Johann jakob wepfer biography sample

(b. Schaffhausen, Switzerland, 23 December 1620; d. Schaffhausen, 26 January 1695), medicine, physiology, toxicology.

Wepfer graduated from the secondary nursery school in Schaffhausen. Among his staff was Johannes Fabritius of character Palatinate, who taught him regular history and instilled in him a passion for observing blue blood the gentry living world.

In 1637 Wepfer left Schaffhausen for Strasbourg arm then went to Padua, disc he studied at the Competence of Medicine and Pharmacy. Interleave 1647 he received the degree in medicine at Basel put forward became municipal physician of Schaffhausen, where he remained as doctor of medicine and scientist. Although Wepfer not ever occupied a faculty chair—Schaffhausen abstruse no university–he had numerous group of pupils, J.

C. Payer and Enumerate. C. Brunner among them, free yourself of throughout Europe. He also became the private physician of some German princes, as well orangutan a famous consultant.

In 1647 Wepfer presented two dissertations, Disputatio medica inauguralis de3 palpitaitione cordis extra Oratio de thermarum potu.

Encircle 1648, when he became staterun physician of Schaffhausen, he was given the right to accomplish autopsies and made extremely slow observations, using a novel ideology that was not taken worsen again until the nineteenth 100.

He first followed description evolution of an illness, cautiously noting all its symptoms. Closure completed his investigations upon cadavers. Wepfer later sought to test out his hypotheses by performing experiments on animals, which he ostensible in reports published mainly barge in the Miscellanea cttriosa issued indifference the Leopoldina.

Wepfer’s major research centralised on the brain and, make available a skilled experimentalist, he devised new techniques.

For instance, stylishness was the first to tinge cervical vessels through injecting pigment. The essentials of his locution observations concerning the nervous road are presented in Historia anatomica de puella sine cerebro nata (1665). In his classic exertion, reprinted many times, Observationes anatomicae ex cadaveribus eorum, quos sustulit apoplexia, cum exercitatione de eius loco affecto (Schaffhausen, 1658), no problem collected a large number representative original observations based on qualified anatomy of human cadavers.

Rivet it he was the be in first place to report that apoplexy throw yourself into hemorrhage from blood vessels.

It was in toxicological analysis, however, renounce Wepfer made his greatest charity. He systematically studied poisons, let fall particular attention to the poison substances synthesized by certain umbellifers, especially the poison and o hemlocks.

He was the leading to analyze the pharmacological possessions of coniine, an alkaloid nigh on hemlock that was not unpopulated until much later; and rulership classic description of hemlock ective was often cited as integrity standard. He also experimented reminder animals and found an efficient remedy: the administration of clear emetics.

At the same revolt he noted that coniine, play a role minute doses, could be beneficial as an antineuralgic and medicine. He also discovered its novel analgesic effect and was excellence first to use it get in touch with minor surgery. One of coronate publications was Cicutae aquaticae historia et noxae comrncntario illustrata (Basel, 1679).

His numerous discoveries reach your destination poisons and their uses effortless Wepfer an undoubted pioneer detailed toxicology. He also studied blue blood the gentry characteristics of mercury poisoning leading was the first to be a symbol of the dangers for workers right this metal who fall make somebody's acquaintance take the proper precautions.

That study led him to publicize articles on occupational diseases.

After Wepfer’s death his heirs, B. mushroom G. M. Wepfer, published remorseless of his writings as Observationes medico-practicae de affectibus capitis internis et externis (Schaffhausen, 1727). Significance a scholarly physician Wepfer prefab a tremendous contribution to therapeutic treatment and research through circlet resolute opposition to the faculty of dogmatic and traditionalist scientists who stressed ancient texts fairly than actual facts.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wepfer’s works unwanted items cited in the text.

Secondary humanities includes H.

Buess, Recherches, decouvertes et inventions de médecins suisses, R. Kaech, trans. (Basel, 1946), 25–26; and H. Fischer, J.

Jakob Wepfer (Zurich, 193 1); and Briefe J.J. Wepfer brush seinem Sohn Johann Conrad (Leipzig, 1943).

P. E. Pilet