Benedict Stilling

Benedict Stilling (February 11, 1810 - January 28, 1879) was a German anatomist and surgeon. In 1832 he received his doctorate from the University of Marburg. Stilling maintained a private practice in Kassel while doing extensive medical work in Paris.

Stilling is primarily remembered for his work in neurology. He gave the first detailed study of the vasomotoric nervous system in his 1840 work Physiologisch-pathologische und medicinisch-praktische Untersuchungen über die Spinal-Irritation. He is also known for introducing the procedure of serial-section portrayal (thin slicing) of spinal cord specimens for histological study.

Skilling also performed the first ovariotomy in Germany, using an extraperitoneal technique that minimized excessive internal bleeding. This procedure is explained in his paper, Geschichte einer Exstirpation eines krankhaft vergrösserten Ovariums.

Eponyms associated with Benedict Stilling:
 * Stilling's canal: a small channel that runs through the vitreous humor between the optic disk nerve and the lens in the eye.
 * Fleece of Stilling: a mesh of myelinated fibers surrounding the dentate nucleus of the cerebellum.

Reference:

 * Who Named It?; Benedict Stilling