Paul Leopold Friedrich (January 26, 1864 - January 15, 1916) was a German surgeon born in the town of Roda, Saxe-Altenburg.
In 1888 he received his doctorate at the University of Leipzig, and as a young assistant worked under Robert Koch at the Reich Health Office in Berlin. Later he practiced surgery at the Universities of Leipzig (1896), Greifswald (1903), Marburg (1907) and Königsberg (1911). At Greifswald he succeeded August Bier as director of the Surgical University Hospital. Two of Friedrich's well-known assistants were Ferdinand Sauerbruch (1875-1951) and Martin Kirschner (1879-1942).
Friedrich was skilled in all aspects of surgery, including pioneer work regarding thoracic surgery. He is remembered for his studies of wound treatment and his efforts to reduce bacterial infections. Through experimentation he demonstrated the importance of debridement (removal of infected tissue) within a six-hour time limit. He also did extensive work with diseases such as peritonitis and tuberculosis. He is credited for introducing the practice of using smooth rubber gloves during surgery.