Eduard Albert

Eduard Albert was born as the son of a watchmaker in Senftenberg near Königkrätz (Hradec Kàlovc in Eastern Bohemia) on 20.1.1841. He studied in Vienna, obtained his doctorate at the age of 25 (1867), received his surgical training under Johann Frh. von Dumreicher (1815-1880) and habilitated five years later, where he remained until 1881. Then he received a call to Vienna and - in succession to his teacher Johann v. Dumreicher - headed the Vienna I. Surgical Clinic (1881-1900). There he was succeeded by Frhr. von Eiselsberg (1901-1931). He specialized in orthopedics and, on Rokitansky's recommendation, became the successor to Karl Wilhelm Ritter von Heine in Innsbruck, just one year after his habilitation. There he became a follower of Lister and introduced his methods of antiseptics. Albrecht was a very creative surgeon, and during his time in Innsbruck he produced a four-volume textbook on surgery. In 1881 he became full professor of the I. Surgical University Clinic in Vienna. Although his heart belonged to orthopaedics and he is regarded as the creator of Austrian orthopaedics (the term Achillodynia as an expression for a wear and tear disease of the Achilles tendon and its insertion zone goes back to him), his interest was nevertheless wide-ranging. He performed the first jejunostomy, the first nephrectomy and ovarectomy in Austria. He attempted the first nerve transplantation. Also the first attempts to measure blood pressure with a so-called kymographion were at his expense. He died in 1900 - only 59 years old - in his home country and was transferred to a grave of honour in Vienna. His pupil Adolf Lorenz took over his orthopaedic-surgical tradition and became the "father of orthopaedics" with his modelling redressment of the clubfoot, with the dislocation and conservative treatment of congenital hip joint luxations, methods which replaced the previously bloody procedures all over the world.
The Vienna Medical School, 449-454 and Tragl Karl Heinz: Chronicle, 69f