Antony van Leeuwenhoek

Abstract

Antony van Leeuwenhoek. Illustration by Venita Jay, MD, FRCPC. A van Leeuwenhoek was one of the greatest innovators in the world of biological sciences. Driven by insatiable curiosity and infinite energy, Leeuwenhoek devoted some 50 years of his life to his all-consuming passion—microscopy. He relied on his own innate genius in his lifelong quest to uncover the marvels of Nature. Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723) was born on October 24, 1632, in Delft, Netherlands. His father was a basket weaver. Leeuwenhoek received no formal schooling in medical or biological sciences. He established a successful drapery business in Delft. Being in the cloth trade, he might have become familiar with the use of a magnifying glass for inspecting fiber quality and determining weaving type. Leeuwenhoek did not pursue what would become his favorite hobby, microscopy, until he was almost 40. In 1660, Leeuwenhoek was nominated as chamberlain to the Sheriffs of Delft. Later, he also worked as a surveyor and wine gauger. His official duties were not that cumbersome, which allowed him time to pursue his hobby of constructing microscopes and viewing everything under his lens. His approach to microscopy was thorough, systematic, and analytical. For 50 years, he painstakingly recorded his many observations in a series of letters to the Royal Society of London. These letters were published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Leeuwenhoek’s subjects for microscopy were extremely diverse and included objects from the human, animal, plant, and mineral kingdoms. He examined tartar of teeth, saliva, gum scrapings, hair, nails, bones, teeth, various soft tissues, and the lens of the eye, as well as various biological fluids, including blood, milk, sweat, and tears. Other subjects of his studies included feathers, animal fur, insect parts, minerals, fish scales, spices, nuts, seeds, tree bark, and cork. Leeuwenhoek provided accurate descriptions of plant anatomy. Even gunpowder, before and after being ignited, came under his microscopic scrutiny. He used saffron as a means to render tissues such as muscle more easily visible, and he also described blood corpuscles and capillaries. An expert lens maker, Leeuwenhoek ground and pol-