Curt Schimmelbusch (1850-1895)--development of a mask for chloroform and ether anesthesia based on primary aseptic...

The German surgeon Curt Schimmelbusch is not generally recognised as a pioneer in anaesthesia, although he is well known by his investigations concerning the development and scientific foundation of mechanical sterilisation methods which he performed under Ernst von Bergmann in Berlin at the end of the 19th century. His book "Anleitung zur aseptischen Wundheilung" is one of the classics in the history of asepsis. Curt Schimmelbusch was born on November 16th, 1860, as the son of a lord of a manor in Gross-Nogath/West-Prussia. Having graduated from high school in 1882, he studied medicine at Würzburg, Göttingen, Berlin and Halle. The physician who was awarded the doctor's degree in Halle in 1886 as a co-worker of the histologist and pathologist Eberth at first dealt with research in the field of thrombosis. His surgical training took place in Cologne where he worked in 1888 with the famous surgeon Bardenheuer at the Bürgerhospital. A year later he returned to Berlin to do research work at the institute at the Ziegelstrasse. Under the main aspects of hygiene he described a mask in 1890, which he used predominantly for ether anaesthesia, although he considered it to be suitable also for chloroform anaesthesia, in itself an exciting contribution he has made characterising the progress of anaesthesia in German-speaking countries up to the mid-50's of the 20th century.