Carl von Rokitansky
Carl Freiherr von Rokitansky (Czech: Karel Rokytanský ) ( born February 19, 1804 in Hradec Kralove, Bohemia, † July 23, 1878 in Vienna) was a pathologist, politician and philosopher.
Life
Karl Joseph Wenzel Prokop Rokitansky was born the son of the county clerk of Leitmeritz, Prokop Rokitansky, in the Bohemian Hradec Kralove. His mother Theresa was the daughter of Königgrätzer Kreiskommisärs Lodgman Knights of floodplains. Karl was the first of four children ( Prokop, Marie, Theresa ) of the family. By the early death of his father († 1812) Carl grew up with his three siblings in meager conditions on. Despite this situation, it allowed him to his mother that he could attend the high school in Hradec Králové and then the University of Prague. Here he first had to study three semesters of philosophy before he could begin in 1821 with the study of medicine at the German Charles-Ferdinand University. The lectures were then held in German and Latin. Livelihood he earned through private lessons. In 1824 he moved to Vienna to his uncle Lodgman of floodplains to continue his medical studies at the University of Vienna. Here he received his doctorate at March 6, 1828 in Medicine. In 1834 he married Maria Anna Weiss, a trained singer from Antonio Salieri, who gave up her career to support the family. From this marriage came four children: Hans was a well known singer at the Vienna Court Opera, Victor was also a singer and singing teacher; the other two sons were physicians, Karl became Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Graz and Prokop Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Innsbruck.
In Vienna, he worked first as " unpaid practicant " in the Pathological- Anatomical establishment of the Vienna General Hospital. His first autopsy report comes on 23 October 1827. Rokitansky doctorate on March 6, 1828 the University of Vienna in medicine. From 1830 he was an assistant at the Pathological- Anatomical Institute. In 1832 he was forming ao supplier. Professor and in 1834 he was appointed associate professor and curator of the Pathological- Anatomical Museum. In 1844 he was awarded the first Chair of Pathological Anatomy at the University of Vienna. Rokitansky spent his scientific career ( 1830-1875 ) at this institution.
Pathologist
Rokitansky realized that the still little- discipline of Pathological Anatomy must stand as a science in the service of the hospital. Only then could offer the physician at the bedside new diagnostic and therapeutic options. After Gerard van Swieten, the founder of the elderly or the First Vienna School of Medicine, Rokitansky thus replaces a scientific " revolution". With the founding of New or Second Vienna School of Medicine pathologist conducted jointly with the Internal Josef Škoda and the dermatologist Ferdinand von Hebra, a paradigm shift, who led the natural philosophy -based medicine to modern, scientifically oriented medicine. With the specialization of medicine, linked to the development of new disciplines, reached " Viennese doctors " reputation. Am Wiener Chair was succeeded Eduard von Hofmann.
A von Rokitansky in 1846 formulated speculative Krasen or mixture of blood doctrine was sharply criticized, among others, Rudolf Virchow, who Rokitansky highly respected on the other hand because of his merits in the pathology. Rokitansky was assigned to the blood as a place of pathological process in all not exactly localizable disorders of particular importance and thus made a good last scientific attempt to revive humoralpathologischer ideas.
Politician
Through the leadership positions in various academic and political institutions Rokitansky also coined the era of Austrian higher liberalism. He represented the liberalism of the educated middle class. In pursuit of " freedom and progress ," he added both to the university reform, but also to fundamental improvement of health care. He was several times Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, 1852, the first freely elected rector of the medical college professor at the University of Vienna and President of the Supreme Health Council. In 1850, he led the Society of Physicians in Vienna, Rokitansky remained its president for life. 1863 appointed State Minister Anton Schmerling the Liberals for medical study speakers at the Home Office, he was appointed by Emperor Franz Joseph I. " unexpected and unprepared " to the manor house of the Imperial Council on 25 November 1867. In 1870 he finally chose the Anthropological newly established company as the first president. 1874 was the collection Rokitansky in a baron by Emperor Franz Joseph I.
Philosopher
Although Rokitansky in scientific research for the " materialist method " came in he rejected the materialism from a worldview. In the keynote speech at the opening of the Pathological- Anatomical Institute of the General Hospital in Vienna, he urgently warned against misusing " the freedom of scientific research ". The naturalist must be the people be aware as a " knowing subject " first, and only then should follow " the urge for knowledge ." If man is true only as an object of research in medicine, would the dignity of man is lost. Thus, the humanist themed pioneering the question of ethics in medicine. Animal experiments was Rokitansky ethical, but also from scientific considerations critical because " the history, pathological anatomy and clinical observations provide a number of facts which are worth more than a thousand experiments". In the speech about the " solidarity all animal life " at the " Imperial Academy of Sciences ," he showed his proximity to Arthur Schopenhauer's doctrine of compassion. "If we [ ... ] cherish and practice compassion ," he explained, we would " take a portion of the burden of suffering of the sufferer ." Human size show in the qualification, " volunteered the greatest sufferings " to apply through aggression waiver. Those who succeed in this should be our " great ethical role models ."
On July 17, 1848 Rokitansky was elected full member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in 1866 as Vice President and from 1869 until his death on 23 July 1878, the scholar was its president. He felt this award, " as the greatest honor that I enjoy ."
He is buried in an honorary grave dedicated to the Hernalser Cemetery (Group AR, number 24) in Vienna.
Honors and awards
In 1874, he was elevated as Freiherr von Rokitansky of Emperor Franz Josef to the peerage. He was the owner of the Commander's Cross of the Austrian Order of Leopold and honorary citizen of the city of Vienna. Rokitansky was honorary doctorates from the universities of Prague, Jena and Krakow. In 1864 in Vienna Hernals ( 17th district ) was named the Rokitanskygasse after him. In 1954, on the occasion of his 150th birthday, brought the Austrian Post Office issued a commemorative stamp.
Works (selection)
- Carl Rokitansky, " For guidance on medicine and its practice." Paper presented at the formal sitting of the Imperial Academy of Sciences on May 31, 1858 in: . Almanac of the Imperial Academy of Sciences 9 (Vienna 1859) 119-152.
- Carl von, speech: freedom of scientific research. Ceremonial opening of the pathological- anatomical institute at the Imperial general hospital on 24 May 1862 ( Vienna 1862).
- Rokitansky, Carl von, The Conformität of universities with regard to present Austrian states ( Vienna 1863).
- Rokitansky, Carl von, time issues concerning the university with special reference to Medicine ( Vienna 1863).
- Carl Rokitansky, the independent value of knowledge. Paper presented at the meeting of the Imperial Academy of Sciences on May 31, 1867 2, approved by the Imperial Academy of Sciences edition (Vienna, 1869).
- Carl Rokitansky, Solidarity all animal life. Paper presented at the formal sitting of the Imperial Academy of Sciences on May 31, 1869 in: . Almanac of the Imperial Academy of Sciences 19 (Vienna 1869) 185-220.
- Carl Rokitansky, The Defecte the vagina walls of the heart. Pathological anatomical treatise (Vienna 1875).
- Rokitansky, Carl von, autobiography and inaugural address. Initiated, ed and provided with explanations of Erna Lesky (Vienna 1960).