to the advancement of science and literature in the Netherlands...
(KNAW) and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leiden. He died in Amersfoort
Amersfoort
Amersfoort is a municipality and the second largest city of the province of Utrecht in central Netherlands. The city is growing quickly but has a well-preserved and protected medieval centre. Amersfoort is one of the largest railway junctions in the country, because of its location on two of the...
on 3 December 1885.
Throughout his career he maintained an avid interest in the historical development of the microscope
Microscope
A microscope is an instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy...
and in the manufacture of lenses. He is credited with making design improvements to the microscope, and was the author of a landmark book on microscopy that was translated into several languages, including German (Das Mikroskop). At Utrecht he established a popular microscopy laboratory for students.
In the field of hydrology he conducted extensive scientific groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
research in an effort to improve the quality of water for public health. Harting was an early, important supporter of Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
, and in collaboration with other scientists formed the first committee for creation of a geological
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
map of the Netherlands. The settlement of Hartingsburg in the Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
was named in his honor (later renamed Warmbad
Bela Bela
' is a town in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Deriving its name from the geothermic hot springs around which the town was built, it is widely known by the name Warmbaths, officially changed to the current name in 2002. Likewise, the Afrikaans name for the town was Warmbad before the name...
), as is a species of squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
, Architeuthis hartingii.