#140 THE PROFESSOR
EDWARD HORNE CRAIGIE
In 1926, Marguerite and Edward, their two daughters, and Marguerite's mother went to Europe for 9 months study. It took much effort for Edward to convince the university to allow him this sabbatical.
Edward was born June 24 1894 in Edinburgh, Scotland. His family immigrated to Canada in 1906. Edward was a top student at Parkdale Collegiate, earned his B.A. at University of Toronto in 1916 and his Ph.D. in 1920. (His was the first doctorate in biology granted by the University.) As a Professor of Comparative Anatomy and Neurology, Craigie was associated with the UofT's departments of biology and zoology for over 70 years.
The World Encyclopedia was published in 1948; it was an ambitious project, intended to have the largest number of living biographies of "outstanding persons in all fields of endeavour in every country...it was to serve as an authentic reference of the world's great, whose achievements and accomplishments daily commend attention." Edward Craigie was one of those named, proof that he had acquired an impressive reputation in his field of comparative anatomy.
Craigie's career at the University of Toronto reflected both steady academic advancement and significant scholarly achievement during the early decades of modern medical science. He began as a demonstrator in zoology in 1916, moved rapidly through the ranks—appointed lecturer in 1918, assistant professor in 1925, associate professor in 1928, and full professor of anatomy by 1933--thereby occupying a central role in the training of medical students at a time when anatomy formed the foundation of medical education. His research was grounded in comparative anatomy and neuroanatomy. His work focused on how the body’s automatic breathing responses functioned and how the brain supported these processes across different stages of life. His study of respiratory reflexes examined how breathing was controlled without conscious effort—such as the body’s response to changes in oxygen or carbon dioxide levels. His interest in the vascularity of the brain at different ages suggests he was investigating how blood supply to the brain develops or changes over time, which is essential for understanding growth, aging, and neurological health. Finally, references to neurological technique indicates that he was also working on, or applying, laboratory methods for studying the nervous system—likely involving dissection, microscopy, and experimental procedures common in early 20th-century physiology.
Taken together, Craigie’s research reflects an effort to better understand the physical and functional basis of the nervous system, particularly as it relates to breathing and brain development.
Craigie’s work was notably international in scope; he undertook research appointments at leading institutions in Chicago, Madrid, and Amsterdam. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1941, he also held memberships in organizations such as the Royal Canadian Institute and the American Physiological Society, thus underscoring his professional standing in Canada and abroad. In addition to numerous scholarly papers, he contributed to the influential 1926 volume The Albino Rat, an early standard reference for laboratory research, and authored Anatomy of the Central Nervous System, a text used in medical instruction.
In 1956, Edward became "Secretary of the Graduate Department of Zoology", a role he held until his retirement.
Edward's influence extended beyond research and teaching into scientific communication where he served from 1945 as editor of Review of Canadian Science; he helped shape the direction and visibility of Canadian scientific work in the postwar period.
One of Craigie’s most lasting contributions was not experimental, but historical, as he authored A History of the Department of Zoology of the University of Toronto up to 1962 (published mid-1960s). This work documents the development of zoology at the university, including its evolution from a broader “Biology” department. The booklet is a rather cheeky look at the academics who led the department; it seems to have be written with a lot of humour and personal insights.
Edward retired from UofT in 1962, although he retained the title of Professor Emeritus and Special lecturer. In 1977, Craigie was one of 129 faculty presented with a Sesquicentennial Long Service Award, a special award celebrating the university's 150th anniversary and given to individuals whose service the University deemed of a "high standard of performance over a period of 25 years or more."
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In 1978, Craigie posted this fond memory of his early teaching days. Early in the Twenties my class in comparative anatomy took a day off when they finished dissecting the rabbit. Two years later my wife and I were invited to go along. This soon became a class tradition and it was repeated every year for roughly a quarter of a century... The supper was presided over by a rabbit skeleton, and on one occasion a live rabbit was brought to run about the restaurant table. Finally the evening was spent either at the home of one of the students or at mine. One of the pleasantest things that happens in my old age is occasionally meeting somebody who recalls having been a student participant in a “bunny party.”
Edward passed on January 18, 1989, aged 94. He was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.
In June 1990, the Royal Ontario Museum hosted a conference on brain capilleries named in honour of Professor Craigie; he had conducted key research in dimensions of capilleries and at the time this was the only source of such information.
It seems this chair belonged to the zoology or biology department and was passed informally from one professor to another--something quite common in universities. It sat for many years in a biology/medical classroom (Room 55), it was used by generations of students. Most notably, Frederick Banting, co-discoverer of insulin, sat in it as a student around 1918. Later, it became associated with zoology teaching at U of T. The article suggests that the chair eventually passed to Professor Edward Horne Craigie. It was later donated back to the University. (note: the donor, David Craigie was not Edward's son but perhaps was a nephew.)
This object is a classic example of what archivists call a “material witness”: It connects early 20th-century teaching, the discovery of insulin, the Craigie family’s long academic presence at U of T. It reflects how ordinary classroom objects can become historic through association. And in this case, the association with Banting, one of Canada’s most important scientists, is what made the chair worth preserving.
PROFESSOR EDWARD HORNE CRAIGIE b. June 24, 1894 in Edinburgh, Scotland m. Marguerite Homuth on July 5, 1919 in Toronto d. Jan 18, 1989 in Toronto husband of 2nd cousin 1x removed (Homuth line)
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