Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 653

GEORG ABRAHAM MERCKLIN (1644-1702?) Tractatio medica curiosa, de ortu & occasu transfusionis sanguinis. Sumptibus Johannis Ziegeri; Typis Christophori Gerhardi 1679 [26] 112 [4] pp., front. 15.8 cm.

Mercklin followed his father, Georg (1613-1683), into the medical profession and his son, Johann (1674-1720), also became a physician. Mercklin spent the greater part of his career in practice at Nuremberg and is well known for his edition of Johannes Antonides van der Linden's medical bibliography--De scriptis medicis (Nuremberg, 1686). Following Lower and Denis, he was one of the earliest medical writers to discuss the history, value, dangers, and methods of blood transfusion. In this work Mercklin recognizes and understands what is now known as a transfusion reaction, and he was not entirely convinced of the wisdom of performing transfusions. Transfusions were then done from an animal, usually a sheep, to a human being, or from person to person. The technical difficulties were great and Mercklin pointed out the dangers and drawbacks as he understood them. The first two chapters of his book deal with the history of transfusion and the techniques and instrumentation to be employed. In the remainder of the volume Mercklin discusses case histories, indications, and diseases that were improved or left unchanged by blood transfusion. The engraved frontispiece illustrates early transfusion scenes.

Cited references: Osler 3384; Waller 6478

Gift of John Martin, M.D.