The Song of the Cell by Siddhartha Mukherjee review – mysteries of the building blocks of life

The prizewinning author's timely, precise study traces our attempts to understand the units that have such an impact on our health

In spring 1858, the German scientist Rudolf Virchow published an unorthodox vision of the nature of living organisms. In his book, Cellular Pathology, he argued that the human body was simply a cell state in which every cell is a citizen". From a single originator, all other cells are derived, he argued, and when their function is disturbed, disease will often ensue.

The origins of Virchow's arguments are intriguing. A reclusive, progressive, soft-spoken physician who had eschewed a career in the church because he thought his voice too weak for preaching, he championed the cause of public health and promoted free thinking. His views led to frequent clashes with German authorities. He became particularly incensed over their failures to tackle outbreaks of typhus and denounced them in print. For his pains, Virchow was forced to resign from his hospital post in Berlin.