Johannes Bohn was a German physician who was a native of Leipzig

Leipzig

Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...

. He studied medicine at the Universities of Leipzig

University of Leipzig

The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...

 and Jena, and received his doctorate in 1665. In 1668 he was promoted to the anatomical chair at Leipzig, and in 1690 succeeded Gottfried Welsch

Gottfried Welsch

Gottfried Welsch was a German physician who was born in Leipzig. In 1644 he became a professor of anatomy at the University of Leipzig, and afterwards a professor of physiology , pathology and therapy...

 (1618–1690) as Stadtphysikus for the city of Leipzig. In 1691 he was appointed city-physician, and in 1691 professor of therapeutics. He later held the office of 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 of Leipzig (1693–94).

Johannes Bohn was known for his pioneer work as a medical-legal officer in forensic medicine. He introduced the policy of thorough autopsies

Autopsy

An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...

 of the deceased, and specialized in the investigation of lethal wounds. He also did early research concerning the physiology

Physiology

Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...

 of the circulatory system

Circulatory system

The circulatory system is an organ system that passes nutrients , gases, hormones, blood cells, etc...

.

Many of Bohn's scientific writings were burned prior to his death, as stipulated in his will. Two of his important medical works that survived are:

• De renunciatione vulnerum seu vulnerum lethalium examen (1689): a medical-legal treatise in which he analyzes the distinction between purposeful and accidental fatal wounds.
• Circulus anatomico physiologicus seu Oeconomia corporis animalis (1710): a series of lectures on respiration, circulation, the digestive process, fetal development, et al.

Principal works

• De Alkali et Acidi insufficienta pro principiorum corporum naturalium munere gerendo (Leipzig, 1675).
• Dissertationes chemico-physicae (Leipzig, 1685).
• Meditationes physico-chemicae de aeris in sublunaria influxu (Leipzig, 1678).
• De duumviratu hypochondrium (Leipzig, 1689).
• Observatio atque experimenta circa usum spiritus vini externum in haemorragiis sistendis (Leipzig, 1683).
• Exercitationes physiologicae (Leipzig, 1680).
• De officio medici duplici, clinim nimirum ac forensis (Leipzig, 1689).
• De renunciatione vulnerum lethalium examen (Leipzig, 1689).

External links

• Bohadin at the The General biographical dictionary (London 1812), pp. 519–520.]
• François-Xavier Feller, Dictionnaire historique, p. 366.