How Adam politzer (1835-1920) became an otologist.
In 1861, Politzer became a privat-docent in otology at the Vienna University and was promoted to the first official teacher of otology. To receive the vena legendi, Politzer followed-up training in otology by visiting the most eminent physiologists and ear specialists of the epoch. The aim of this study is to detail this training as presented by Politzer himself in a hand-written request sent to the Collegium of Professors of the Viennese University to obtain his academic degree. His career development was divided into three main components: physiological research, anatomopathologic research, and clinical training. Politzer began with physiological research in Carl Ludwig's physiology laboratory in Vienna, working on the innervation of the middle ear muscles and the opening of the eustachian tube. He then went to Albert Kolliker and Heinrich Muller in Wurzburg to learn more about the function of the eustachian tube and its functional innervation. In Wurzburg, he also learned the histopathology of the ear with Kolliker and assisted with the lessons given by Anton von Troltsch. He continued his travels to Paris, where he carried on his physiological research with Rudolph Konig and Claude Bernard by studying the mobility of the ossicular chain after sound stimulation. There, he also attended at the consultation of Prosper Meniere. Finally, he went to London to perfect his knowledge of anatomopathology of the ear by studying Joseph Toynbee's temporal bones collection.
Mudry
Albert
A
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. amudry@worldcom.ch
Kraft
Marcel
M
D001317:Austria; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000266:history*; D005060:Europe; D005180:Faculty, Medical / Q000266:history*; D005858:Germany; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000266:history*