Hamberger, George Edward

, professor of chemistry and of the practice of medicine in the university of Jena, was born in that city, December 21, 1697, his father being professor of mathematics in the same university. From his earliest years he had evinced a disposition to the study of anatomy, and was accustomed to steal from his parents, whf> destined him for the church, to attend the lectures of Slevoight on that subject. After the death of his father he relinquished even the study of the | mathematics, to which he had applied himself during several years, and gave up his attention exclusively to medical pursuits. In 1721 he took the degree of M. D. and in 1726 was appointed professor; and he held the chair of the practice of medicine at the time of his death, which occurred June 22, 1755.

Hamberger is entitled to the merit of having illustrated physiology by the doctrines of philosophy, and of having rendered both more popular than they had ever before been in Germany; but in the dispute with the celebrated Haller, in which the publication of his hypothesis concerning respiration involved him, and which was carried on with considerable asperity, he was altogether in error; he lived long enough, indeed, to be convinced of the weakness of his hypothesis, which he avowed to his friends. It was contained in a dissertation, “De Respirationis mechanismo et usu genuino,” published in 1727. His other principal works are, 1. “Elementa Physices, methodo Mathematica in usum auditorum conscripta,” Jense, 1727, 8vo. 2. “Disputatio de Venaesectione, quatenus motum sanguinis mutat,” ibid. 1729. 3. “Dissertation stir la mechanique des Secretions dans le corps humain,” Bourdeaux, 1746. This dissertation obtained a prize from the academy of that city. 4. “Physiologia Medica, seu do actionibus corporis humani sani doctrina,” Jense, 1751, 4to. 5. “Elementa Physiologiae Medicse, &c.” 1757, an abridgment of the preceding for students: and 6. “Metfiodus medendi Morbos, cum prafatione de prsestantia Theorise Hambergeri, prae ceteris,” ibid. 1763, published by professor Baldinger. ¹