August Bier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
August Bier
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August Bier
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| Born | 24 November 1861 Bad Arolsen, Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont
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| Died | 12 March 1949 (aged 87) Sauen, Brandenburg, Germany
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| Nationality | German |
| Citizenship | German |
| Known for | spinal anesthesia, intravenous regional anesthesia |
| Spouse(s) | Anna |
| Awards | Cameron Prize for Therapeutics of the University of Edinburgh (1910) Geheimrat Eagle Shield of the German Reich (1936) German National Prize for Art and Science (1938) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | surgery, anesthesiology |
| Institutions | University of Greifswald, University of Bonn, Charité – Universitätsmedizin |
| Influences | Friedrich von Esmarch, William Stewart Halsted, Karl Koller, Heinrich Quincke, Carl Ludwig Schleich, Rudolf Virchow |
August Karl Gustav Bier (born November 24, 1861 – died March 12, 1949) was a famous German surgeon. He is best known for being the first doctor to use two important types of anesthesia: spinal anesthesia and intravenous regional anesthesia. These methods help patients feel no pain during surgery.
Contents
Becoming a Doctor: August Bier's Early Career
August Bier started studying medicine in 1881. He attended several universities, including Charité in Berlin, Leipzig University, and the University of Kiel. After getting his medical degree in 1886 from the University of Kiel, he worked as a general doctor and even as a ship's surgeon.
In 1888, Bier began his residency at the University of Kiel's surgical clinic. There, he learned a lot from his mentor, Friedrich von Esmarch, a well-known surgeon. Later, Bier became a professor at the University of Greifswald and the University of Bonn. Eventually, he was appointed the Chief Surgeon and a special professor of surgery at the Charité in Berlin.
Pioneering Spinal Anesthesia
On August 16, 1898, August Bier made history. He performed the first operation using spinal anesthesia at the Royal Surgical Hospital of the University of Kiel. The patient needed surgery on his ankle, which was badly infected. He was worried about general anesthesia because he had bad side effects from it before.
How Spinal Anesthesia Worked
During the operation, the patient was awake but felt no pain. This was a huge step forward! However, after the surgery, the patient felt sick, had a bad headache, and pain in his back and ankle. The sickness and body pain got better, but the headache lasted longer. Bier then used this new method on five more patients for leg surgeries, getting similar results.
Bier and Hildebrandt's Experiment
After these first surgeries, Bier wanted to experience spinal anesthesia himself. His assistant, August Hildebrandt, tried to give him the anesthetic. But there was a problem: the syringe didn't fit the needle! So, they switched roles. Bier gave Hildebrandt the spinal anesthetic instead.
Hildebrandt temporarily couldn't move or feel his legs. They celebrated their success later that night. Just like the other patients, both Bier and Hildebrandt got severe headaches after the procedure. Hildebrandt's headache lasted about four days, but Bier's kept him in bed for nine days. This showed that while spinal anesthesia was great for pain, it had a tough side effect.
Introducing Intravenous Regional Anesthesia
In 1908, Bier developed another important anesthesia method called intravenous regional anesthesia. This technique is often called a "Bier block" after him. It's commonly used for quick operations on the hand, wrist, or forearm. It can also be used for short procedures on the foot, ankle, or leg.
Leading Surgeon at Charité Berlin
In 1903, Bier became a full professor at the University of Bonn. He taught there until 1907. Then, he moved to Berlin and became the Chief Surgeon and a special professor of surgery at the famous Charité – Universitätsmedizin. In 1911, he was chosen to be the President of the German Surgical Society.
August Bier treated many important people during his career. These included Kaiser Wilhelm II (the German Emperor), family members of Nicholas II of Russia (the Russian Tsar), and even Vladimir Lenin (a famous Russian leader).
Even though he was one of the best surgeons of his time, not every operation was successful. Surgery was very risky back then. For example, a wealthy businessman named Hugo Stinnes passed away about a month after Bier performed a gallbladder surgery on him in 1924. In 1925, Bier performed an appendectomy (appendix removal) on Friedrich Ebert, who was the first President of Germany. President Ebert had been sick for two weeks before his appendicitis was found. He died a few days after the operation due to a serious infection. These cases show how challenging surgery could be, even for the most skilled doctors, before modern medicines and techniques were developed.
Bier remained Chief Surgeon at the Charité in Berlin until 1928. He then stayed on as a Professor Emeritus (a retired professor who keeps their title) until he fully retired in 1932.
Pioneer in Sports Medicine
August Bier is also seen as a very important person in the field of sports medicine. He helped make it a recognized area of study. In 1919, along with Arthur Mallwitz, Bier organized the first lectures on sports medicine at the University of Berlin.
From 1920 until 1932, Bier was the director of the Deutsche Hochschule für Leibesübungen (which means "German University of Physical Education") in Berlin. This university focused on physical education and sports. His work helped create a strong foundation for sports medicine as a scientific field.
Awards and Recognition
August Bier received many honors for his contributions to medicine.
- In 1910, he was given the Cameron Prize for Therapeutics of the University of Edinburgh.
- The German Emperor Wilhelm II gave him the special title of Geheimrat.
- On November 24, 1936, he received the Eagle Shield of the German Reich, a high honor in Germany.
- On January 30, 1938, Bier was one of only nine people to ever receive the German National Prize for Art and Science. This award was created as a replacement for the Nobel Prize, which Germans were forbidden to accept at that time.
Later Life and Death
August Bier's wife, Anna, passed away in 1947. In January 1949, he suffered a stroke. He later died in March 1949 in Sauen, Germany, after getting the flu and pneumonia. He was 87 years old. He and his wife were buried in a forest on their estate.
See Also
In Spanish: August Bier para niños
- History of neuraxial anesthesia
