Nils Rosén von Rosenstein (11 February 1706 - 16 July 1773) was a Swedish physician. He is considered the founder of modern 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...

, while his work The diseases of children, and their remedies is considered to be "the first modern textbook on the subject".

Career

Nils Rosén was born in Sexdrega

Sexdrega

Sexdrega is a locality situated in Svenljunga Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 788 inhabitants in 2005.Their local football club are ....

, Västra Götaland County

Västra Götaland County

Västra Götaland County is a county or län on the western coast of Sweden.The county is the second largest of Sweden's counties and it is subdivided into 49 municipalities . Its population of 1,550,000 amounts to 17% of Sweden's population...

 in 1706. Son of the vicar

Vicar

In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...

 Erich Rosenius and of Anna Wekander, he studied at the Gymnasium of Gothenburg

Hvitfeldtska gymnasiet

-External links:*...

 and when he was 16 years old at Lund University

Lund University

Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...

 under Kilian Stobaeus, and in Uppsala

Uppsala

- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...

. In 1727, he was appointed as a lecturer at the Uppsala University

Uppsala University

Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...

, replacing Petrus Martin who had recently died. Rosén had already worked as an assistant to professor Olof Rudbeck

Olof Rudbeck the Younger

Olaus Rudbeckius, junior or Olof Rudbeck , Swedish explorer and scientist, son of Olaus Rudbeck Sr, Rudbeck Jr. succeeded his father as professor of medicine at Uppsala University. Young Rudbeck was an able botanist and ornithologist who took his doctor's degree in Utrecht in 1690...

 at the time. But he couldn't take up this position until 1731, spending those four years traveling and studying abroad in Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands, where he studied for a while under Friedrich Hoffmann

Friedrich Hoffmann

Friedrich Hoffmann was a German physician and chemist.-Life and career:His family had been connected with medicine for 200 years before him. Born in Halle , he attended the local gymnasium where he acquired that taste for and skill in mathematics to which he attributed much of his after success...

, Herman Boerhaave

Herman Boerhaave

Herman Boerhaave was a Dutch botanist, humanist and physician of European fame. He is regarded as the founder of clinical teaching and of the modern academic hospital. His main achievement was to demonstrate the relation of symptoms to lesions...

 and Pieter van Musschenbroek

Pieter van Musschenbroek

Pieter van Musschenbroek was a Dutch scientist. He was a professor in Duisburg, Utrecht, and Leiden, where he held positions in mathematics, philosophy, medicine, and astrology. He is credited with the invention of the first capacitor in 1746: the Leyden jar. He performed pioneering work on the...

. He stayed for a year in Geneva

Geneva

Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...

 in Switzerland with Albrecht von Haller

Albrecht von Haller

Albrecht von Haller was a Swiss anatomist, physiologist, naturalist and poet.-Early life:He was born of an old Swiss family at Bern. Prevented by long-continued ill-health from taking part in boyish sports, he had the more opportunity for the development of his precocious mind...

. In 1730, Rosén stayed in Harderwijk where he received his medical degree with his work De Historiis Morborum Conscribendis. He returned to Uppsala on March 1, 1731. In those years, he was a rival for Carl Linnaeus, who was one year younger. Both working at the Uppsala University, they aimed for the same position there. They had a strained relation, with on the one hand Rosén teaching Linnaeus medicine, but on the other hand Rosén trying to take over the botanical demonstrations Linnaeus gave at the botanical gardens. At one time, Rosén had Linnaeus expelled from the University for lecturing without the necessary qualifications, after which an enraged Linnaeus tried to stab him with a sword. Eventually, they would both hold one of the chairs of medicine and cooperate more friendly. In 1740, Rosen was the successor of Olof Rudbeck as professor of medicine at Uppsala University. He was responsible for the fields of physiology, anatomy, and practical medicine, and Rosen and Linnaeus were together responsible for pathology and chemistry. Originally, they held reverse positions (Rosén had botany, and Linnaeus anatomy and pathology), but considering their specialties and main interests, they switched those in 1742. From colleagues, they became friends later on, with Rosén treating Linnaeus when he suffered from the so-called Uppsala Fever or pleurisy

Pleurisy

Pleurisy is an inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs. Among other things, infections are the most common cause of pleurisy....

 in 1764, and Linnaeus returning the favor two years later.

He was First Physician

Archiater

An archiater was a chief physician of a monarch, who typically retained several. At the Roman imperial court, their chief held the high rank and specific title of Comes archiatrorum.The term has also been used of chief physicians in communities...

 to the King of Sweden by 1743, retaining this title under Frederick of Sweden, Adolf Frederick of Sweden

Adolf Frederick of Sweden

Adolf Frederick or Adolph Frederick was King of Sweden from 1751 until his death. He was the son of Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Eutin and Albertina Frederica of Baden-Durlach....

