Petrus Kirstenius

Peter Kirstenius, Latin form of Peter Kirstein (* December 25, 1577 in Breslau, † April 5, 1640 in Uppsala ) was a German - Swedish physician and philologist.

Kirstenius received his medical education at different universities in Germany, Holland and France. Since he was very interested in the ancient writings of Arab doctors, especially Avicenna, he used his studies to expand its already remarkable language skills. At age 24, he earned his doctorate in medicine in Basel. Then he went on a study trip through Italy, Spain, France and other countries.

Back in Wroclaw 1610 he became rector of Elizabeth High School and had this activity due to illness in 1616 already quit. After that, he was primarily a practicing physician. A few years later he moved to Prussia, where he became acquainted with the Swedish Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna. This hired him as his personal physician, whereupon Kirstenius 1636 moved to Sweden. There he was appointed in the same year as an associate physician to Queen Christina and professor of practical medicine in Uppsala.

According to contemporary reports Kirstenius mastered 26 languages ​​and his reputation as a philologist was more important than his prestige as a doctor. According to its own confession he belonged rather to the school of Paracelsus and less to Galen. Apart from a few medical journals, such as De vero usu et abusu medicinae (Breslau, 1610), Kirstenius published several linguistic works, mostly translations of Christian documents.

His son Johan Peter Kirstenius (1617-1682) was a respected Festungsbauoffizier.