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Von Zenker of Zenker’s diverticulum1 1—Contributed by WILLIAM S. HAUBRICH, M.D.The Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, California

2004; Elsevier BV; Volume: 126; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1053/j.gastro.2004.03.028

1528-0012

William S. Haubrich,

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Studies

Friedrich Albert Zenker (1825–1898) was born in Dresden, Germany. Following medical studies at Leipzig and Heidelberg in the 1840s, he became a postdoctoral assistant to the celebrated Professor Karl von Rokitansky (1804–1878) in Vienna. In 1862, he was appointed professor of pathology at Erlangen, a post he held until he retired 33 years later. During his tenure, he also served as dean of the medical faculty and prorector at the University of Erlangen. In 1867, in collaboration with his clinical colleague Hugo von Ziemmsen, he published a monograph Krankenheiten des Oesophagus in which he meticulously cited all previously described cases of hypopharyngeal pulsion diverticula (the first report was that of Abraham Ludlow of London in 1764). Because of Zenker’s thorough and precise delineation, his name became attached to the lesion. To his contemporaries, Zenker was most widely known for elucidating the pathogenesis of trichinosis and for his investigations of various forms of pneumoconiosis. In recognition of his accomplishments, a grateful government admitted Zenker to the German nobility, and thus the distinguished “von” was appended to his surname. Popular among his students by virtue of his imperturbable nature and his empathy, he was admired for his talent as a composer of rousing postprandial songs. Sadly, his latter years were clouded by oppressive bouts of mental depression.