Johann Florian Heller

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Johann Florian Heller, lithograph by Josef Kriehuber , 1856

Johann Florian Heller (born May 4, 1813 in Iglau ; † November 21, 1871 in Vienna ) was an Austrian doctor and chemist . He discovered important reactions for the detection of sugar , protein and blood in the urine and is now considered one of the founders of clinical chemistry .

Life

He was born as the oldest of 10 children to a pharmacist and also wanted to pursue a career in pharmacy. However, he studied medicine in Prague . While practicing as a doctor, he also studied chemistry with Adolf Martin Pleischl . During his doctorate he discovered rhodizonic acid , which he obtained from the product of potash fired with charcoal . He completed his dissertation in 1837 and published it in Prague with the title About rhodizonic acid, a new oxidation state of carbon and croconic acid, then the salts of both ; he also published a summary in 1937 in the Annalen der Pharmacie . In Vienna since 1838, from 1842 he set up a pathological-chemical laboratory at the Vienna General Hospital with great personal commitment , where he carried out extensive urine and blood analyzes to support the clinicians . However, he did not succeed in gaining recognition for his field of work and in creating a stable position in the hierarchy of professors. In 1850 he received a travel grant for the purpose of further training. This study trip took him to Germany, Switzerland and France. In his comprehensive travel report to the Imperial and Royal Ministry of Culture , he described the state of the hospitals, universities, pharmacies as well as the equipment and state of science in the countries visited.

power

Heller is the pioneer of chemical urine diagnostics and was the first to introduce chemical and microscopic urine analysis , which is now routinely carried out worldwide, in Austria. His urine tests included density, protein, blood, and sugar. Today he is considered to be the co-founder of the medical specialty clinical chemistry .

His discovery of the production of the Rhodizonic from inorganic substances carbon and potash in 1837, belongs together with the presentation of crocodile acid which had been obtained in 1835 by the same route to the first syntheses of organic compounds : they took place before the production of urea from inorganic salts by Friedrich Wöhler in 1828.

Honors

Several detection methods were named after Heller: Heller's urine protein sample, Heller's urine blood sample and Heller's sugar sample.

In 1981 the Austrian Post issued a special postage stamp based on a portrait of Kriehuber .

The Austrian Society for Laboratory Medicine and Clinical Chemistry has been awarding the Johann Florian Heller Prize since 1999.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Nikolaus Mani : Johann Florian Heller and early clinical chemistry in the middle of the 19th century. In: Erna Lesky, Vienna and world medicine: 4th Symposium of the Internat. Acad. For the History of Medicine, organizes in the Inst. f. Story d. Medicine d. Univ. Vienna, 17. – 19. September 1973, Böhlau Verlag Vienna, 1974
  2. ↑ Johann Florian Heller: Rhodizonic acid, a new acid obtained from the products of potassium preparation, and its chemical relationships . In: Annals of Pharmacy . tape 24 , no. 1 , 1837, ISSN  0365-5490 , p. 1–17 , doi : 10.1002 / jlac.18370240102 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  3. ^ KH Büchel, Jürgen Falbe, H. Hagemann, M. Hanack, Dieter Klamann: Methods of organic chemistry (Houben-Weyl): expansion and follow-up volumes for the fourth edition . Stuttgart, ISBN 3-13-217104-2 ( limited preview in Google book search).
  4. ↑ Otto Dornblüth, Clinical Dictionary, 13/14 edition 1927, HELLERS urine protein sample
  5. ^ Description of the stamp
  6. ↑ JOHANN FLORIAN HELLER PRICE of the ÖGLMKC
personal data
SURNAME Heller, Johann Florian
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian doctor and chemist
DATE OF BIRTH May 4, 1813
PLACE OF BIRTH Iglau
DATE OF DEATH November 21, 1871
Place of death Vienna