, and Gustav III of Sweden

Gustav III of Sweden

Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....

. He was made a Knight of the Polar Star

Order of the Polar Star

The Order of the Polar Star is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim....

 and a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...

, and ennobled in 1762, changing his name from Nils Rosén to Nils Rosén von Rosenstein.

Family

Nils Rosén's younger brother Eberhard Rosén (1714-1796) was professor of medicine at the University of Lund, and changed his name to Rosenblad after being ennobled as well. Another brother, Sven Rosén

Sven Rosén (Pietist)

Sven Rosén was a Radical-Pietistic writer and leader.-Radical-Pietism:Through his acquaintance with Christians influenced by Johann Konrad Dippel, such as Carl Michael von Strokirch and others, and by diligent studies of mystical Christian works, Rosén was brought into the Radical Pietism, where...

 (1708-1750), was a leading figure in Radical Pietism

Radical Pietism

Radical Pietism refers to a movement within Protestantism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid 18th century and later, which emphasized the need for a "religion of the heart" instead of the head, and was characterized by ethical purity, inward devotion, charity, asceticism, and even...

.

On 18 May 1734 Nils married the twelve years younger Anna Christina von Hermansson, daughter of Johan Hermansson, professor of political science and rector of the Uppsala University, and a niece of archbishop

Archbishop

An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...

 Johannes Steuchius

Johannes Steuchius

Johannes Steuchius was Archbishop of Uppsala in the Church of Sweden from 1730 to his death. His family name was ennobled in 1719 to Steuch.He was the son of the previous archbishop Mathias Steuchius....

. They had two children, Anna Margareta Rosén von Rosenstein (born 16 February 1736) and Nils von Rosenstein

Nils von Rosenstein

Nils von Rosenstein was a Swedish civil servant and propagator for enlightenment thinking. He served as tutor to the future King Gustav IV Adolf for eleven years and as permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy since 1786. He was a son of the physician Professor Nils Rosén von Rosenstein.-Notes:...

 (born 12 December 1752). Anna Margareta married Samuel Aurivillius and was the mother of Carl von Rosenstein

Carl von Rosenstein

Carl von Rosenstein was Archbishop of Uppsala from 1819 to 1836. Before that he served as Bishop of Linköping from 1809 to 1819. His family tree included scientists such as Sven Magnus Aurivillius and Per Olof Christopher Aurivillius. The "von Rosenstein" name came through an adoption - it was his...

, archbishop of Uppsala. The younger Nils was later appointed tutor of the future king Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden

Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden

Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden also Gustav Adolph was King of Sweden from 1792 until his abdication in 1809. He was the son of Gustav III of Sweden and his queen consort Sophia Magdalena, eldest daughter of Frederick V of Denmark and his first wife Louise of Great Britain. He was the last Swedish...

, and afterwards became Secretary of State

Secretary of State

Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....

, the first secretary of the Swedish Academy

Swedish Academy

The Swedish Academy , founded in 1786 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden.-History:The Swedish Academy was founded in 1786 by King Gustav III. Modelled after the Académie française, it has 18 members. The motto of the Academy is "Talent and Taste"...

 from 1786 until his death in 1824, and Commander in the Order of the Polar Star

Order of the Polar Star

The Order of the Polar Star is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim....

. He was a philosopher, and author of Forsok till en afhandling om upplysningen (Essay concerning the Enlightenment).

Nils Rosén von Rosenstein Medal

The Swedish Pediatric Society and the Swedish Society of Medicine jointly award the Nils Rosén von Rosenstein Medal to three physicians every five years. It is considered one of the most prestigious awards in pediatrics in the world. Among those awarded the medal are C. Henry Kempe, Fehmida Jalil, Abraham Rudolph, Yngve Hofvander, Derrick Jelliffe, Demissie Habte, Lars Hanson, Seymour Donald Mayneord Court, Alexandre Minkowski

Alexandre Minkowski

Alexandre Minkowski was a French pediatrician, and arguably the French physician who most influenced neonatology in the 20th century.He was the son of Eugene Minkowski and Françoise Minkowska, two Jewish psychiatrists....

, Edwin A. Mitchell, Arvo Ylppö

Arvo Ylppö

Arvo Henrik Ylppö was a Finnish pediatrician who significantly decreased Finnish infant mortality during the 20th century. He is credited as the father of Finland's public child welfare clinic system, and held the title of archiater for forty years. He is often referred to as the Dr...

, Ronnie Mac Keith and Kanwaljeet S. Anand.

In 2007, the Rosénparken (Rosén Park), named in his honour, was opened in Uppsala.