Stahl, Georg Ernst

1. Dates

Born: Ansbach, Germany, ca. 20 Oct 1659

Died: Berlin, 4 May 1734

Dateinfo: Birth Uncertain

Lifespan: 75

2. Father

Occupation: Government Official

His father was Johann Lorenz Stahl, who was "Fürstlicher Hof-Raths-Secretarius" until 1664 and "Secretär des Anhalt- Brandenburgischen Kirchenkonsistoriums" from 1664-72.

If that isn't affluent, I don't know what is.

3. Nationality

Birth: Ansbcah, Germany

Career: Halle, Germany

Death: Berlin, Germany

4. Education

Schooling: Jena, M.D.

1679, matriculated at the University of Jena, where he studied medicine with Hoffmann, Rolfinck, and especially Georg Wolfgang Wedel. He received his M.D. in 1684. I assume a B.A. or its equivalent.

5. Religion

Affiliation: Lutheran

He was a devout pietist.

6. Scientific Disciplines

Primary: Medicine, Chemistry

7. Means of Support

Primary: Patronage, Academia, Medicine

Secondary: Schoolmastering

1684-7, he habilitated and lectured at the University of Jena as a Privatdozent.

1687-94, court physician at Weimar.

1694-1715, the second professor of medicine (there were two) at the new University of Halle. He received the reasonably low salary of 200 taler in 1698 and did not receive a raise until 1708. 1700-1 and 1710-11 he was Prorektor. There is explicit mention that he maintained a medical practice during these years.

1715-34, court physician at Berlin to Frederick William I of Prussia.

8. Patronage

Types: Aristrocrat, Court Official, Physician

He was physician to the Dukes of Weimar, appointed by Duke Johann Ernst of Sachsen-Weimar.

Frederick III, elector of Brandenburg, founded the University of Halle in 1694 in an effort to surpass his neighbors. He attracked Friedrich Hanke as first professor of medicine, who, needing help, was instrumental in Stahl's appointment as second professor of medicine.

At the request of Friedrich Wilhelm I, he became court physician at Berlin.

9. Technological Involvement

Type: Medical Practice

He practiced medicine his entire career, both as court physician and professor of medicine.

10. Scientific Societies

Memberships: Academia Leopoldina, Medical College

1700, he became a member of the Kaiserlich-Leopoldinisch- Carolinisch-Deutsche Akademie with the name "Olympiodoros."

He founded the short-lived chemical journal "Observationum chymico-physico-medicarum curiosarum mensibus singulis horro cum Deo continuandarum" (1697-8).

1715, he became the president of the Collegium medicum, the highest medical association in Prussia.

Sources

1. A. Hirsch, Biographisches Lexikon der hervorragenden Aerzte aller Zeiten und Voelker (3rd ed., Munich, 1962), 5, 384-5.
2. B. Lepsius, Allgemeine deutsche Biographie, 35, 780-6.
3. Irene Strube, Georg Ernst Stahl [Biographien hervorragender Naturwissenschaftler, Techniker, und Mediziner, 76] (Leipzig: BSB B.G. Teubner, 1984). [QD22.S72 S77 1984]

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.