German Gynecologists Research Articles

In the light of a petroleum lamp the operation could begin. Richard Frommel (1854-1912): pioneer in treatment of ruptured extrauterine pregnancy

Richard Frommel (1854-1912) can be called an outstanding German gynaecologist during the late 19th century. This article is intended to give a picture of his life, work, and personality. Frommel was director of the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the university of Erlangen from 1887 to 1901. Science owes to him, amongst other contributions, an important impulse for changing the therapy of ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Up to the present day Frommel's name together with that of Johann Chiari (1817-1854), serve as eponyms for a special form of the amenorrhoea-galactorrhoea syndrome, namely, the persistent one-post partum. It remains puzzling why Frommel resigned office, when he was just 46 years old, giving up gynaecology completely only a short time later.

Carl Credé: in memory of the 100th anniversary of his death (14 March 1892)

Major advances taught by the German gynaecologist and obstetrician Carl Siegmund Franz Credé were the manual expression of the placenta and the prophylaxis of the gonoblennorrhoea. Under his supervision, as head of the obstetrical department of the Berlin Charité, the first exclusively gynaecological unit was founded in Europe. In 1856, he was elected head of the Department of Obstetrics of the University of Leipzig. Credé was the editor of the first 42 volumes of "Archiv für Gynäkologie". He died on March 14th, 1892, from prostatic carcinoma.

Christian Gerhard Leopold (1846-1911)

Christian Gerhard Leopold was one of the outstanding German gynaecologists at the turn of this century. Although interested in the entire discipline of obstetrics and gynaecology including related areas, he is merely known today for his obstetrical manoeuvres. Under his chairmanship, the Dresden Royal Gynaecological Infirmary developed into a leading hospital in Germany. Leopold died on September 12, 1911, following a heart attack.

Foam cells and estrogen activity of the human endometrium.

From the clinical observation that the ovaries of a young woman may become cystic after her uterus is removed, German gynecologists have suggested that the endometrium exerts a hormonal effect on ovarian tissues. To verify reports that human endometrium produces and secretes estrogenic substances and to learn whether the “foam cells” of the endometrial stroma of hyperplasias and carcinomas might contain such substances, we made extracts of various types of endometria and bioassayed them in 680 ovariectomized mice. Control studies served to insure our methods for extracting estrogens and for evaluating their effects in the animals were valid. From our studies we concluded that the human endometrium most probably does not synthesize estrogen, at least in amounts detectable by bioassay methods. The number of endometrial stromal “foam cells“ cannot be correlated with an estrogenic effect. The nature of the substance filling these cells is discussed. Their presence however is a valuable histologic indicator that unopposed estrogen has acted on the endometrium for long periods.

Lehrbuch der Gynäkologie

This standard comprehensive textbook of gynecology for medical students and practitioners, now in its eighth edition, was written by the dean of German gynecologists, at present emeritus professor at the University of Göttingen. From such a distinguished teacher one would expect just such a thorough exposition of clinical gynecology and its allied fields, with emphasis on diagnosis and treatment, supported by numerous excellent teaching diagrams. The chapters on dysfunctional bleeding and malpositions are notable examples of this excellent style of traditional gynecologic teaching, and the same comprehensiveness may be noted in the sections on gynecologic examination, urology, and orthopedics. Professor Martius has introduced with benefit some aspects of the modern knowledge of genetics and psycho-emotional problems into this "classical" presentation, but I think the medical student could derive still further stimulation from some expansion of the sections concerned with reproductive physiology and gynecologic pathology where the text and the illustrative

THE CONSERVATION OR RESTORATION OF NORMAL ANATOMY IN GYNECOLOGIC SURGERY.

During the past few years a great wave of conservatism has agitated the entire gynecologic fraternity, not only throughout this country, but also Europe, although it must be admitted that conservatism has not yet achieved the following it deserves even here. The French and to a less degree the English and German gynecologist still vastly prefers to do a high amputation of the cervix or even a vaginal hysterectomy in cases in which better symptomatic, functional and anatomic cures, together with a more complete conservation of the child-bearing function, may be obtained by a tracheloplasty. In France it is true that ovarian conservation has received great stimulation by the well-known work of Jayle and his confreres in regard to the internal secretion of the ovary. In our own country I feel certain that I am not overstating the fact when I say emphatically that it is now a very rare