Wilhelm Winternitz
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm Winternitz was a Czech-Austrian
Jewish physician
and hydropathist. He was an influential neurologist and hydropathist who at the time was commonly characterized as "the father of scientific hydrotherapy".
and at Prague
(M. D. 1857), where he settled and became an assistant at the institute for the insane. In 1858 he entered the Austrian Navy
, but resigned his position as surgeon in 1861 and established a practice in Vienna. There he became interested in hydropathy, and was soon regarded as one of the leading authorities. Admitted to the medical faculty of the University of Vienna
as privat-docent for hydropathy in 1865, he was one of the founders of the General Vienna Dispensary, where by 1905 he had become departmental chief. In the same year (1865?) he opened a private hospital at Kaltenleutgeben
, near Vienna. One of the people influenced by Winternitz was one of the Kellogg brothers involved in the Battle Creek Sanitarium
. In 1874 Winternitz became privat-docent in medicine, and was appointed assistant professor seven years later, becoming a full professor in 1899.
Winternitz was a collaborator for hydropathy on Von Ziemssen's Handbuch der Allgemeinen Therapie (ed. 1881), Albert Eulenburg
's Realencyclopädie der Gesammten Heilkunde (ed. 1897), and Eulenburg's Lehrbuch der Allgemeinen Therapie und der Therapeutischen Methodik (Berlin, 1898–99). In 1890 he founded the Blätter für Klinische Hydrotherapie, of which he was still the editor in 1905.
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
Jewish physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and hydropathist. He was an influential neurologist and hydropathist who at the time was commonly characterized as "the father of scientific hydrotherapy".
Biography
Winternitz was educated at ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and at Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
(M. D. 1857), where he settled and became an assistant at the institute for the insane. In 1858 he entered the Austrian Navy
Austro-Hungarian Navy
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Its official name in German was Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine , abbreviated as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine....
, but resigned his position as surgeon in 1861 and established a practice in Vienna. There he became interested in hydropathy, and was soon regarded as one of the leading authorities. Admitted to the medical faculty of the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
as privat-docent for hydropathy in 1865, he was one of the founders of the General Vienna Dispensary, where by 1905 he had become departmental chief. In the same year (1865?) he opened a private hospital at Kaltenleutgeben
Kaltenleutgeben
Kaltenleutgeben is a town with a population of 3302 in the district of Mödling in the Austrian state of Lower Austria.-Geography:Kaltenleutgeben is located in the southern Vienna Woods near the industrial district in Lower Austria. More than 73 percent of the area is forested and the town...
, near Vienna. One of the people influenced by Winternitz was one of the Kellogg brothers involved in the Battle Creek Sanitarium
Battle Creek Sanitarium
The Battle Creek Sanitarium, in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States, first opened on September 5, 1866, as the Western Health Reform Institute, based on the health principles advocated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In 1876, John Harvey Kellogg became the superintendent, and his brother, W....
. In 1874 Winternitz became privat-docent in medicine, and was appointed assistant professor seven years later, becoming a full professor in 1899.
Winternitz was a collaborator for hydropathy on Von Ziemssen's Handbuch der Allgemeinen Therapie (ed. 1881), Albert Eulenburg
Albert Eulenburg
Albert Eulenburg was a German neurologist who was a native of Berlin. He studied medicine at the Universities of Berlin, Bern and Zurich, earning his doctorate 1861. Among his instructors were Johannes Peter Müller , Ludwig Traube and Albrecht von Graefe...
's Realencyclopädie der Gesammten Heilkunde (ed. 1897), and Eulenburg's Lehrbuch der Allgemeinen Therapie und der Therapeutischen Methodik (Berlin, 1898–99). In 1890 he founded the Blätter für Klinische Hydrotherapie, of which he was still the editor in 1905.
Works
In addition to several essays and monographs in medical journals, Winternitz was the author of the following works:- Kaltenleutgeben und Meine Wasserheilanstalt (Vienna, 1869)
- Die Hydropathie auf Physiologischer und Klinischer Grundlage (ib. 1877-80; 2d ed. 1890-92; translated into English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian)
- CholeraCholeraCholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
, Lungenphthise und Fieber: Klinische Studien (ib. 1887-88)