Ernst Blasius

Life & Legacy

Ernst Carl Friedrich Blasius (20 November 1802, Berlin - 11 July 1875) was a German surgeon.
He was a student at the medical-surgical institute in Berlin, graduating in 1823 with the thesis "De tractus intestinorum formatione in mammalium embryonibus". After several years of military medical service, he relocated to the University of Halle, where in 1829, he became an associate professor.
From 1831 he served as director of the university hospital at Halle. In 1834 he became a full professor, and was appointed director of the surgery/ophthalmology clinic. In 1867, he resigned from clinical work for health reasons, his position at Halle being filled by his former assistant, Richard von Volkmann (1830–1889).
As a surgeon, he developed his own techniques of operation in reconstructive surgery, and distinguished himself in his work involving joint dislocations. Also, he made contributions in his research of blood transfusions.