Louis Crusius was born on May 10, 1862, in Sauk City, WI. At the age of 15, he began to work as a printer's apprentice for his father, who published the Pioneer Press Daily.
He later lived in Texas with an uncle who was a physician and worked in his uncle's drugstore (I have been unable to verify an uncle who was a physician). In about 1880, Crusius went to St. Louis and entered the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, from which he graduated in 1882. He then became part owner of the pharmacy, Scheel and Crusius, with his brother-in-law, Gustav H. Scheel (1862-1929, FAG Memorial# 139103792). The window of their store always displayed several of Crusius's humorous sketches.
The partnership continued until Crusius graduated from the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1890. He then began to practice medicine and also became a lecturer in anatomy and histology at the Marion Sims Medical College, the predecessor of the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Four years later he had risen to the rank of professor. Crusius died on January 2, 1898, after a large hypernephroma was discovered during exploratory surgery.
Drawing was a hobby for Crusius, and he produced a vast number of humorous works. Almost his last conscious act was the completion of an 1898 New Year's card shortly before his death. His drawings frequently incorporated a humorous and satiric view of the medical profession. Most of his works were given to friends and family. A few, such as The Diagnosis, were sold to be included in a calendar published by the Antikamnia Chemical Company of St. Louis or to be used for other advertisements.
Because Crusius was primarily an anatomist, it is natural that skeletons figured prominently in his artistic themes. He was able to produce an anatomically correct drawing of a human skull that had a face expressing any emotion that suited his whimsy. In 1893, Crusius published a book, Funny Bone (The Funny Bone Publishing Company; Woodward and Tiernan printers), that contained about 150 of his drawings.
The above article by Dr. Stefan Schatzki that appeared in the American Journal of Radiology in March of 2004 is the most comprehensive information on the life of Dr. Crusius that I have been able to locate to date.
It is interesting to note that druggist Gustav H. Scheel, Louis Crusius business partner, was married in 1886 to Louis' sister, Thusnelde "Nellie" Crusius (1863-1890, FAG Memorial# 99177109), and after her death he married in 1893 the other sister, Emile Crusius (1878-1936, FAG Memorial# 139183372).
He later lived in Texas with an uncle who was a physician and worked in his uncle's drugstore (I have been unable to verify an uncle who was a physician). In about 1880, Crusius went to St. Louis and entered the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, from which he graduated in 1882. He then became part owner of the pharmacy, Scheel and Crusius, with his brother-in-law, Gustav H. Scheel (1862-1929, FAG Memorial# 139103792). The window of their store always displayed several of Crusius's humorous sketches.
The partnership continued until Crusius graduated from the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1890. He then began to practice medicine and also became a lecturer in anatomy and histology at the Marion Sims Medical College, the predecessor of the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Four years later he had risen to the rank of professor. Crusius died on January 2, 1898, after a large hypernephroma was discovered during exploratory surgery.
Drawing was a hobby for Crusius, and he produced a vast number of humorous works. Almost his last conscious act was the completion of an 1898 New Year's card shortly before his death. His drawings frequently incorporated a humorous and satiric view of the medical profession. Most of his works were given to friends and family. A few, such as The Diagnosis, were sold to be included in a calendar published by the Antikamnia Chemical Company of St. Louis or to be used for other advertisements.
Because Crusius was primarily an anatomist, it is natural that skeletons figured prominently in his artistic themes. He was able to produce an anatomically correct drawing of a human skull that had a face expressing any emotion that suited his whimsy. In 1893, Crusius published a book, Funny Bone (The Funny Bone Publishing Company; Woodward and Tiernan printers), that contained about 150 of his drawings.
The above article by Dr. Stefan Schatzki that appeared in the American Journal of Radiology in March of 2004 is the most comprehensive information on the life of Dr. Crusius that I have been able to locate to date.
It is interesting to note that druggist Gustav H. Scheel, Louis Crusius business partner, was married in 1886 to Louis' sister, Thusnelde "Nellie" Crusius (1863-1890, FAG Memorial# 99177109), and after her death he married in 1893 the other sister, Emile Crusius (1878-1936, FAG Memorial# 139183372).
