Thomas Mills
Encyclopedia
Thomas Wesley Mills generally referred to as T. Wesley Mills in the scientific literature, was a Canadian physician and physiologist who worked as a professor at McGill University
. Mills was Canada's first professional physiologist and authored books and research articles on comparative physiology
, animal behavior, and the physiology of voice production.
After graduating from the University of Toronto
and teaching high school for two years, Mills began medical studies at McGill in 1876 and graduated with high honors in 1878. Mills was a close associate of William Osler
, who influenced the direction of his career and introduced him to an international network of biomedical researchers. Mills traveled to London where he worked with John Scott Burdon-Sanderson
and Edward Albert Schafer, Baltimore where he worked with H. Newell Martin at Johns Hopkins University
, Strasbourg with Felix Hoppe-Seyler and Friedrich Goltz
, and Berlin with Hugo Kronecker
.
Mills began teaching physiology at McGill in 1884, eventually becoming the Joseph Morley Drake professor of physiology in 1891. He founded the Society for the Study of Comparative Physiology in 1885, was elected to the Royal Society of Canada
in 1890, and became president of the Natural History Society of Montreal in 1894.
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
. Mills was Canada's first professional physiologist and authored books and research articles on comparative physiology
Comparative physiology
Comparative physiology is a subdiscipline of physiology that studies and exploits the diversity of functional characteristics of various kinds of organisms. It is closely related to evolutionary physiology and environmental physiology. Many universities offer undergraduate courses that cover...
, animal behavior, and the physiology of voice production.
After graduating from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and teaching high school for two years, Mills began medical studies at McGill in 1876 and graduated with high honors in 1878. Mills was a close associate of William Osler
William Osler
Sir William Osler, 1st Baronet was a physician. He was one of the "Big Four" founding professors at Johns Hopkins Hospital as the first Professor of Medicine and founder of the Medical Service there. Sir William Osler, 1st Baronet (July 12, 1849 – December 29, 1919) was a physician. He was...
, who influenced the direction of his career and introduced him to an international network of biomedical researchers. Mills traveled to London where he worked with John Scott Burdon-Sanderson
John Scott Burdon-Sanderson
Sir John Scott Burdon-Sanderson, Bt., F.R.S. was an English physiologist born near Newcastle upon Tyne. A member of a well known Northumbrian family, he received his medical education at the University of Edinburgh and at Paris...
and Edward Albert Schafer, Baltimore where he worked with H. Newell Martin at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, Strasbourg with Felix Hoppe-Seyler and Friedrich Goltz
Friedrich Goltz
Friedrich Leopold Goltz was a German physiologist and nephew of the writer Bogumil Goltz.Goltz held various university positions in Königsberg, Halle and Strasbourg, Germany...
, and Berlin with Hugo Kronecker
Hugo Kronecker
Karl Hugo Kronecker was a German physiologist from Liegnitz, Prussian Silesia. He was the brother of Leopold Kronecker....
.
Mills began teaching physiology at McGill in 1884, eventually becoming the Joseph Morley Drake professor of physiology in 1891. He founded the Society for the Study of Comparative Physiology in 1885, was elected to the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
in 1890, and became president of the Natural History Society of Montreal in 1894.