Anton von Störck
Encyclopedia
Anton von Störck was an Austrian physician (February 21, 1731 - February 11, 1803) who was a native of Saulgau in Upper Swabia
. Both of Störck's parents died when he was young, and he spent his early years as an orphan in a Viennese poorhouse
. He studied medicine under Gerard van Swieten
in Vienna, and received his degree in 1757. He rose through the academic ranks at the University of Vienna
, and would later become deacon of the medical faculty and rector
at the University. In 1767 he treated empress Maria Theresa of Austria
for smallpox
, and after her recovery he became her personal physician.
Störck is remembered for his clinical research of various herbs, and their associated toxicity
and medicinal properties. His studies are considered to be the pioneering work of experimental pharmacology
and his method can be regarded as forming a blueprint for the clinical trial
s of modern medicine. He was convinced that plants regarded as poisonous still had medicinal applications if employed in carefully controlled quantities. Störck was particularly interested in the medical possibilities of plants such as hemlock
, henbane, jimsonweed
and autumn crocus
. His experiments with these plants involved a three-step process; initially used on animals, followed by a personal trial, and finally given to his patients, all the while maintaining a "sliding-scale" approach to determine the optimum dosage.
In 1758, Störck became 'first physician' to the Vienna urban institute for the poor. From 1764 he was physician to Emperor Franz I. Stephan of Frankfurt
am Maine and the Dukes Joseph and Leopold. He was a member of numerous European scientific societies and was made a Baron in 1775. His brother Matthias, also a doctor, became 'body physician' to the Grand Duke of Toskana
and was also made a Baron in 1779. Störck's numerous Latin medical tracts, detailing his experiments into the therapeutic effects of poisonous plants, excited great interest and were translated into German, French, English, Dutch and Portuguese, rapidly becoming influential medical texts throughout Europe.
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
. Both of Störck's parents died when he was young, and he spent his early years as an orphan in a Viennese poorhouse
Poorhouse
A poorhouse or workhouse was a government-run facility in the past for the support and housing of dependent or needy persons, typically run by a local government entity such as a county or municipality....
. He studied medicine under Gerard van Swieten
Gerard van Swieten
Gerard van Swieten was a Dutch-Austrian physician.Van Swieten was born in Leiden. He was a pupil of Hermann Boerhaave and became in 1745 the personal physician of the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa. In this position he implemented a transformation of the Austrian health service and medical...
in Vienna, and received his degree in 1757. He rose through the academic ranks at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, and would later become deacon of the medical faculty and rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
at the University. In 1767 he treated empress Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
for smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
, and after her recovery he became her personal physician.
Störck is remembered for his clinical research of various herbs, and their associated toxicity
Toxicity
Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can damage a living or non-living organisms. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell or an organ , such as the liver...
and medicinal properties. His studies are considered to be the pioneering work of experimental pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
and his method can be regarded as forming a blueprint for the clinical trial
Clinical trial
Clinical trials are a set of procedures in medical research and drug development that are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for health interventions...
s of modern medicine. He was convinced that plants regarded as poisonous still had medicinal applications if employed in carefully controlled quantities. Störck was particularly interested in the medical possibilities of plants such as hemlock
Conium
Conium is a genus of two species of highly poisonous perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the family Apiaceae, native to Europe and the Mediterranean region as Conium maculatum, and to southern Africa as Conium chaerophylloides....
, henbane, jimsonweed
Datura stramonium
Datura stramonium, known by the common names Jimson weed, devil's trumpet, devil's weed, thorn apple, tolguacha, Jamestown weed, stinkweed, locoweed, datura, pricklyburr, devil's cucumber, Hell's Bells, moonflower and, in South Africa, malpitte and mad seeds, is a common weed in the...
and autumn crocus
Colchicum autumnale
Colchicum autumnale, commonly known as autumn crocus, meadow saffron or naked lady, is a flower which resembles the true crocuses, but flowering in autumn...
