Georg Joseph Beer
M.D., 1786) | |
Known for | Beer's operation |
---|---|
Scientific career | |
Fields | Ophthalmology |
Institutions | University of Vienna |
Doctoral advisor | Joseph Barth |
Doctoral students | Philipp Franz von Walther William Mackenzie |
Georg Joseph Beer (23 December 1763 – 11 April 1821) was an
Career
Initially a theology student, in 1786 he earned his
Eventually he built a successful practice despite the obstacles created by Barth, who publicly expressed doubts in regard to Beer's qualifications. Beer became a popular teacher, and attracted a number of students who later excelled in the field of ophthalmology. Among his better known pupils were
In 1812, Beer was appointed to the chair of ophthalmology at the University of Vienna. In 1818, he suffered a stroke which left him incapacitated and eventually led to his death three years later. During his career, he sought to liberate ophthalmology from dogmatic beliefs held at the time, and to establish ophthalmology on a foundation of careful observation. His best written work was the celebrated Lehre von den Augenkrankheiten, als Leitfaden zu seinen öffentlichen Vorlesungen entworfen, which was used as an important reference in ophthalmic medicine for many years afterward.
References
- "Georg Joseph Beer" at Who Named It