Heinrich Christian Friedrich Schumacher facts for kids
Heinrich Christian Friedrich Schumacher (born November 15, 1757 – died December 9, 1830) was a Danish surgeon, botanist, and professor. He taught anatomy at the University of Copenhagen. Schumacher did important research on molluscs, which are soft-bodied animals like snails and clams. This study is called malacology. He also named several groups of these animals, known as taxa.
Contents
His Life Story
Early Years (1757-1778)
Heinrich was born in Glückstadt, which is now in Germany. His father, Joachim Christian Schumacher, was a sergeant in the army. Even though his family didn't have much money, Heinrich received a good education. He went to grammar school in Rendsburg.
After finishing school, he became an apprentice to a military surgeon named Mehl. Dr. Mehl was a skilled and knowledgeable person. He taught Heinrich a lot about both medicine and botany. This helped awaken Heinrich's natural talent for science. By 1773, when he was just 16, his hard work paid off. He was appointed as a military surgeon in his father's army group in Rendsburg. He worked under Dr. Mehl's guidance.
In 1777, Heinrich took an eight-month break from the army. He enrolled as a student at Theatrum Anatomico-chirurgicum in Copenhagen. This school is now part of the University of Copenhagen. While in Copenhagen, he lived on very little money. In 1778, he returned to his post in Rendsburg, feeling quite hungry. However, he had made a good impression on Professor Christen Friis Rottbøll. Professor Rottbøll later called Schumacher back to Copenhagen. He offered him a chance to finish his education and a position as a prosector at the University of Copenhagen. A prosector prepares bodies for dissection and study.
Choosing a Career (1778-1789)
This was a great chance for Heinrich to start a scientific career. He graduated from Theatrum Anatomico-chirurgicum by 1779. He then began studying botany. He learned from both Professor Rottbøll and Martin Vahl. Vahl had recently become a lecturer at the University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden.
Schumacher wanted to follow Vahl's example and travel for research. In 1784, he planned an international research trip. But the ship's schedule changed at the last minute. He only got as far as the Baltic Sea. This forced him to change his plans completely. He returned to Copenhagen and became a surgeon. He worked at both Theatrum Anatomico-chirurgicum and at Frederiks Hospital. In 1786, he passed an exam from a new surgical academy. He then became a lecturer at that academy.
Later that year, he received a scholarship. This allowed him to finally go on a study trip around Europe from 1786 to 1789. In Paris, he studied chemistry. He attended lectures by famous scientists like Antoine Lavoisier and Antoine François, comte de Fourcroy. He also studied botany with Antoine Laurent de Jussieu. In London, he was influenced by John Hunter, among others. Studying chemistry was a condition of his scholarship.
Animals Named by Him
Schumacher named a genus, or group, of marine snails. This group is called:
- Bufonaria Schumacher, 1817
See also
In Spanish: Heinrich Christian Friedrich Schumacher para niños
