A Man Out of Place: Herbert Spencer Jennings at Johns Hopkins, 1906-1938

Herbert Spencer Jennings (1868–1947) succeeded W. K. Brooksas Director of the Zoological Laboratory at Johns Hopkins Universityin 1910. His scientific work in the next two decades includedexperimental genetics of protozoa and mathematical analysisof the linear arrangement of chromosomes. At the same time,Jennings was involved in philosophical discussions of the natureof biological thought. His point of view expressed the biologist'sawareness of diversity and historical process, against boththe excesses of vitalism and of the modern reductionist methodsof physico-chemical biology. These philosophical discussionsare seen against the background of his difficulty in buildingup the zoological laboratory at Johns Hopkins in the 1920s,when the university tried unsuccessfully to return to the idealof pure research which had guided it under its first president.Moreover, Jennings faced strong competition for resources fromwithin the university itself, especially at the medical school.His position illustrates the predicament of the modern generalbiologist in an environment increasinglydominated by the medicalsciences