Embryologists meet 1913 in Rio de Janeiro

From left: J. P. Hill, E. Bresslau and G. S. Sansom 1913

Instituto Oswaldo Cruz

J. P. Hill had made his name studying placentation in Australian marsupials. He returned to England in 1907 as Professor of Zoology at University College London. In October 1913, accompanied by G. S. Sansom he went to Brazil to obtain material from South American marsupials in particular the Brazilian common opossum (Didelphys aurita) (see biography here).

Whilst in Rio de Janeiro he met up with the eminent German zoologist Ernst Bresslau who was there from 1913 until the outbreak of war in the following year (see biography here). Bresslau was interested in the evolutionary origins of the mammary gland. Thus like Hill his research spanned monotremes, marsupials and eutherians. 

Bresslau was then at the University of Strasbourg. Later he was recruited to Cologne where he built up the zoology department. He was dismissed from this post by the Nazi regime in 1934 but went to start up zoology at the newly established University of Sao Paulo. Sadly he died there in the following year.

G. S. Sansom did interesting work on germ layer inversion in the water vole (Arvicola amphibius) and later with Hill on the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus). Sansom was a renowned climber. During World War I he served in the Royal Flying Corps and RAF and was awarded the Military Cross and Distinguished Flying Cross. 

Note on the photo: I have identified Hill and Bresslau by comparison with other photos. The printed text reads, "Prof. Ernest Bresslau - Strasborgo; Prof. J. P. Hill - Londres; Mr G. S. Sansom - Londres"