Jacob Moleschott

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Jacob Moleschott (9 August 1822, 's-Hertogenbosch - 20 May 1893, Rome) was a Dutch physiologist and writer on dietetics.

Moleschott studied at Heidelberg and began the practice of medicine at Utrecht in 1845, but soon moved to Heidelberg where he lectured on physiology at the university, beginning in 1847. Controversial statements made by him in his lectures led to his resignation after seven years at Heidelberg. Afterwards, he was professor of physiology in Zurich (1856), in Turin (1861), and in Rome (1879). Professor Moleschott was a popular lecturer, and his physiological researches are of value. Without asserting the impossibility of a spiritual life, he explained the origin and condition of animals by the working of physical causes. His characteristic formula where "No thought without phosphorus" and "the brain secretes thought as the liver secretes bile." Kleine Schriften (1880-87) contains his collected essays and addresses. His most important works are:

  • Physiologie der Nahrungsmittel (1850; second edition, 1859)
  • Physiologie des Stoffwechsels in Pflanzen und Thieren (1851)
  • Der Kreislauf des Lebens (1852; fifth edition, 1887)
  • Untersuchungen zur Naturlehre des Menschen und der tiere (1856-93), continued after his death by Colosanti and Fubini
  • Lehre der Nahrungsmittel (1858)
  • Sulla vita umana (1861-67), a collection of essays
  • Physiologisches Skizzenbuch (1861)
  • Consigli e conforti nei tempi di colera (1864; third edition, 1884)
  • Sull' influenza della luce mista e cromatica nell' esalazione di acido carbonico per l'organismo animale (1879), with Fubini
  • Für meine Freunde (1894)

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This article incorporates text from an edition of the New International Encyclopedia that is in the public domain.