Franz Zacharias Ermerins
Encyclopedia
Franz Zacharias Ermerins (also Franciscus, Frans, François) (8 November 1808 Middelburg
— 29 May 1871 Groningen) was a Dutch
Physician and medical-editor
whose literary work encompassed Hippocrates
and ancient Greek medicine.
He was born into an eminent Zeeland
family in Middelburg. In 1826, he graduated from the Latin school there. After the outbreak of the Belgian Revolution
while he was a medical student at Leyden University, he joined the Leidse Jagers, a volunteer company of soldiers drawn from the Leyden student body, and particpated in the Ten Days' Campaign. Upon his safe return, he continued his studies. He received a doctoral degree
on November 3, 1832 with his thesis de Hippocratis doctrina a prognostice oriunda.
He returned to his native city and practiced as a doctor. He married Barta Antonia van der Feen, with whom he had several children. His practice soon prospered, but he continued his study of his beloved Greek doctors, to which he devoted all the time he could spare from his daytime occupation. In the meantime he was appointed President of the Provincial Medical Commission and Secretary of the Zeeland Provincial Society. In 1839 his love for the classics induced him to move to Paris, to work full time at the royal library on transcribing and organizing of ancient manuscripts, in particular those of Aretaeus. The next year this resulted in the publication of his Anecdota medica Graeca, followed soon after by additional works.
Upon the death of Professor S. E. Stratingh, he was appointed in his place at the university of Groningen. He took up this appointment on September 12, 1844 with an inaugural lecture entitled de veteris medicorum interpretis munere a medicis non recusando. He lectured on a wide variety of topics in medicine, due to the lack of a sufficient number of professors, a situation which, as Ermerins wrote to a good friend, "benefits neither professors nor students". Beginning in 1852, however, he limited himself to general pathology, pathological anatomy and histology, and clinical courses in the Academic hospital. In spite of this busy schedule, he completed after ten years his main work Hippocratis et aliorum medicorum veterum reliquiae, which was published in three volumes by the Dutch Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, of which he had been a member since 1855.
Near the end of his life he was threatened with total blindness; he died of typhoid May 27, 1871.
The French scholar Charles Daremberg called him "one of the glories of medical erudition."
Middelburg
Middelburg is a municipality and a city in the south-western Netherlands and the capital of the province of Zeeland. It is situated in the Midden-Zeeland region. It has a population of about 48,000.- History of Middelburg :...
— 29 May 1871 Groningen) was a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Physician and medical-editor
Editor
The term editor may refer to:As a person who does editing:* Editor in chief, having final responsibility for a publication's operations and policies* Copy editing, making formatting changes and other improvements to text...
whose literary work encompassed Hippocrates
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
and ancient Greek medicine.
He was born into an eminent Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
family in Middelburg. In 1826, he graduated from the Latin school there. After the outbreak of the Belgian Revolution
Belgian Revolution
The Belgian Revolution was the conflict which led to the secession of the Southern provinces from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and established an independent Kingdom of Belgium....
while he was a medical student at Leyden University, he joined the Leidse Jagers, a volunteer company of soldiers drawn from the Leyden student body, and particpated in the Ten Days' Campaign. Upon his safe return, he continued his studies. He received a doctoral degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
on November 3, 1832 with his thesis de Hippocratis doctrina a prognostice oriunda.
He returned to his native city and practiced as a doctor. He married Barta Antonia van der Feen, with whom he had several children. His practice soon prospered, but he continued his study of his beloved Greek doctors, to which he devoted all the time he could spare from his daytime occupation. In the meantime he was appointed President of the Provincial Medical Commission and Secretary of the Zeeland Provincial Society. In 1839 his love for the classics induced him to move to Paris, to work full time at the royal library on transcribing and organizing of ancient manuscripts, in particular those of Aretaeus. The next year this resulted in the publication of his Anecdota medica Graeca, followed soon after by additional works.
Upon the death of Professor S. E. Stratingh, he was appointed in his place at the university of Groningen. He took up this appointment on September 12, 1844 with an inaugural lecture entitled de veteris medicorum interpretis munere a medicis non recusando. He lectured on a wide variety of topics in medicine, due to the lack of a sufficient number of professors, a situation which, as Ermerins wrote to a good friend, "benefits neither professors nor students". Beginning in 1852, however, he limited himself to general pathology, pathological anatomy and histology, and clinical courses in the Academic hospital. In spite of this busy schedule, he completed after ten years his main work Hippocratis et aliorum medicorum veterum reliquiae, which was published in three volumes by the Dutch Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, of which he had been a member since 1855.
Near the end of his life he was threatened with total blindness; he died of typhoid May 27, 1871.
The French scholar Charles Daremberg called him "one of the glories of medical erudition."
External links
- Life and Writings of Dr. Ermerins, the substance of Daremberg's account in English translation
- Ermerins' WorldCat bibliography
- Ermerins at the Netherlands Biography Portal