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Review
. 2021 May;69(5):338-365.
doi: 10.1007/s00106-021-01046-9. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

History of otorhinolaryngology in Germany before 1921

Albert Mudry  1 , Robert Mlynski  2 , Burkhard Kramp  3
Affiliations
Review

History of otorhinolaryngology in Germany before 1921

Albert Mudry et al. HNO. 2021 May.

Abstract
in English, German

In 2021, the German Society of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its foundation. The aim of this article is to present the main inventions and progress made in Germany before 1921, the date the society was founded. Three chronological periods are discernible: the history of otorhinolaryngology (ORL) in Germany until the beginning of the 19th century, focusing mainly on the development of scattered knowledge; the birth of the sub-specialties otology, laryngology (pharyngo-laryngology and endoscopy), and rhinology in the 19th century, combining advances in knowledge and implementation of academic structures; and the creation of the ORL specialty at the turn of the 20th century, mainly concentrating on academic organization and expansion. This period was crucial and allowed for the foundation of the German Society of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery on solid ground. Germany played an important role in the development and progress of ORL internationally in the 19th century with such great contributors as Anton von Tröltsch, Hermann Schwartze, Otto Körner, Rudolf Voltolini, and Gustav Killian to mention a few.

Im Jahr 2021 feiert die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie den 100. Jahrestag ihrer Gründung. Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, die wesentlichen Erfindungen und Fortschritte darzustellen, die vor 1921, dem Jahr, in welchem die Gesellschaft gegründet wurde, in Deutschland gemacht wurden. Es lassen sich 3 chronologische Phasen unterscheiden: die Geschichte der Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde in Deutschland bis zu Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts, wobei der Schwerpunkt v. a. auf der Fortentwicklung des verstreut vorhandenen Wissens lag; die Geburtsstunde der Subspezialisierungen Otologie, Laryngologie (Pharyngolaryngologie und Endoskopie) und Rhinologie im 19. Jahrhundert, in dem die Wissensfortschritte mit der Implementierung akademischer Strukturen kombiniert wurden; und die Entstehung des Fachgebiets der Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts, in dem man sich hauptsächlich auf die akademische Organisation und Expansion konzentrierte. In dieser entscheidenden Phase wurde die Gründung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie auf einer tragfesten Grundlage möglich. Deutschland spielte bei der Entwicklung und dem Fortschritt der Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde international im 19. Jahrhundert eine bedeutende Rolle mit solch großartigen Mitwirkenden wie Anton von Tröltsch, Hermann Schwartze, Otto Körner, Rudolf Voltolini und Gustav Killian, um nur einige zu nennen.

Keywords: Anniversaries and special events; Endoscopy; Medical specialties; Otolaryngology; Societies.

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Conflict of interest statement

A. Mudry, R. Mlynski, and B. Kramp declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Heister mouth gap. a Heister’s textbook, tab. XIII, p. 532 bis [46]; b personal collection, Dr. Lübbers. (Reprinted with permission © W. Lübbers, Hannover, all rights reserved)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Kramer’s ear speculum. a from Kramer’s textbook (1836, [56]); b personal collection, Dr. Lübbers. (Reprinted with permission © W. Lübbers, Hannover, all rights reserved)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Lincke’s tympanostomy tube. (From Lincke’s textbook, 1845, [58])
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Helmholtz’s ossicular chain model. (Private collection. Reprinted with permission © A. Mudry, all rights reserved)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Hofmann mirror. (Würzburg ORL Clinic Collection)
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Anton von Tröltsch and his demonstration of the technique of how to use the adaptation of Hofmann’s mirror. a Würzburg ORL Collection; b from Tröltsch’s textbook, 1864. (From [279])
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
a Hermann Schwartze. (ORL Clinic Halle, Reprinted with permission © University Archive, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, UAHW, Rep. 40, VI, Nr. 1 Bild 39, all rights reserved). b mastoid chisels. (From Dench’s textbook, 1896, [280])
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
August Lucae spring probe. (Reprinted with permission © R. Mlynski, all rights reserved)
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Kirstein (left) demonstrating the use of his autoscope (right) (From Kirstein’s 1895 publication, [171])
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
Beckmann’s curettes. (Personal collection, Dr. Lübbers. Reprinted with permission © W. Lübbers, Hannover, all rights reserved)
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
Hirschmann nasal endoscope, 1905. (From Reiniger-Gebbert & Schall. Elektro-Med. Apparate, [281])
Fig. 12
Fig. 12
a Gustav Killian. (From Moure 1908, [282]). b Gustav Killian’s nasal speculum. (Personal collection, Dr. Lübbers. Reprinted with permission © W. Lübbers, Hannover, all rights reserved)
Fig. 13
Fig. 13
Rudolf Voltolini. (From [283])
Fig. 14
Fig. 14
a Otto Körner as Rector magnificus 1913/14 of the University of Rostock. (Reprinted with permission © University of Rostock, all rights reserved). b the first ORL clinic in Rostock 1899. (From [284], reprinted with permission © ORL clinic, University of Rostock, all rights reserved)
Fig. 15
Fig. 15
Maximilian Bresgen. (From Moure 1908 [282])
Fig. 16
Fig. 16
Adolf Passow. (From Kindler, 1956 [16])
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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