In the last few posts, I mentioned the rivalry between Santiago Ramón y Cajal and Camillo Golgi, but the story is so colorful, I decided to expand on it. Clearly both scientists were titans in the field of neuroscience, as both won the Nobel Prize (together, no less!) but they were also adversaries who disputed each other’s findings.
Camillo Golgi was an Italian scientist who first studied psychiatry and wrote about mental illnesses, but later decided to focus on experimental study of the nervous system to explain mental conditions. Although tissue staining was a known technique, it wasn’t suitable for the nervous system because of its complexity. Working alone in a small kitchen converted into a lab, Golgi discovered that using potassium bicarbonate impregnated with silver nitrate resulted in a “black reaction” that allowed neurons to be imaged. This was a revolutionary finding and became known as the Golgi stain. Golgi used it to draw the first illustration of the anatomy of the nervous system (this was before cameras so they had to draw whatever they saw). Golgi was highly respected for his findings and became quite famous. He concluded that the nervous system was one large unit consisting of an intricate interconnected network, which became known as the ‘reticular theory’.
Although Golgi’s stain made it easier to see neurons, it wasn’t extremely clear. As it turned out, the Golgi staining method impregnated only some neurons at random, the reason for which is still not fully understood.
Santiago Ramón y Cajal was a Spaniard who was more interested in art than medicine but grew up to be an anatomist. He used the same Golgi stain (with some improvements) and his observations led him to a different conclusion, that the nervous system was composed of billions of distinct cells (neurons) that were anatomically and functionally distinct. Cajal also refined Golgi’s silver staining method and used thicker tissue samples, which helped him get a clearer image. Combined with an artist’s eye, he saw details that others seemingly could not, and depicted the nervous tissue as “a forest of outstretched trees”. It helped establish the neuron theory that said neurons were distinct cells with electrical signals propagating from neuron to neuron.
The two scientists disagreed with each other's findings and continued to work on proving their own theory was correct. The world was first divided but Cajal slowly started getting more and more followers, but Golgi wasn’t one of them. When Cajal went to Europe to present his theory, he tried to visit Golgi, but Golgi conveniently left town at the same time.
Golgi was first nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1901, the very first year the award was started, and consequently every year for the next five years. In 1906, Cajal was also nominated, and that year both were selected jointly for the Nobel Prize.
One would think the rivalry ended there, with both scientists getting recognition. But the war was still brewing. When they had to deliver their Nobel Lecture, Golgi openly trashed Cajal’s work. In fact, the title of his lecture was “The neuron doctrine- theory and facts”, making it less about his own work and more on proving Cajal’s work wrong. He even started off by saying
On the other hand, Cajal chose to ignore the insult and instead focused on his own work saying:
Golgi never accepted Cajal’s work, but the invention of the electron microscope in the 1950s finally put the controversy to rest by providing evidence for the cellular nature of the neuron. After that, the neuron doctrine became the established truth and the fundamental basis of neuroscience. Golgi was proven wrong but it couldn't have been done without the Golgi stain.
Camillo Golgi was an Italian scientist who first studied psychiatry and wrote about mental illnesses, but later decided to focus on experimental study of the nervous system to explain mental conditions. Although tissue staining was a known technique, it wasn’t suitable for the nervous system because of its complexity. Working alone in a small kitchen converted into a lab, Golgi discovered that using potassium bicarbonate impregnated with silver nitrate resulted in a “black reaction” that allowed neurons to be imaged. This was a revolutionary finding and became known as the Golgi stain. Golgi used it to draw the first illustration of the anatomy of the nervous system (this was before cameras so they had to draw whatever they saw). Golgi was highly respected for his findings and became quite famous. He concluded that the nervous system was one large unit consisting of an intricate interconnected network, which became known as the ‘reticular theory’.
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| The hippocampus stained by Golgi stain (l) and Golgi's drawing of it (r) |
Although Golgi’s stain made it easier to see neurons, it wasn’t extremely clear. As it turned out, the Golgi staining method impregnated only some neurons at random, the reason for which is still not fully understood.
Santiago Ramón y Cajal was a Spaniard who was more interested in art than medicine but grew up to be an anatomist. He used the same Golgi stain (with some improvements) and his observations led him to a different conclusion, that the nervous system was composed of billions of distinct cells (neurons) that were anatomically and functionally distinct. Cajal also refined Golgi’s silver staining method and used thicker tissue samples, which helped him get a clearer image. Combined with an artist’s eye, he saw details that others seemingly could not, and depicted the nervous tissue as “a forest of outstretched trees”. It helped establish the neuron theory that said neurons were distinct cells with electrical signals propagating from neuron to neuron.
The two scientists disagreed with each other's findings and continued to work on proving their own theory was correct. The world was first divided but Cajal slowly started getting more and more followers, but Golgi wasn’t one of them. When Cajal went to Europe to present his theory, he tried to visit Golgi, but Golgi conveniently left town at the same time.
Golgi was first nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1901, the very first year the award was started, and consequently every year for the next five years. In 1906, Cajal was also nominated, and that year both were selected jointly for the Nobel Prize.
 |
| Cajal's drawing of neurons as individual cells |
One would think the rivalry ended there, with both scientists getting recognition. But the war was still brewing. When they had to deliver their Nobel Lecture, Golgi openly trashed Cajal’s work. In fact, the title of his lecture was “The neuron doctrine- theory and facts”, making it less about his own work and more on proving Cajal’s work wrong. He even started off by saying
It may seem strange that, since I have always been opposed to the neuron theory – although acknowledging that its starting-point is to be found in my own work – I have chosen this question of the neuron as the subject of my lecture, and that it comes at a time when this doctrine is generally recognized to be going out of favor.
On the other hand, Cajal chose to ignore the insult and instead focused on his own work saying:
In accordance with the tradition followed by the illustrious orators honored before me with the Nobel Prize, I am going to talk to you about the principal results of my scientific work in the realm of the histology and physiology of the nervous system.
Golgi never accepted Cajal’s work, but the invention of the electron microscope in the 1950s finally put the controversy to rest by providing evidence for the cellular nature of the neuron. After that, the neuron doctrine became the established truth and the fundamental basis of neuroscience. Golgi was proven wrong but it couldn't have been done without the Golgi stain.
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