Franz Volhard
Encyclopedia
Franz Volhard was a German internist who was born in Munich
.
He studied medicine in Bonn
, Strasbourg
, and Halle
. His instructors included Eduard Friedrich Wilhelm Pflüger
(1829-1910), Bernhard Naunyn
(1839-1925), Oswald Schmiedeberg
(1838-1921), and Joseph von Mering
(1849-1908), and from 1897 to 1905 he worked at the university medical clinic at Giessen
under Franz Riegel
(1843-1904). In 1905 he became head of the medical department at the city hospital in Dortmund
, and in 1908 director of the Krankenanstalt in Mannheim
. Afterwards he was a professor at Halle an der Saale
(from-1918) and Frankfurt am Main (from-1927).
Volhard made several important contributions in the fields of cardiology
and nephrology
. He is especially remembered for his collaboration with pathologist Karl Theodor Fahr
(1877-1945) in Mannheim concerning research of kidney
diseases. The two physicians created a classification system of renal disorders, in which they made the differentiation between degenerative (nephroses
), inflammatory (nephritides) and arteriosclerotic (scleroses
) diseases. With Fahr he published a classic monograph
on Bright's disease
called Die Bright'sche Nierenkrankheit, Klinik, Pathologie und Atlas.
Volhard recognized that constrictive pericarditis
was a treatable condition, and as a result of his research with Viktor Schmieden
(1874-1945), it led to the first pericardectomy for constrictive pericarditis. Volhard also performed extensive studies involving renovascular hypertension
and uremia
. Regarding uremia, he divided associated symptoms into two criteria called "true uremia" and "pseudo-uremia". Pseudo-uremia was described as having symptoms of independent origin, such as cases involving elevated arterial blood pressure
.
In 1903, Volhard was credited with the discovery of lipase
in the heart
and kidney. He also developed a method of preserving cardiac specimens via a process of dehydration and the application of hot paraffin
. In 1917, he joined the German Fatherland Party
. In Berlin, the Franz-Volhard-Klinik is named in his honor.
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
He studied medicine in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, and Halle
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
. His instructors included Eduard Friedrich Wilhelm Pflüger
Eduard Friedrich Wilhelm Pflüger
Eduard Friedrich Wilhelm Pflüger was a German physiologist born in Hanau.He studied medicine at the Universities of Marburg and Berlin, earning his doctorate in 1853. While in Berlin he worked as an assistant to Emil du Bois-Reymond...
(1829-1910), Bernhard Naunyn
Bernhard Naunyn
Bernhard Naunyn was German pathologist who was born in Berlin. After receiving his degree at the University of Berlin in 1863, he became an assistant to pathologist Friedrich Theodor von Frerichs...
(1839-1925), Oswald Schmiedeberg
Oswald Schmiedeberg
Oswald Schmiedeberg was a Baltic German pharmacologist.Schmiedeberg was born at Gut Laidsen in the Imperial Russian province of Courland. In 1866 he earned his medical doctorate from the University of Dorpat with a thesis concerning the measurement of chloroform in blood. Afterwards he was an...
(1838-1921), and Joseph von Mering
Joseph von Mering
Josef, Baron von Mering was a German physician.Working at the University of Strasbourg, Mering was the first person to discover that one of the pancreatic functions is the production of insulin, a hormone which controls blood sugar levels.Mering was curious about the...
(1849-1908), and from 1897 to 1905 he worked at the university medical clinic at Giessen
University of Giessen
The University of Giessen is officially called the Justus Liebig University Giessen after its most famous faculty member, Justus von Liebig, the founder of modern agricultural chemistry and inventor of artificial fertiliser.-History:The University of Gießen is among the oldest institutions of...
under Franz Riegel
Franz Riegel
Franz Riegel was a German internist and gastroenterologist who was a native of Brückenau.He studied medicine at the University of Würzburg, and following graduation furthered his studies in Vienna with Johann von Oppolzer...
