Peter Rathert

Philipp Bozzini (1773–1809) and the Lichtleiter

The first man to invent an instrument intended to illuminate the inner cavities of the human body was Philipp Bozzini, who was born 200 years ago in Mainz on the Rhine on May 25, 1773; he died at the age of thirty-five years on April 4, 1809 (Fig. 1). Endoscopic examinations and operative procedures are an essential part of modern urology. The history of their development recalls the names of many urologists, dentists, and gynecologists from various counkies: Fisher, Desormeaux, Griinfeld, Kelly, Bruck, Segalas, Nitze, Bransford Lewis, Boisseau du Rocher, Leiter, and Albarran are only a few. The instruments, presently used by urologists, are refinements of the cystoscope-prototype of Maximilian Nitze, first demonstrated in 1877.1 The idea of looking into the cavities of the human body by means of a light-conducting instrument is in reality much older than this date. In his Textbook of Urology, Nitze wrote: The history of cystoscopy begins with Doctor Bozzini of Frankfort in 1807. 1 However , Bozzini wasno t always acknowledged as the ingenious }nventor he truly proved to be, New documents about Bozzinis endoscopic instrument, the Lichtleiter or light conductor, as well as a repositor for the umbilical cord have been found during recent years. Bozzini is, of course, not a German name. His father, Nicolaus Maria Bozzini de Bozza, a member of a distinguished Italian family, had to leave Italy about 1760 after a fatal duel. 2 He went

The surgeon and his intention : Gustav Simon (1824-1876), his first planned nephrectomy and further contributions to urology

Abstract One of the historic landmarks in urology is the first planned nephrectomy performed in 1869 by Gustav Simon of Heidelberg (1824–1877). In the history of medicine the reflections and considerations of the specialized surgeon reveal distinguished analyses of the “case” and, thus, the beginning of a modern scientific discussion of a patients quality of life. Available primary and secondary sources were screened to present a differentiated aspect of this milestone in the history of urology. The analysis of the first German indicated nephrectomy shows the introduction of scientifically orientated thinking in urology, especially in Germany during the middle of the nineteenth century, and parallels the rise of urology and general surgery.

Johannes Keller (1899–1970)

In der Medizingeschichte wird die Biografik kontrovers beurteilt, von einigen wird diese als langst uberwundene Heroengeschichtsschreibung angesehen oder zur Zweckliteratur bestimmter Normensysteme gerechnet und eine reine bioergografische Beschrankung auf Leben und Werk einer Person als nicht hinreichend empfunden (Eckart u. Jutte 2007; Gradmann 1998).

Die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Urologie und der Neuanfang in Düsseldorf nach 1948

Als im Jahr 1948 in Dusseldorf die erste nationale Tagung deutscher Urologen nach Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs abgehalten wurde, war das weitere Schicksal der 190631 in Stuttgart gegrundeten Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Urologie (DGfU) ungewiss. Die traditionellen Zentren der deutschsprachigen Urologie, Berlin und Wien, hatten bereits wahrend der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus aus politischen Grunden fur die Fachgesellschaft nicht mehr als Kongressort zur Verfugung gestanden.

Neuordnung des Gesundheitswesens in beiden deutschen Staaten

Nach der bedingungslosen Kapitulation des Deutschen Reiches waren ca. 14 Mio. Menschen in Deutschland von Flucht und Vertreibung betroffen. Schleswig-Holstein nahm zunachst die meisten Fluchtlinge auf (Kohler 2012). Es herrschte Mangel an allem.

Gustav Friedrich Seydel (1812–1865) —Vichy-Wasser und Blasensteine

Schaut man in die Sachsische Zeitung unter dem Datum vom 6. Dezember, so findet der interessierte Leser hier in der Rubrik „Gedenktage“ den Geburtstag von „Friedrich Gustav Seydel, Spezialarzt fur Erkrankungen der Harnorgane“.