Carl Jakob Adolf Christian Gerhardt
Encyclopedia
Carl Jakob Adolf Christian Gerhardt (there are several variations regarding the arrangement of his 3 middle names); (5 May 1833 - 22 July 1902) was a German internist born in Speyer
.
He studied medicine at the University of Würzburg
, earning his doctorate in 1856. Subsequently he was an assistant to Heinrich von Bamberger
(1822–1888) and Franz von Rinecker
(1811–1883) in Würzburg
, and worked under Wilhelm Griesinger
(1817–1868) in Tübingen
.
In 1860 he received his habiltation in Würzburg, and during the following year was appointed professor of medicine and head of the department of internal medicine at the University of Jena. In 1872 he returned to the University of Würzburg to fulfill similar duties. In 1885 he was successor to pathologist Friedrich Theodor von Frerichs
(1819–1885) at the Charité
in Berlin
, where he established the second internal medicine
clinic. At Berlin, one of his assistants was immunologist Paul Ehrlich
(1854–1915). His son, Dietrich Gerhardt (1866–1921) was also a noted physician.
Gerhardt is remembered for his pioneer work in pediatrics
, being the editor of an influential textbook
on pediatrics called Handbuch der Kinderkrankheiten. He also performed important research involving auscultation
& percussion
, and conducted investigations of diabetes. Gerhardt used iron chloride
to detect acetone
in diabetes (Gerhardt's reaction). In 1892 he provided an early description of erythromelalgia
, which was once referred to as "Gerhardt’s disease".
Speyer
Speyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...
.
He studied medicine at the University of Würzburg
University of Würzburg
The University of Würzburg is a university in Würzburg, Germany, founded in 1402. The university is a member of the distinguished Coimbra Group.-Name:...
, earning his doctorate in 1856. Subsequently he was an assistant to Heinrich von Bamberger
Heinrich von Bamberger
Heinrich von Bamberger was an Austrian pathologist from Prague.-Biography:...
(1822–1888) and Franz von Rinecker
Franz von Rinecker
Franz von Rinecker was a German pharmacologist who was a native of Schesslitz from the district of Bamberg....
(1811–1883) in Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, and worked under Wilhelm Griesinger
Wilhelm Griesinger
Wilhelm Griesinger was a German neurologist and psychiatrist born in Stuttgart. He studied under Johann Lukas Schönlein at the University of Zurich and physiologist François Magendie in Paris....
(1817–1868) in Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
.
In 1860 he received his habiltation in Würzburg, and during the following year was appointed professor of medicine and head of the department of internal medicine at the University of Jena. In 1872 he returned to the University of Würzburg to fulfill similar duties. In 1885 he was successor to pathologist Friedrich Theodor von Frerichs
Friedrich Theodor von Frerichs
Friedrich Theodor von Frerichs was a German pathologist who was born in Aurich. After earning his medical degree from the University of Göttingen in 1841, he returned to Aurich and spent the next four years there as an optician...
(1819–1885) at the Charité
Charité
The Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin is the medical school for both the Humboldt University and the Free University of Berlin. After the merger with their fourth campus in 2003, the Charité is one of the largest university hospitals in Europe....
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, where he established the second internal medicine
Internal medicine
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
clinic. At Berlin, one of his assistants was immunologist Paul Ehrlich
Paul Ehrlich
Paul Ehrlich was a German scientist in the fields of hematology, immunology, and chemotherapy, and Nobel laureate. He is noted for curing syphilis and for his research in autoimmunity, calling it "horror autotoxicus"...
(1854–1915). His son, Dietrich Gerhardt (1866–1921) was also a noted physician.
Gerhardt is remembered for his pioneer work in pediatrics
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
, being the editor of an influential textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
on pediatrics called Handbuch der Kinderkrankheiten. He also performed important research involving auscultation
Auscultation
Auscultation is the term for listening to the internal sounds of the body, usually using a stethoscope...
& percussion
Percussion (medicine)
Percussion is a method of tapping on a surface to determine the underlying structure, and is used in clinical examinations to assess the condition of the thorax or abdomen. It is one of the four methods of clinical examination, together with inspection, palpation and auscultation...
, and conducted investigations of diabetes. Gerhardt used iron chloride
Iron chloride
Iron chloride can refer to* Iron chloride , FeCl2* Iron chloride , FeCl3...
to detect acetone
Acetone
Acetone is the organic compound with the formula 2CO, a colorless, mobile, flammable liquid, the simplest example of the ketones.Acetone is miscible with water and serves as an important solvent in its own right, typically as the solvent of choice for cleaning purposes in the laboratory...
in diabetes (Gerhardt's reaction). In 1892 he provided an early description of erythromelalgia
Erythromelalgia
Erythromelalgia, also known as Mitchell's disease , acromelalgia, red neuralgia, or erythermalgia, is a rare neurovascular peripheral pain disorder in which blood vessels, usually in the lower extremities , are episodically blocked , then become hyperemic and inflamed...
, which was once referred to as "Gerhardt’s disease".
Associated eponym
- Gerhardt’s law (on vocal paralysis): Which states that in paralysisParalysisParalysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
of the periodically recurring laryngealLarynxThe larynx , commonly called the voice box, is an organ in the neck of amphibians, reptiles and mammals involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. It manipulates pitch and volume...
nerve, the vocal cords assume a position between abductionAbduction (kinesiology)Abduction, in functional anatomy, is a movement which draws a limb away from the median plane of the body. It is thus opposed to adduction.-Upper limb:* of arm at shoulder ** Supraspinatus** Deltoid* of hand at wrist...
and adductionAdductionAdduction is a movement which brings a part of the anatomy closer to the middle sagittal plane of the body. It is opposed to abduction.-Upper limb:* of arm at shoulder ** Subscapularis** Teres major** Pectoralis major** Infraspinatus...
. Position also known as the "cadaver position".
Selected writings
- Lehrbuch der Kinderkrankheiten. Tübingen, 1861. 4 editions.
- Studien und Beobachtungen über Stimmbandlähmung. VirchowRudolf VirchowRudolph Carl Virchow was a German doctor, anthropologist, pathologist, prehistorian, biologist and politician, known for his advancement of public health...
's Archiv für pathologische Anatomie und Physiologie und für klinische Medicin, Berlin, 1863, 27: 68-69, 296-321 - Lehrbuch der Auscultation und Percussion. Tübingen, 1876
- Über Erythromelalgie. Berliner klinische Wochenschrift, 1892; 29: 1125
- Handbuch der Kinderkrankheiten (9 volumes in 16). Published by Carl Gerhardt. Tübingen, H. Laupp.