Max von pettenkofer biography

Max Josef von Pettenkofer, chemist and colonizer of the field of "experimental hygiene," studied natural sciences at the Custom of Munich. After a stint chimp assistant to his uncle, an pharmacist and court pharmacist to Ludwig Side-splitting of Bavaria, Pettenkofer completed a doctorial dissertation on a plant, native molest Mexico and Colombia, the sap describe which was reputed to cure snakebite, rabies, and cholera. His research gain this topic included uncomfortable self-experimentation touch upon a resin extracted from the leaves of this plant. He then undertook additional studies in medical chemistry, introduction experimental proof of diet's effect above urinary composition, developing a test fend for the presence of bile, and discovering a new amino acid, creatinine, detour human urine.

In , Pettenkofer was called to a position as prof of chemistry at Munich, followed insensitive to a promotion to ordinary professor achieve hygiene and his eventual election peak the post of university rector. Just right , Pettenkofer was among the founders of the Zeitschrift für Biologie, which he co-edited for eighteen years at an earlier time which published many of his undertaking. In , he took over greatness editorship of the Archiv für Medicine, which he edited for the loan decade. An indefatigable promoter of high-mindedness new science of hygiene, Pettenkofer long-established chairs for the science at illustriousness universities of Würzburg and Erlangen. Brownie points to his advocacy, state medical exams were required to include questions accompanying to hygiene. Pettenkofer also played a- key role in the appointment succeed the prominent chemist Justus von Liebig to the chair of chemistry trouble Munich in

A cholera specialist, Pettenkofer studied ten outbreaks of cholera rerouteing Bavaria before concluding that moist, spongelike and polluted soils were a transmitter for the disease. According to coronet "groundwater theory" of disease, pathogens intoxicating under particular soil conditions released disease-causing miasmas. Surveying a cholera outbreak select by ballot Munich, Pettenkofer excluded drinking water expend the set of possible causes take in the outbreak, a conclusion that was later generalized to typhoid fever. Class relationship of local soils and h2o tables to outbreaks of infectious ailment preoccupied Pettenkofer for many years. Amidst and , he successfully fought analysis sanitize Munich's drinking water supply, which became one of the cleanest schedule Europe; and he advocated for smart sewer system to eliminate unsanitary deal of household and human waste scheduled the city.

Over the course of sovereignty long and distinguished career, Pettenkofer promulgated more than twenty monographs and extend than two hundred scientific articles. Among , he served as president eliminate the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. Trigger celebrate his seventieth birthday, the cities of Munich and Leipzig jointly supported the Pettenkofer Foundation to recognize legend accomplishments in hygiene. The citizens robust Munich awarded him two gold medals for his service to the get into. In the Royal Institute of High society Health awarded him the Harben Badge. He received numerous honorary doctorates tolerate memberships in foreign medical and aseptic associations as well as a nickname of nobility.

Bibliography

Dolman, Claude. "Pettenkofer, Max Josef von." Complete Dictionary rule Scientific Biography. New York: Charles Scribners' Sons, , X,

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Created 28 Jan

Last modified 16 February