OWEN, Sir PICHMID (1SO4-92). An English comparative anatomist. born at Lancaster. Eng land. July 20, 1804. He studied medicine in Edinburgh, London. and also under Curler in Paris. He became a member of the Royal t'ol Ieee of Surgeons in 1526. and practiced his pro fession in London, but was soon appointed as sistant curator of the Ilunterian Museum. and began to devote himself to the anatomy of ani mals. In 1S34 lie was appointed to the chair of comparative anatomy at Saint Bartholomew's Hospital. and in 1836 became the first Ilunterian professor of anatomy and physiology in the Col Iffy of Surmons. This position involved the delivery of twenty-four annual lectures. hut gave him time for much original research, the pub lished results of \ VII ich brought him much re and won him the friendship of the most distinguished of his contemporaries, from the Queen and Prince Albert down. The last forty years of his life were spent at Sheen Lodge in Pdeliniond Park, which was given him by the Queen.
The second period of his career began in 1856, when he resigned his professorship, and took the new post of superintendent of the natural history departments of the British Museum, which had previously been under the care of literary men with no special scientific training. Ile soon found that definite activity in the administration of the Museum was neither expected nor desired, and accordingly devoted himself with great en to original research, making full use of the splendid collections under his hand. Having now
little opportunity for dissection he spent most of his time on osteology and especially paleon tology. A large amount of highly important work was accomplished, including the arrange ment and revision of Hunter's manuscripts, and his own great book on the Anatomy and Physi ology of the Vertebrates (1866-88). Owen is justly regarded as the greatest English compara tive anatomist and paleontologist, and during the greater part of his life was considered Cuvier's successor in these fields. In 1883 he left the Museum, to which he had rendered priceless services, and spent the remaining years in re tirement. Ile was made a in 1884. Of the innumerable works published during a lite rary activity of sixty-two years, at least the following should be mentioned: Odontography (1840-45) : romparatiee Anatomy of the Inrer tebrate Animals (1843); British Fossil Mammals and Birds (184(i) ; British. Fossil Reptiles ( 1849 84) ; Experimental Physiology (1882). Consult his Life by his grandson (London, 1894), which gives a eomplete list of his minor writings.