The publication of the 1859 volume A treatise on medical electricity established the professional foundation for Julius Althaus, a physician whose career centered on the therapeutic potential of electrical currents. Born in the Principality of Lippe in 1833, he bridged German medical education with clinical practice in London to become a notable figure in neurology.
Medical Training and Early Research
Althaus received his classical education at the University of Bonn. His medical training commenced at the University of Göttingen in 1851, followed by studies at Heidelberg University. He earned his Doctor of Medicine at Berlin in 1855, completing a thesis on pneumothorax. Following his graduation, he accompanied Professor Johannes Peter Müller to Sicily for zoological research and subsequently worked in Paris under Professor Jean Martin Charcot.
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Upon relocating to London, Althaus assisted Robert Bentley Todd at King's College Hospital, where he utilized electricity to treat patients. In 1866, he took a primary role in the establishment of the Hospital for Epilepsy and Paralysis in Regent's Park, which later became the Maida Vale Hospital for Nervous Diseases and is now associated with the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. He served as a physician at this facility until 1894, when he moved into an honorary consulting position.
Neurological Contributions and Nomenclature
Althaus engaged deeply with the terminology and classification of nervous disorders. In 1877, he proposed naming multiple sclerosis as Charcot's disease in honor of its first descriptor. By 1884, he delivered lectures on spinal cord sclerosis, identifying that international medical usage of the term sclerosis remained inconsistent. His extensive literary output included works on epilepsy, hysteria, and the pathology of the nervous system.
Final Years and Legacy
Admitted as a member of the Royal College of Physicians of London in 1860, Althaus later became a Fellow. He maintained membership in the British Medical Association and the New York Academy of Medicine. He died in London on 11 June 1900, following complications from a knee injury sustained in Switzerland, including gout, gastroenteritis, and peritonitis. He was awarded the Order of the Crown of Italy during his lifetime.
Fast facts
- Born: 31 March 1833, Detmold
- Died: 11 June 1900, London
- Citizenship: Principality of Lippe
- Medical Degree: University of Berlin, 1855
- Professional Organizations: Royal College of Physicians, British Medical Association, New York Academy of Medicine
- Notable Recognition: Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Order of the Crown of Italy
- Primary Fields: Neurology, Medicine
- Spouse: Anna Wilhelmina Pelzer
Questions readers ask
What was the medical focus of Julius Althaus?
He specialized in neurology and the therapeutic application of electricity to treat conditions such as paralysis, neuralgia, and epilepsy.
Did Althaus leave behind significant written records?
Yes, he authored numerous medical texts, including works on the spas of Europe, brain function, and the pathology of influenza.
Achievements
- Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London
- Fields: medicine and neurology
