Hemoglobin crystals were first successfully produced by Otto Funke in 1851, a breakthrough that established a technical foundation for later investigations into blood chemistry. Throughout his professional career, he bridged the gap between academic instruction and laboratory discovery, operating primarily within the intellectual environments of Leipzig and Freiburg during the nineteenth century.
Academic Career and Appointments
Funke began his medical and scientific training at Leipzig University and Heidelberg. His academic rise followed a rapid trajectory, beginning with his appointment as a lecturer of physiology at Leipzig in 1852. By the following year, he held the position of associate professor within the university's medical faculty. In 1860, he relocated to accept a professorship of physiology at the University of Freiburg, where he continued his work until his death.
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Beyond the crystallization of hemoglobin, which he initially described as Blutfarbstoff, Funke directed his scientific inquiry toward several specific biological processes. His research portfolio included detailed investigations into the physiological effects of curare and studies regarding the role of the spleen in blood formation. During his tenure at Leipzig, he provided instruction to notable figures in the field, including the physiologist Karl Ewald Konstantin Hering.
Published Scientific Literature
Funke contributed to the dissemination of medical knowledge through several formal publications. He authored the Atlas der physiologischen Chemie in 1853, which later saw a second edition in 1858 and served as a supplement to Carl Lehmann's own textbook on the subject. His later writing included a chapter regarding the sense of touch and common sensations for Ludimar Hermann's Handbuch der Physiologie, published in 1880. Additionally, his Lehrbuch der Physiologie remained a reference, eventually seeing a seventh edition revised by Grünhagen in 1884.
Fast facts
- Born: 1828, Chemnitz
- Died: 1879, Freiburg im Breisgau
- Citizenship: Germany
- Education: Leipzig University
- Notable Membership: Saxon Academy of Sciences and Humanities
- Primary Field: Human physiology
Questions readers ask
What specific substance did Otto Funke successfully crystallize?
In 1851, he was the first scientist to successfully crystallize hemoglobin.
Where did Funke hold his academic teaching positions?
He served on the faculties of Leipzig University and the University of Freiburg.
Achievements
- Held posts at Leipzig University and University of Freiburg
- Fields: physiology and human physiology
