Johann Friedrich Meckel, the Elder
Johann Friedrich Meckel also the Elder ( born July 31, 1724 in Wetzlar, † September 18, 1774 in Berlin) was a German anatomist.
Life
Family
Meckel was the founder of a dynasty of anatomists, who held chairs of anatomy over four generations. The family has created a comprehensive anatomical work and founded the Meckel collection.
He was the son of the lawyer Philipp Ludwig Meckel (1693-1764? ), Procurator at the Imperial Chamber Court in Wetzlar and Council and secretary to the Prince of Nassau- Idstein, and his wife Maria Magdalena Moeller (* 1695). His maternal grandfather was the doctor Georg Christoph Moeller, who held a professorship in Göttingen.
Johann Friedrich Meckel was married from 1750 with Charlotte Louise Kamman ( 1724-1797 ), from his marriage were born two sons and five daughters, including the anatomist and surgeon Philipp Friedrich Theodor Meckel ( 1756-1803 ). From his marriage to Johanna Lauer (1762-1782) came from the anatomist Johann Friedrich Meckel the Younger (1781-1833), from his marriage to Catherine Jetzke (1758-1826) of the anatomist and forensic scientist Albrecht Meckel ( 1790-1829 ). His son was Johann Heinrich Meckel ( 1821-1856 ).
Academic career
Johann Friedrich Meckel took a degree in law at Göttingen, but switched to medicine. Among his teachers was Albrecht von Haller, who promoted the education of the young Meckel in anatomy and botany. From 1743 to 1745 Meckel held at his father's request in Berlin in August Buddeus ( 1696-1753 ), where he took anatomy courses and prosector was. Then he returned to Göttingen. There he was in 1748 with a doctorate of writing the Tractatus anatomico - physiologicus de quinto pare nervorum cerebri. In the same year Johann Friedrich Meckel settled in Berlin as a practical physician. Having had refused von Haller, become a member of the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences, took Meckel - only 25 years old - 1749 its place in the academy. The following year was appointed as the successor Meckel, Johann Friedrich Cassebohms to the second chair of anatomy of the Berlin Collegium Medico - chirurgicum. The local anatomical theater offered by a state-regulated supply of human corpses good conditions for anatomical studies. After the death of his patron and mentor Buddeus 1752 Meckel was the following year his successor on the first chair of anatomy, he still occupied the chairs of botany and obstetrics. By the end of his life, he was also active in medical practice. Suffering from tuberculosis, Meckel came in 1773 from his offices at the Collegium Medico - chirurgicum back. On him the anatomist Johann Gottlieb Walter followed. Meckel died in September 1774th
Work
At the Berlin anatomical theater sat Meckel the reforms of his predecessor Buddeus continued. This on the one hand had introduced a regular practical anatomy lessons, as well as occasional public spectacles lectures. Under Meckel these demonstrations were conducted regularly.
A particular interest was Meckel's neuroanatomy. He described the entire course of the trigeminal nerve, the origin of the chorda tympani, the submandibular ganglion and trigeminal designated as cavum Meckeli Duraduplikatur ganglion. That he discovered the pterygopalatine ganglion was later referred to as ganglion Meckeli. More neuroanatomical work Meckel related facial nerve to.
The anatomist made many anatomical specimens, including corrosion preparations and wax injection preparations. The preparations went on, especially in the later Meckel collection of his son Philipp Friedrich Theodor Meckel and his grandson Johann Friedrich Meckel ( the younger), partially also in the " Waltersche collection " of his successor Johann Gottlieb Walter.
Johann Friedrich Meckel was a member of the Académie des Sciences, the Academy of Sciences in Göttingen, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences.
Writings (selection )
- Johann Friedrich Meckel: De quinto pare nervorum cerebri. Göttingen 1748.
- Johann Friedrich Meckel: Nova experimenta et observationes de finibus venarum et vasorum lymphat. Berlin 1771st
- Johann Friedrich Meckel: Opvscvla Anatomica De Vasis Lymphaticis. Dissertatio De Epistolaris Vasis Lymphaticis. Berolini, Stralsund 1772. ( Online)