Series 5 - Heidelberg

1.25 m of records (multimedia)

Between October 1902 and May 1904, Dr. Farrar took leave from Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital for post graduate medical training in Europe. Although he traveled widely, attending lectures and meeting scientists in Munich, Paris and London, Dr. Farrar spent most of his time at Emil Kraepelin’s psychiatric clinic in Heidelberg. There, Dr. Kraepelin had revolutionized modern psychiatric diagnosis. Kraepelin, along with his Heidelberg colleagues, Franz Nissl and Aloys Alzheimer, rejected the nineteenth century practice of reducing mental illness to brain disease. Instead, the Heidelberg School emphasized careful description and clear understanding of individual symptoms in psychiatric diagnosis. When Dr. Farrar returned from Heidleberg in 1904, he had received thorough training in Kraepelin’s psychological approach. He also returned mindful of the Heidelberg School’s emphasis upon brain histopathology, neurohistology, and neuropathology.

The records in this series pertain to Dr. Farrar’s personal and professional activities in Heidelberg. Records consist of a personal diary, research notes and patient observations. Also included is personal correspondence from various Heidelberg colleagues such as Franz Nissl, Emil Kraepelin, Albert Deveaux, and Charles Macfie Campbell. Photographs include mainly snapshots taken by Farrar of the German towns and countryside, of his colleagues at Heidelberg, and of the university and his personal study.

In addition, this series also contains glass slides, printing plates, a gravity measuring device, and a knife for preparing brain tissues for slides. During his Heidelberg studies, Dr. Farrar, along with Franz Nissl and Aloys Alzheimer, became occupied with the microscopic study of brain disease. Dr. Farrar prepared these slides under Dr. Nissl’s supervision.

For photographs, see Box /003P (09).

Researchers must request access to the Clarence B. Farrar fonds given the volume of personal health information distributed across the fonds. Please contact us for additional information or to make a request.