(1843-1904). In 1905 he became head of the medical department at the city hospital in Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
, and in 1908 director of the Krankenanstalt in Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
. Afterwards he was a professor at Halle an der Saale
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
(from-1918) and Frankfurt am Main (from-1927).
Volhard made several important contributions in the fields of cardiology
Cardiology
Cardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
and nephrology
Nephrology
Nephrology is a branch of internal medicine and pediatrics dealing with the study of the function and diseases of the kidney.-Scope of the specialty:...
. He is especially remembered for his collaboration with pathologist Karl Theodor Fahr
Karl Theodor Fahr
Karl Theodor Fahr was a German pathologist who was born in Pirmasens of the Rhineland-Palatinate.In 1903 he earned his medical doctorate from the University of Giessen, and continued his studies with Eugen Bostroem in Giessen, Morris Simmonds in Hamburg and with Ilya Ilyich Metchnikoff in Paris...
(1877-1945) in Mannheim concerning research of kidney
Kidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
diseases. The two physicians created a classification system of renal disorders, in which they made the differentiation between degenerative (nephroses
Nephrosis
Nephrosis refers to a non-inflammatory nephropathy.It should not be confused with nephritis, where inflammation is implied. However, some sources equate nephrosis with nephropathy.It can also be used to indicate an emphasis on the renal tubule....
), inflammatory (nephritides) and arteriosclerotic (scleroses
Sclerosis (medicine)
In medicine, sclerosis refers to the stiffening of a structure, usually caused by a replacement of the normal organ-specific tissue with connective tissue.Types include:...
) diseases. With Fahr he published a classic monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
on Bright's disease
Bright's disease
Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. The term is no longer used, as diseases are now classified according to their more fully understood causes....
called Die Bright'sche Nierenkrankheit, Klinik, Pathologie und Atlas.
Volhard recognized that constrictive pericarditis
Constrictive pericarditis
In many cases, constrictive pericarditis is a late sequela, in other words a condition that is the consequence of a previous disease, of an inflammatory condition of the pericardium...
was a treatable condition, and as a result of his research with Viktor Schmieden
Viktor Schmieden
Viktor Schmieden was a German surgeon born in Berlin. In 1897 he earned his medical doctorate from the University of Bonn, and subsequently worked in hospitals in Göttingen, Berlin and Bonn...
(1874-1945), it led to the first pericardectomy for constrictive pericarditis. Volhard also performed extensive studies involving renovascular hypertension
Renovascular hypertension
Renovascular hypertension is a syndrome which consists of high blood pressure caused by narrowing of the arteries supplying the kidneys...
and uremia
Uremia
Uremia or uraemia is a term used to loosely describe the illness accompanying kidney failure , in particular the nitrogenous waste products associated with the failure of this organ....
. Regarding uremia, he divided associated symptoms into two criteria called "true uremia" and "pseudo-uremia". Pseudo-uremia was described as having symptoms of independent origin, such as cases involving elevated arterial blood pressure
Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, BP varies...
.
In 1903, Volhard was credited with the discovery of lipase
Lipase
A lipase is an enzyme that catalyzes the formation or cleavage of fats . Lipases are a subclass of the esterases.Lipases perform essential roles in the digestion, transport and processing of dietary lipids in most, if not all, living organisms...
in the heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
and kidney. He also developed a method of preserving cardiac specimens via a process of dehydration and the application of hot paraffin
Paraffin
In chemistry, paraffin is a term that can be used synonymously with "alkane", indicating hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2. Paraffin wax refers to a mixture of alkanes that falls within the 20 ≤ n ≤ 40 range; they are found in the solid state at room temperature and begin to enter the...
. In 1917, he joined the German Fatherland Party
Fatherland Party (Germany)
German Fatherland Party was a pro-war party in the German Empire.The party was founded close to the end of 1917 and represented political circles supporting the war. Among founding members were Wolfgang Kapp and Alfred von Tirpitz . Walter Nicolai, head of the military secret service, was also...
. In Berlin, the Franz-Volhard-Klinik is named in his honor.