Carl Wilhelm Boeck
Encyclopedia
Carl Wilhelm Boeck was a Norwegian dermatologist born in Kongsberg
.
In 1831 he earned his medical degree from the University of Christiania
, and from 1833 to 1846 he practiced medicine in Kongsberg. In 1846 he became a lecturer of dermatology and surgery
at Christiania
, and in 1851 was appointed full professor. Later in his career he visited America to research leprosy
among Norwegian immigrants.
Boeck specialized in research and treatment of syphilis
. He is remembered for his experiments with "syphilization", which was a form of vaccination
against the disease. The practice consisted of repeated inoculations of secretion from "soft chancre
", until inoculation caused no further reaction. Boeck wasn't the first physician to use syphilization, as it was earlier attempted by Joseph Alexandre Auzias-Turenne (1812–1870), who experimented with syphilization on laboratory animals.
In the 1840s, with dermatologist Daniel Cornelius Danielssen
(1815–1894), Boeck conducted research of leprosy
, and the two men collaborated on an important treatise called Om Spedalskhed (On Leprosy). At the time, the two physicians believed that leprosy was an hereditary disease.
Kongsberg
is a town and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is located at the southern end of the traditional region of Numedal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsberg....
.
In 1831 he earned his medical degree from the University of Christiania
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
, and from 1833 to 1846 he practiced medicine in Kongsberg. In 1846 he became a lecturer of dermatology and surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
at Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, and in 1851 was appointed full professor. Later in his career he visited America to research leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
among Norwegian immigrants.
Boeck specialized in research and treatment of syphilis
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
. He is remembered for his experiments with "syphilization", which was a form of vaccination
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
against the disease. The practice consisted of repeated inoculations of secretion from "soft chancre
Chancre
A chancre is a painless ulceration formed during the primary stage of syphilis. This infectious lesion forms approximately 21 days after the initial exposure to Treponema pallidum, the gram-negative spirochaete bacterium yielding syphilis. Chancres transmit the sexually transmissible disease of...
", until inoculation caused no further reaction. Boeck wasn't the first physician to use syphilization, as it was earlier attempted by Joseph Alexandre Auzias-Turenne (1812–1870), who experimented with syphilization on laboratory animals.
In the 1840s, with dermatologist Daniel Cornelius Danielssen
Daniel Cornelius Danielssen
Daniel Cornelius Danielssen was a Norwegian physician, from Bergen. He worked with Gerhard Armauer Hansen, discovering the bacteria causing leprosy, and made Bergen a world centre of lepra research in the middle of the nineteenth century.Danielssen was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of...
(1815–1894), Boeck conducted research of leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
, and the two men collaborated on an important treatise called Om Spedalskhed (On Leprosy). At the time, the two physicians believed that leprosy was an hereditary disease.