- Erik Viborg
Erik Nissen Viborg (
April 5 1759 -September 25 1822 ) was a Danishveterinarian andbotanist .Erik Viborg studied veterinary science by P.C. Abildgaard at the Vetarinary School in
Copenhagen and soon became the professor’s assistant (in 1783).From 1784 to 1787, he travelled in
Europe . After his return, he won a prize from theRoyal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters for his thesis about the ‘sand plants’ (mainlyMarram grass ) and their use as sand-binders in protection of agricultural lands from aeolian sand [Viborg, E. (1788) Efterretning om Sandvexterne og deres Anvendelse til at dæmpe Sandflugten paa Vesterkanten af Jylland. København. (Subsequent German translation: Beschreibung der Sandgewächse und ihrer Anwendung zur Hemmung des Flugsandes auf der Küste von Jütland etc. Viborg, Erich Aus dem Dänischen von J. Petersen. Kopenhagen, 1789)] . He was then appointed teacher (with the title of professor) at the Vetarinary School (1787 - 1790). In 1796, the king sent Viborg toPoland andRomania to purchase stallions for theFrederiksborg stud farm. When the chair ofbotany was installed in 1797 at theUniversity of Copenhagen , Viborg became its first holder, surpassingMartin Vahl . This was probably achieved more through ties to the upper circles than through scientific merit. After the death of Abildgaard in 1801, Viborg became professor andrector of the Vetarinary School –a position he held to his death.The legume genus
Wiborgia Thunb. was named for him.External link
* [http://runeberg.org/dbl/18/0516.html Entry on Erik Viborg i DBL, the Danish Biographical Encyclopedia".]
References
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