Moritz Anton Kappeler

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Moritz A. Kappeler

Moritz Anton Kappeler (born June 9, 1685 in Willisau , † September 16, 1769 in Beromünster ); also: Mauritius Antonius Cappeler , was a Swiss doctor and naturalist .

Life

Moritz Anton Kappeler was born in Willisau in 1685 and grew up in the city of Lucerne . After graduating from Latin school, he graduated from the Jesuit College in Lucerne. From 1700 to 1704 he studied mathematics and philosophy at the Collegium Helveticum in Milan . He completed his medical studies in 1706 at the Lorraine Academy in Pont-à-Mousson . During the War of the Spanish Succession , he served as a doctor and engineer in Naples . In addition to his work in the imperial service, he had time for scientific observations. He climbed Vesuvius twice and lay down on the rim of the crater. He later published his observations under the title: Curieuse Relation from the fire-breathing mountain Vesuvio . He turned down an offer for a professorship in Naples.

At his father's request, Kappeler returned to Lucerne in 1710, where he took over his doctor's practice. From 1712 to 1754 he was the town doctor . From 1717 he was a member of the Lucerne Grand Council. In addition to his bread job as a doctor, he was able to repeatedly apply his knowledge as an engineer. He accompanied the Lucerne troops in the Toggenburg War as an engineer. He was also a teacher of mathematics and geometry at the artillery school. He played a key role in correcting the white water of the Krienbach.

He achieved fame through his crystallographic-mineralogical work. The font Prodromus cristallographiae attracted some international attention and earned him membership of the Royal Society in London. His main work, the history of the Swiss mountain range Pilatus ( Pilatii montis historia ), on which he worked from 1723 to 1728, did not find a publisher for the time being. For the first time, Kappeler produced a map of the mountain using only two perspectives drawn from different points of view. His research was diverse; his interests included geology, botany, crystallography and surveying technology. In addition, he was involved in a wide network of correspondents. He corresponded with Johann Jakob Scheuchzer , Albrecht von Haller , Abraham Gagnebin , Isaak Iselin , Josef Anton Felix Balthasar , with the Nuncio Domenico Silvio Passionei , but also with members of the Royal Society (including Hans Sloane , to whom he also received some minerals left).

On June 1, 1730, Moritz Anton Cappeler with the academic surname Archyta Tarentinus I was elected member ( matriculation no. 411 ) of the Leopoldina .

After his wife's death in 1754, Kappeler moved to live with his son in Ruswil and, when he became canon, to Beromünster. He passed away on September 19, 1769 and was buried in the cloister of the Beromünster monastery.

Memberships

Fonts

  • Russwyler Heyl-Wasser Found in its more perfect than any powers, and described according to its properties, effects and use for general benefit . Lucerne 1717
  • Prodromus Crystallographiae De Crystallis Improprie Sic Dictis Commentarium . Luzern 1723. Full text in the Google book search
    • Prodromus crystallographiae . Edited and translated by Carl Mieleitner. Munich 1922.
  • Lucerna lucens: Aletophili from a Catholic priest, letter to Aretophilum, his dear friend and fellow capitular (with the help of Johann Jakob Scheuchzer and Anton Leodegar Keller). Freystadt (Zurich) 1726.
  • Descriptio Atmosphaerae Lucernensis . In: JJ Scheuchzer: De Helvetiae aeribus, aquis, locis . Zurich 1729.
  • About the glaciers on the Grimselberg and the crystal pits located there . In: Johann Georg Altmann (ed.): An attempt at a historical and physical description of the Helvetian icebergs . Zurich 1751.
  • Pilati Montis Historia In Pago Lucernensi Helvetiae Siti. Figuris Aeneis Illustrata . Basel 1767. Full text in the Google book search
    • Pilati Montis Historia. Natural history of the Pilatusberg. Translated by A. Loepfe. Haag, Lucerne 1960 (= communications from the Lucerne Natural Research Society. Volume 18).

literature

  • Monika Gisler: The beginnings of systematic earthquake research in Switzerland and the contribution of Central Switzerland . In: Geschichtsfreund 159, Altdorf 2006, pp. 29–38.
  • Hans Wicki: Population and Economy of the Canton of Lucerne in the 18th Century . Lucerne 1979, pp. 106-109.
  • Joseph A. Kurmann: Nature research in Lucerne in the spiritual upheaval of the Enlightenment . In: Gesnerus . Vol. 20 (1963) pp. 131-152.
  • Eduard Fueter : Great Swiss Researchers . Zurich 1941. pp. 117–119.
  • Peter Xaver Weber: Dr. Moriz Anton Kappeler. 1685-1769 . In: Der Geschichtsfreund: Messages from the Central Switzerland Historical Association. Vol. 70 (1915), pp. 157-249, doi: 10.5169 / seals-117324 .
  • Rudolf Wolf: Moritz Anton Cappeler of Lucerne . In: Biographies on the cultural history of Switzerland , Volume 3, Zurich 1861, pp. 133–150.
  • Gaston Mayer:  Kappeler (Cappeler), Moritz Anton. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 11, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1977, ISBN 3-428-00192-3 , p. 138 f. ( Digitized version ).
  • Markus Lischer: Kappeler (Cappeler), Moritz Anton. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ See list of publications and manuscripts at PX Weber 1915.
  2. ↑ Cf. Teodor J. Blachut: The early days of photogrammetry up to the invention of the airplane (= history of photogrammetry volume 1), Frankfurt am Main 1988, p. 17.
  3. ↑ Letters to Scheuchzer are in the Zurich Central Library, to Haller in the Bern Burger Library, and to Balthasar in the ZHB Lucerne.
personal data
SURNAME Kappeler, Moritz Anton
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Cappeler, Mauritius Antonius; Cappeller, Mauricius Antonius; Archyta Tarentinus I.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss doctor and naturalist
DATE OF BIRTH June 9, 1685
PLACE OF BIRTH Willisau
DATE OF DEATH September 19, 1769
Place of death Beromünster