Platter, Félix

1. Dates

Born: Basel, 1536

Died: Basel, 28 Jul 1614

Dateinfo: Dates Certain

Lifespan: 78

2. Father

Occupation: Pub

Son of Thomas Platter (1499-1582), a well-known printer (see Allgemeine deutsche Biographie, 26, 265-6).

There seems enough here to assume affluent.

3. Nationality

Birth: Basel, Switzerland

Career: Basel, Switzerland

Death: Basel, Switzerland

4. Education

Schooling: Montpelier; Basel, M.D.

1551, attended the Pädagogium.

1552, attended the University of Basel for a short time.

1552-6, studied medicine at Montpellier under Saporta and Rondelet. Received a B.A. in 1556.

1557, received his medical doctorate from the University of Basel.

5. Religion

Affiliation: Calvinist assumed.

6. Scientific Disciplines

Primary: Medicine

Subordinate: Botany

He is called a significant pathologist and psychiatrist in the D.S.B. I list these under medicine.

7. Means of Support

Primary: Academia, Government, Medicine

1560-1614, professor of applied medicine at the University of Basel.

1571, named city physician and archiater (Spitalarzt).

8. Patronage

Type: Court Official

Henry IV of France was a patron.

He treated members of the courts of Brandenburg, Baden, Sachsen, and Württemberg.

9. Technological Involvement

Type: Medical Practice

He was evidently an excellent practicing physician.

10. Scientific Societies

Memberships: None

Sources

1. A. Hirsch, Biographisches Lexikon der hervorragenden Aerzte aller Zeiten und Voelker (3rd ed., Munich, 1962), 4, 625.
2. J. Baechtold, Allgemeine deutsche Biographie, 26, 265-7.
3. H. Karcher, "Félix Platter," Journal suisse de médecine, 24 (1943), 1232-8.

Not Available and Not Consulted

1. R. Hunziker, Felix Platter als Arzt und Stadtarzt in Basel, (Basel Ph.D., 1938).

Compiled by:

Richard S. Westfall

Department of History and Philosophy of Science

Indiana University

Note: the creators of the Galileo Project and this catalogue cannot answer email on geneological questions.