History of dermatopathology

Abstract

Hebra in Vienna and later Unna in Hamburg are considered to be the protagonists of academic dermatopathology in the German-speaking literature. Whereas the former used a chiefly macroscopic approach to an academic classification, the concepts of the latter were based on microscopic observations. In contrast to pathologists, who in the nineteenth century were dominated by Virchow and his teachings, dermatologists as well as microscopically active gynecologists already applied histological findings for diagnostics and subsequent therapy. Chapters dealing with diseases of the skin in multivolume handbooks of pathology were initially mainly written by dermatologists. The majority of textbooks of dermatopathology were also written by dermatologists. One of the current aims of pathologists is the application of additional methods, e.g. molecular pathology in order to better understand and treat neoplastic diseases, in particular pigmented skin tumors.