Louis Crusius was born on May 10, 1862, in Sauk City, WI. At the age of 15, he began to work as a printer's apprentice for his father, who published the Pioneer Press Daily.
He later lived in Texas with an uncle who was a physician and worked in his uncle's drugstore (I have been unable to verify an uncle who was a physician). In about 1880, Crusius went to St. Louis and entered the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, from which he graduated in 1882. He then became part owner of the pharmacy, Scheel and Crusius, with his brother-in-law, Gustav H. Scheel (1862-1929, FAG Memorial# 139103792). The window of their store always displayed several of Crusius's humorous sketches.
The partnership continued until Crusius graduated from the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1890. He then began to practice medicine and also became a lecturer in anatomy and histology at the Marion Sims Medical College, the predecessor of the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Four years later he had risen to the rank of professor. Crusius died on January 2, 1898, after a large hypernephroma was discovered during exploratory surgery.
Drawing was a hobby for Crusius, and he produced a vast number of humorous works. Almost his last conscious act was the completion of an 1898 New Year's card shortly before his death. His drawings frequently incorporated a humorous and satiric view of the medical profession. Most of his works were given to friends and family. A few, such as The Diagnosis, were sold to be included in a calendar published by the Antikamnia Chemical Company of St. Louis or to be used for other advertisements.
Because Crusius was primarily an anatomist, it is natural that skeletons figured prominently in his artistic themes. He was able to produce an anatomically correct drawing of a human skull that had a face expressing any emotion that suited his whimsy. In 1893, Crusius published a book, Funny Bone (The Funny Bone Publishing Company; Woodward and Tiernan printers), that contained about 150 of his drawings.
The above article by Dr. Stefan Schatzki that appeared in the American Journal of Radiology in March of 2004 is the most comprehensive information on the life of Dr. Crusius that I have been able to locate to date.
It is interesting to note that druggist Gustav H. Scheel, Louis Crusius business partner, was married in 1886 to Louis' sister, Thusnelde "Nellie" Crusius (1863-1890, FAG Memorial# 99177109), and after her death he married in 1893 the other sister, Emile Crusius (1878-1936, FAG Memorial# 139183372).
He later lived in Texas with an uncle who was a physician and worked in his uncle's drugstore (I have been unable to verify an uncle who was a physician). In about 1880, Crusius went to St. Louis and entered the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, from which he graduated in 1882. He then became part owner of the pharmacy, Scheel and Crusius, with his brother-in-law, Gustav H. Scheel (1862-1929, FAG Memorial# 139103792). The window of their store always displayed several of Crusius's humorous sketches.
The partnership continued until Crusius graduated from the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1890. He then began to practice medicine and also became a lecturer in anatomy and histology at the Marion Sims Medical College, the predecessor of the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Four years later he had risen to the rank of professor. Crusius died on January 2, 1898, after a large hypernephroma was discovered during exploratory surgery.
Drawing was a hobby for Crusius, and he produced a vast number of humorous works. Almost his last conscious act was the completion of an 1898 New Year's card shortly before his death. His drawings frequently incorporated a humorous and satiric view of the medical profession. Most of his works were given to friends and family. A few, such as The Diagnosis, were sold to be included in a calendar published by the Antikamnia Chemical Company of St. Louis or to be used for other advertisements.
Because Crusius was primarily an anatomist, it is natural that skeletons figured prominently in his artistic themes. He was able to produce an anatomically correct drawing of a human skull that had a face expressing any emotion that suited his whimsy. In 1893, Crusius published a book, Funny Bone (The Funny Bone Publishing Company; Woodward and Tiernan printers), that contained about 150 of his drawings.
The above article by Dr. Stefan Schatzki that appeared in the American Journal of Radiology in March of 2004 is the most comprehensive information on the life of Dr. Crusius that I have been able to locate to date.
It is interesting to note that druggist Gustav H. Scheel, Louis Crusius business partner, was married in 1886 to Louis' sister, Thusnelde "Nellie" Crusius (1863-1890, FAG Memorial# 99177109), and after her death he married in 1893 the other sister, Emile Crusius (1878-1936, FAG Memorial# 139183372).
Gravesite Details
burial: FEB 4,1898
