Heinrich Curschmann

Who was Heinrich Curschmann?

Heinrich Curschmann was a German internist who was a native of Giessen.

Prior to 1888, Curschmann worked in hospitals in Berlin and Hamburg. Afterwards he was a lecturer and professor at the University of Leipzig.

Curschmann is remembered for the 1894 production of Klinische Abbildungen, a collection of photos involving changes to the outer human form caused by internal disease. Klinische Abbildungen is considered to be a major pioneer work in medical photography.

Curschmann's name is lent to a number of eponymous medical terms, including "Curschmann's disease", also known as hyaloserositis of the liver; "Curschmann's trocar", a medical instrument; and "Curschmann's spirals", described as coiled mucinous fibrils sometimes found in the sputum in bronchial asthma.