The prize
It was 1906, and the Nobel committee declared that that years Prize for medicine was to be given for visualization of Neurons. It was to be shared by Camillo Golgi from Italy, and Ramon Y Cajal from Spain. These two pathologists had both seen the previously unseen neurons. In fact Cajal had improvised upon Golgi’s technique, and this fact was well known.
The rivalry
However, the two had opposing views on how neurons function. The matter was no trivial, as it was an issue of prestige and scientific pride. The two met only once in their lives, and it was only at the Nobel ceremony in Stockholm on 10-11th December 1906. While they co-shared their prize, the two did not greet each other even then. The freeze could never thaw.
Education
Born in 1843, Camillo Golgi completed his basic medical education from University of Pavia in 1865. After a brief stint with the Italian army, he was back into academics. He completed his MD in 1868, and started working in General Pathology under Giulio Bizzozero. By 1872, Golgi was an established clinician and histopathologist. Miles away and unknown to Golgi lived young Ramon Y Cajal. Nine years younger to Golgi, Cajal completed his basic medical education in 1873 from University of Zaragoza in Spain. Four years later he completed his MD and started working in the department of Anatomy at Zaragoza.
Staining
Around 1872, Golgi started working on silver stain, a method that could help visualize nerve cells or neurons. He had set up a rudimentary lab at his home, where he experimented with various staining techniques. By 1873 he could visualize the net-like nerve cells, and artistically drew cell structures in all its glory. This net or reticulum formed the basis of neural theory at that time, and it all seemed to be continuous. Entire nervous system was a seamless reticulum, and this was the belief at that time. This was known as the “Reticulum” theory.
In 1884, Cajal chanced upon Golgi’s staining method. He used the technique and various other methods to describe histology. Neurons he wrote were an “inextricable network” like Chinese ink that was spread on a transparent Japanese paper. For Cajal, these were “connected” neurons, rather than “contiguous” ones as described by Golgi. By 1891, world had come towards acceptance of Cajal’s “Neuronal” hypothesis which was that that the individual nerve cells are distinct but connected.
More rivalry
The two opposing theories were not the only bone of contention. When in 1891 Cajal reported dendritic nerve cells in spinal cord, Golgi was livid as he had reported the same finding a decade earlier. Since this was reported in Italian, no-one had heard about it. Similarly in 1897, when Golgi reported small reticulated structure inside a cell (now called Golgi bodies), Cajal insisted that these were not reproducible. The continued to fight it out on the scientific stage, but sadly never met or discussed their findings with each other.
Redemption
So the 1906 Nobel ceremony was an exhibition of two opposite opinions – “Reticulum” vs “Neuronal” theory. The two rivals met for the first time during the ceremony. Each one held on to its beliefs. By this time Cajal had additional evidence for the neuronal theory, has he demonstrated that a nerve could regenerate its dendrites. However it was only in 1956, with advent of electron microscopy, we could actually see the “connections” as envisaged in the neuronal theory. These connections are hence called “Synapses”. Around the same time electron microscopy also confirmed the presence of reticulated organelles inside a cell. We call these “Golgi bodies”.
“What a cruel irony of fate,” Cajal wrote after the Nobel lectures, “to pair, like Siamese twins united by the shoulders, scientific adversaries of such contrasting character!”