- Paul Zweifel
Paul Zweifel (
June 30 1848 ,Höngg, nearZürich ,Switzerland –August 13 1927 ,Leipzig ,Germany [ [http://www.uni-leipzig.de/~agintern/download/unistrassen2/zweifelstrasse.htm University of Leipzig web page] ] ) was a German gynecologist andphysiologist . In 1876 he proved that thefetus was metabolically active.Zweifel was born in Switzerland; his father was a physician. He was educated at the
University of Zürich (M.D. 1871), studying underAdolf Gusserow (1836-1906). In 1871, he received the "venia legendi" at the University of Strassburg, where he had already become assistant in the gynecological institute underFelix Hoppe-Seyler . In 1876 he was appointed professor of gynecology at theUniversity of Erlangen . In 1887 he transferred toUniversity of Leipzig , where he served as the Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology until his retirement 35 years later (1921). He held the title "Geheimer Medizinal-Rat."In 1876, he became the first to demonstrate that the fetus "in utero" is metabolically active, consuming
oxygen . ["Die Respiration des Fötus", in "Archiv für Gynäkologie", 1876] This was a hotly debated question before Zweifel, and his discovery introduced the modern era of fetal physiology research. [ [http://www.springerlink.com/content/t2870789l2w506t6/ "Paul Zweifel, pioneer fetal physiologist"] (summary)] He also made extensive use ofstatistics to evaluate competing obstetrical procedures.Zweifel contributed over 100 monographs to medical journals. Among his many works may be mentioned:
*"Über den Verdauungsapparat der Neugeborenen" (Strasburg, 1874)
*"Lehrbuch der Operativen Geburtshülfe" (Stuttgart, 1881; appeared as "Lehrbuch der Geburtshülfe", Stuttgart, 1887, 5th ed. 1901)
*"Der Einfluss der Aerztlichen Thätigkeit auf die Bevölkerungsbewegung" (Stuttgart, 1887)
*"Die Symphyseotomie" (Stuttgart 1893)
*"Ätiologie, Prophylaxis und Therapie der Rachitis" (Stuttgart, 1900)
*"Ätiologie, Begriff und Prophylaxis des Kindbettfiebers" (Leipzig, J.A. Barth, 1912)A street is named for him in Probstheida, Leipzig, and also a building at the University of Erlangen.
References
Bibliography
*Pagel, J.L., "Biographisches Lexikon"
*"Meyers Konversations-Lexikon"
*"Brockhaus Konversations-Lexikon"External links
*de icon [http://www.frauenklinik.klinikum.uni-erlangen.de/e1585/e1949/e837/index_ger.html Short biography] from the Universitätsklinikum Erlangen
*de icon [http://www.175jahrefrauenklinik.de/ausstell/raum2/text04.htm Short biography] from Frauenklinik Erlangen----
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