Samuel Hafenreffer

Samuel Hafenreffer ( born April 26, 1587 Mr. Mountain, † September 26, 1660 in Tübingen ) was a German doctor, physician and university teacher.

Life

Hafenreffer Samuel, the son of the theologian Matthias Hafenreffer was enrolled in 1600 in Tübingen, in 1601 got the Bacc. art. and 1604 the Mag .. After studying medicine he was three years tutor to the sons of Baron Johann Ulrich von Starhemberg in Austria. For further education he studied at the University of Wittenberg in 1612, then in Basel and Strasbourg. 1614 he received his doctorate in Tübingen Dr. med. In 1614 he was Physikus in Kirchheim / Teck, as well as in Austria. In 1620 he worked in Tübingen, 1642 in Biberach 1647 and again in Kirchheim / Teck. In 1648 he accepted an appointment as Professor of Medicine in Tübingen. 1653, 1656/57 and 1659/60 he was rector of the University of Tübingen. His portrait hangs in the Tübingen professor therefore Gallery.

Scientific activities

Samuel Hafenreffer published in 1660 a definition of itching ( pruritus ), an unpleasant sensation of the skin, which provokes scratching with fingernails or other aids.

He is considered the author of the first book on skin diseases in the German culture.

He used the first 300 years previously resulting notation to record the frequencies and qualities concerning the human pulse and described this as the " sweetest melody of life."

In one of his books he published a Tarantella, a piece of music to heal the Apulian tarantula bitten allegedly by dance-crazed. The tarantism is still present in Apulia.

Writings (selection )

• Monochordon symbolico - biomanticum. Abstrussissimam pulsuum doctrinam, ex harmoniis musicis dilucidè, figurisque oculariter demons trans, de causis et prognosticis inde promulgandis fideliter instruens, & Jucunde by medicam praxin resonans pulsatum. Bold, Ulm 1640th