. His experiments with these plants involved a three-step process; initially used on animals, followed by a personal trial, and finally given to his patients, all the while maintaining a "sliding-scale" approach to determine the optimum dosage.
In 1758, Störck became 'first physician' to the Vienna urban institute for the poor. From 1764 he was physician to Emperor Franz I. Stephan of Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
am Maine and the Dukes Joseph and Leopold. He was a member of numerous European scientific societies and was made a Baron in 1775. His brother Matthias, also a doctor, became 'body physician' to the Grand Duke of Toskana
Prince Albert of Saxony, Duke of Teschen
Prince Albert Casimir August of Saxony, Duke of Teschen was a German prince from the House of Wettin who married into the Habsburg imperial family...
and was also made a Baron in 1779. Störck's numerous Latin medical tracts, detailing his experiments into the therapeutic effects of poisonous plants, excited great interest and were translated into German, French, English, Dutch and Portuguese, rapidly becoming influential medical texts throughout Europe.
Publications
- Libellus, quo demonstratur: cicutam non solum usu interno tutissime exhiberi, sed et esse simul remedium valde utile in multis morbis, qui hucusque curatu impossibiles dicebantur, Vienna, 1760 (Translation: A little book which shows Hemlock not only safe for internal use, but also at the same time a very useful medicine in many diseases which up to this time are declared as impossible to cure)
- Libellus, quo demonstratur: stramonium, hyosciamum, aconitum non solum tuto posse exhiberi usu interno hominibus, verum et ea esse remedia in multis morbis maxime salutifera, Vienna, 1762 (Translation: A little book which shows Stramonium, Hyoscyamus and Aconite not only showing them safe for internal human use, certainly, and at the same time as medicines having great healing power in many diseases)
- Libellus, quo demonstratur: Colchici autumnalis radicem non solum tuto posse exhiberi hominibus, sed et ejus usu interno curari quandoque morbos difficillimos, qui aliis remediis non ceduntdicem, Vienna: J. T. Trattner, 1763 (Translation: A little book which shows Colchicum autumnale (Meadow Saffron) root not only safe for human use, but also useful for internal cures whenever diseases, difficult to cure, will not yield to other medicines)
- Libellus, quo continuantur experimenta et observationes circa nova sua medicamenta, Vienna: J T Trattner, 1765, 1769 (Translation: A little book of continuing experiments and observations about my new medicines)
- Libellus, quo demonstratur: Herbam veteribus dictam flammulam Jovis posse tuto et magna cum utilitate exhiberi aegrotantibus, 1769: Deutsch von S. Schintz, Zürich 1764 (Translation: A little book which shows that ancient herb called Jove's little flame (Clematis erecta), can be used without risk showing great usefulness for the sick)
- Zwo Abhandlungen vom Nutzen und Gebrauch des Brennkrauts und des weißen Dyptam (aus dem Lateinischen), Nürnberg 1769 (Translation: Two papers on the use and serviceability of the Snowdrop tree (Acalypha) and The Burning Bush (Dictamnus albus) from the Latin, Nurenberg, 1769)
- Libellus de usu medico Pulsatillae nigricantis, Vienna 1771; German edition, Frankfurt und Leipzig 1771 (Translation: A little book on the medical uses of the wind flower, Pulsatilla nigricans)
- Medicinisch-praktischer Unterricht für die Feld und Landwundärzte der österreichischen Staaten, 2 vols. Vienna: J T Trattner 1776, 1786, 1789; in Latin. von J. M. Schosulan, 1777, 1784, 1791; in Dutch, Rotterdam 1787 (Translation: Practical medical lessons for field and land surgeons of the Austrian states)
- Praecepta medico-practica in usum chirurgorum castrensium et ruralium ditionum austriacarum, Vienna: Rudolph Graeffer, 1777, pp.586 (Translation: A teaching on medical practice and the uses of surgery at the imperial court and in the country districts of Austria)
- Pharmacopoea Austriaco - provincialis emendata, 1794 (Translation: Lesser corrections to the Austrian pharmacopoea)