Alfred Wilhelm Volkmann
Alfred Wilhelm Volkmann ( born July 1, 1801 in Zschortau, † April 21, 1877 in Halle ( Saale) ) was a German physiologist.
Family
Volkmann was born into a wealthy patrician family in Hamburg, which was established in the second half of the 18th century, in the Electorate of Saxony. His parents were the Leipzig Senator Johann Wilhelm Volkmann (February 10, 1772-1856 ) and his wife Friederike Tugendreich, born in zinc. The writer Johann Jacob Volkmann was his grandfather.
Volkmann married in 1828 Adele Hartel ( 1808-1884 ), the daughter of the owner of the book and music shop Breitkopf & Härtel. The marriage produced twelve children including surgery professor and writer Richard von Volkmann and the book and music dealer Wilhelm Volkmann emerged, (father of the art historian Ludwig Volkmann ). The daughter Anna also continued the scholarly narrowness of the Poor People 's its successor.
Education and work
He attended the Prince's School St. Afra in Meissen. From 1821 he studied medicine at the University of Leipzig. In 1826 he received his doctorate on 28 July 1826 of the dissertation observatio biologica de magnetismo animali as a doctor of medicine. A study trip took him to London and Paris. Because, as he wrote, " lack of inclination to the medical practice " Volkmann turned to the scientific fundamentals of the subject.
On 28 July 1826, he qualified as a professor in Leipzig with the De animi affectionibus, in the following years he dealt with anatomical problems ( Anatomia animalium, 2 volumes, 1831 and 1833 ) and was there in 1826 received his doctorate of medicine. 1828 and his habilitation with the De animi affectionibus. In 1834 he was associate professor of Zootomie in Leipzig. Two Essays on the then new field of biochemistry of man made Volkmann known ( New contributions to the physiology of vision, 1836 The doctrine of the bodily life of man, 1837).
In 1837 he was appointed professor of physiology, pathology and semiotics at the University of Dorpat. Volkmann is considered the starting this year as founder of the hemodynamics ( Physics of blood movement ), where he was appointed to the Tsarist Russian Privy Councillor and was 1842/43 Rector of the Alma Mater. He was also charged by Tsar Nicholas I to the peerage, which he has, however, never exercised. Here he continued his studies of the nervous system, and devoted himself to the blood circulation.
Cryptic are Volkmann's speeches from that period. So he gave a fiery speech against the duel mischief that was displayed as an appreciation of the duel as vice-rector of the University in 1841. In 1838 he spoke about the physiology opponent of the doctrine of materialism on the identity of the body and the soul. In it, he explained materialistic views to then seemingly to refute. However, Volkmann denied solely the mechanistic connection between body and mind, to compete without the measures announced by him proof of immortality. Volkmann found in 1838 in a speech in honor of the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna very kind words about the University of Dorpat.
In 1843 he left Dorpat, however, and sought for family reasons, but also because of " some injustice and insult " for admission as a Privatdozent at the University of Halle to. ( Because of the increasing Russification of the University of Dorpat left several scholars, such as Professor Harnack family. ) After a short time as a lecturer in Hall Volkmann was appointed in 1844 as full professor of pathology and physiology. From 1854 he also taught anatomy and physiology in 1872 diverted and transmitted at the request of Volkmann's to Julius Bernstein. Research trips led Volkmann to France and Italy. 1847, 1850 and 1862 he was elected Rector of the University. In 1876 he retired from teaching.
Performance
Volkmann applies for his work on the nervous system, the eyes and the blood of one of the founders of the discipline physiology (" Physiological studies in the field of optics ," 1863/64, "The hemodynamics after testing ," 1850). He designed various pieces of equipment, such as for measuring the velocity of the blood or to examine the attention rested and fatigued persons using performance optical impressions.
Volkmann's Hallesches house formed a center of social life of the city. His circle of friends included the painter Wilhelm von Kügelgen, Friedrich Preller and Ludwig Richter and musician Robert Franz, Clara and Robert Schumann.
Eponym
The Volkmann's canals are named after Alfred Wilhelm Volkmann.
Works (selection)
- New posts to the physiology of vision. Leipzig 1836
- The doctrine of the bodily life of man: an anatomical- physiological manual for self-instruction for the educated. Leipzig, 1837
- Contribution to the moral assessment of the duel: speech, held on coronation day of his Majesty the Emperor and Mr. Nicolai Pavlovich, on August 22, 1841 in the large lecture halls of the Imperial University of Dorpat. Dorpat, 1841
- The independence of the sympathetic nervous system demonstrated by anatomical studies. Leipzig in 1842 ( Friedrich Heinrich Bidder )
- For the doctrine of the relation of the ganglion body to the nerve fibers. Leipzig in 1847 ( Friedrich Heinrich Bidder )
- Forays in the areas of exact physiology: a polemic against Professor G. Valentin. Leipzig, 1847
- The hemodynamics after attempts. Leipzig, 1850
- Physiological investigations in the field of optics. Leipzig, 1863