Carl Wilhelm Heine
Encyclopedia
Carl Wilhelm Heine (April 26, 1838 in Cannstatt - September 9, 1877 in Cannstatt) was a famous German
physician, surgeon and President of the German medical fraternity of Prague
.
, who became known as the discoverer of Poliomyelitis
. He studied medicine in Tübingen
and Würzburg
and received his doctor degree in 1861. After assisting his father in his orthopaedic institution he visited several European countries and stayed in Paris
, London
, Glasgow
and Dublin. He reported on his experiences in English hospitals in the 'Journal of the Württemberg
ian Medical Association' ('Correspondenzblatt des Württembergischen Ärztlichen Vereins'). In 1864 he volunteered in the Second war of Schleswig
as a military surgeon
. He wrote about his experiences in military surgery in a book published in 1866. He was decorated for his merits both from the Prussia
n and the Austria
n government.
and worked with well-known physicians like Rudolf Virchow
. The following year he was an assistant doctor in Heidelberg and qualified as professor. He succeeded his teacher Karl Otto Weber as professor and director of the surgical hospital. In 1869 Heine took up the job of director of the surgical hospital at the University of Innsbruck
. In the Franco-Prussian War
Heine once more worked as a military surgeon and was highly decorated.
. From 1873 onwards Heine established a second surgical hospital as an exemplary institute of European rank. At the same time he engaged in improving the hygienic situation and the water supply of the city. Heine was elected president of the German medical fraternity in January 1877. In 1876 he had become a citizen of Austria
and was given a peerage. In the summer of 1877 he surprisingly came down with a diptheritic angina and died at his parents' home in Cannstatt.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
physician, surgeon and President of the German medical fraternity of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
.
Start of career and military service
Heine was the son of the German doctor and orthopaedist Jakob HeineJakob Heine
Jakob Heine was a German orthopaedist. He is most famous for his 1840 study into poliomyelitis, which was the first medical report on the disease, and the first time the illness was recognised as a clinical entity...
, who became known as the discoverer of Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route...
. He studied medicine 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:...
and 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 received his doctor degree in 1861. After assisting his father in his orthopaedic institution he visited several European countries and stayed in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and Dublin. He reported on his experiences in English hospitals in the 'Journal of the Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
ian Medical Association' ('Correspondenzblatt des Württembergischen Ärztlichen Vereins'). In 1864 he volunteered in the Second war of Schleswig
Second War of Schleswig
The Second Schleswig War was the second military conflict as a result of the Schleswig-Holstein Question. It began on 1 February 1864, when Prussian forces crossed the border into Schleswig.Denmark fought Prussia and Austria...
as a military surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
. He wrote about his experiences in military surgery in a book published in 1866. He was decorated for his merits both from the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n and the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n government.
Professor in Heidelberg und Innsbruck (1865–1873)
In 1864/65 Heine went to BerlinBerlin
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...
and worked with well-known physicians like Rudolf Virchow
Rudolf Virchow
Rudolph Carl Virchow was a German doctor, anthropologist, pathologist, prehistorian, biologist and politician, known for his advancement of public health...
. The following year he was an assistant doctor in Heidelberg and qualified as professor. He succeeded his teacher Karl Otto Weber as professor and director of the surgical hospital. In 1869 Heine took up the job of director of the surgical hospital at the University of Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
. In the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
Heine once more worked as a military surgeon and was highly decorated.
Head of Hospital and president of the doctors' fraternity in Prague (1873–1877)
Heine's successful work in Innsbruck induced the Austrian government to start a similar project in PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. From 1873 onwards Heine established a second surgical hospital as an exemplary institute of European rank. At the same time he engaged in improving the hygienic situation and the water supply of the city. Heine was elected president of the German medical fraternity in January 1877. In 1876 he had become a citizen of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and was given a peerage. In the summer of 1877 he surprisingly came down with a diptheritic angina and died at his parents' home in Cannstatt.
Further reading (in German)
- Hans Hekler: Carl Wilhelm Heine – Enkel des Lauterbacher Sonnenwirts, einer der größten Chirurgen des 19. Jahrhunderts. In: D'Kräz, Beiträge zur Geschichte der Stadt und Raumschaft Schramberg, vol. 12, Schramberg 1992. (See external links)
- Heinz Hansen: Die Orthopädenfamilie Heine – Leben und Wirken der einzelnen Familienmitglieder im Zeichen einer bedeutenden deutschen Familientradition des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts. Dresden 1993. (doctoral thesis)