Bastian, Henry Charlton (1837–1915)

English biologist and physician, one of the founders of neurology in Britain. He held professorships at University College, London, from 1875–95, and was noted for his work on aphasia and other speech defects. However, in his biological research, he supported the erroneous theory of spontaneous generation.

Bastian was born in Truro, and educated at Falmouth and at University College, London. He began his career as assistant curator in the university museum, 1860–63, and was made head officer of Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, 1864–66. In 1866 he was appointed to a lectureship in pathology at St Mary's Hospital. His most important works are Modes of Origin of Lowest Organisms, 1871, Evolution and Origin of Life, 1874, Brain as an Organ of Mind, 1880, and Treaties on Aphasia and other Speech Defects, 1898.