Ernst Blasius

Ernst Blasius was born on the 20th of November 1802 in Berlin and died on the 11th of June 1875 in Halle (Saale).

As the son of a merchant in Berlin, he received his schooling at the Joachimsthal Gymnasium (grammar school). In 1818 he joined the military medical training centre at the University of Berlin, the Pepiniére, as a pupil, where he spent three years. He became a junior doctor at the Charité and obtained his doctorate at the age of 21 in 1823 with the dissertation De tractus intestinorum formatione mammalium embryonibus. After working as a military doctor for several years, he passed the state examination. His outstanding surgical talent prompted Blasius to pursue an academic career.

In 1829, he qualified as a professor of surgery at the University of Halle with the publication De fungi durae matris accuratiori distinctione. Appointed associate professor in 1830, he was put in charge of the surgical clinic in 1831, initially on an interim basis. Blasius was appointed full professor in 1834. In addition to his recognised medical and academic work, Blasius wrote several reports from the clinic in Halle and successful scientific works. His book on “Akirurgische Abbildungen oder Darstellungen der blutigen chirurgischen Operationen und der für dieselben erfundenen Werkzeuge mit erläuterndem Text” was published as early as 1833. Between 1830 and 1846, he published several volumes of manuals and a textbook on “Akirurgie”. He was particularly interested in ophthalmology and bone diseases, especially lupus. He also developed prostheses for the replacement of lost body parts.

Under Blasius’ management, the clinic was expanded in both the surgical and ophthalmological fields. In 1861, he oversaw the move from the residence to the later zoological institute on Domplatz.

The university chronicle records that Blasius treated 80720 patients and performed 4267 major operations in the 36 years of his clinical activity. In 1867, Blasius resigned from the management of the clinic, but continued to publish literary works on the dislocation of the vertebrae.