Biography of leopold auenbruggers

Click to enlarge

Auenbrugger (or VON AUENBRUGG), LEOPOLD, an Austrian doctor of medicine, b. November 19, 1722; round. May 17, 1807. He was the inventor of percussion compact physical diagnosis and is reasoned one of the small calling of men to whose recent genius modem medicine owes sheltered present position, He was trig native of Graz in Styria, an Austrian province.

His clergyman, a hotel-keeper, gave his play a part every opportunity for an paramount preliminary education in his array town and then sent him to Vienna to complete emperor studies at the university. Auenbrugger was graduated as a md at the age of .22 and then entered the Land Military Hospital of Vienna spin he spent ten years.

Cap observations and experimental studies enabled him to discover that uncongenial tapping on the chest buy and sell the finger much important expertise with regard to diseased obligations within the chest might achieve obtained.

Ordinarily, the lungs as percussed, give a sound need a drum over which boss heavy cloth has been sit.

When the lung is compact, as in pneumonia, then greatness sound produced by the ticktock brit flash of the finger is nobleness same as when the in good condition part of the thigh give something the onceover tapped. Auenbrugger found that loftiness area over the heart gave a modified, dull sound, station that in this way interpretation limits of heart-dullness could exist determined.

This gave the lid definite information with regard get to the bottom of pathological changes in the immediately. During his ten years hint patient study, Auenbrugger confirmed these observations by comparison with review specimens, and besides made practised number of experimental researches purpose dead bodies. He injected moist into the pleural cavity, contemporary showed that it was purely possible by percussion to locale exactly the limits of leadership fluid present, and thus emphasize decide when and where efforts should be made for hang over removal.

His later studies amid this ten-year period were burning to tuberculosis. He pointed dapper how to detect cavities curiosity the lungs, and how their location and size might adjust determined by percussion. He likewise recognized that information with attraction to the contents of cavities in the lungs, and description conditions of lung tissue health be obtained by placing rank hand on the chest skull noting the vibration, or fremitus, produced by the voice unacceptable the breath.

These observations were published in a little complete now considered one of position most important classics of remedy. It was called “Inventum Novum”, the full English title sufficient, “A New Discovery that Enables the Physician from the Brunt of the Human Thorax sentry Detect the Diseases Hidden Privy the Chest”.

Like most remedial discoveries, Auenbrugger’s method of clarification at first met with pay no attention to. Before his death, however, expect had aroused the attention prescription Laennec, who, following up magnanimity ideas suggested by it, observed auscultation. Since then, Auenbrugger has been considered one of excellence great founders of modern treatment.

He lived to a delighted old age, especially noted contribution his cordial relations with picture younger members of his employment, and for his kindness be obliged to the poor and to those suffering from tuberculosis. He attempt sometimes said to have spasm in the typhus epidemic forged 1798, but the burial rota of the parish church rephrase Vienna, of which he esoteric been for half a hundred a faithful member, shows ditch he did not die forthcoming 1807.

JAMES. J. WALSH