Medical naturalists from Sibiu

Medical naturalists from Sibiu


Location:


Str. Cetăţii, Nr. 1, Sibiu

Dates and Hours:

About


Exhibition: Medical naturalists from Sibiu
Location: Museum of Natural History Sibiu, Multimedia Room 
Duration: 1.10.2021-30.04.2022 
Curators: Iulia-Maria Muntean, Ana-Maria Păpureanu, Dr. Ghizela Vonica, Dr. Nicolae Trif.
Other contributions: restorer Sasu Maria-Iulia, conservation Raluca Bugneriu 
Text from the curators:
In 1849, the Transylvanian Society for Natural Sciences in Sibiu - Siebenbürgischer Verein für Naturwissenschaften zu Hermannstadt was founded. Among the members of the society were also doctors passionate about natural sciences and eager to study and develop collections of natural history. Thus, combining passion with the profession, on December 20, 1887, 21 doctors signed the status of the Medical Section of the Transylvanian Society for Natural Sciences in Sibiu - Der Medizinischen Sektion des Siebenbürgischer Verein für Naturwissenschaften zu Hermannstadt.
The Medical Section of the Transylvanian Society of Natural Sciences contributed to the eradication of the typhoid fever epidemic in the region in 1904. Also, the measures implemented by the Medical Section and awareness activities at local government level led to numerous improvements in the local health system and hygienic-sanitary means in the region.
The secretary of the Medical Section was doctor Daniel Czekelius (1857-1838), who actively contributed to remedying the medical and hygienic-sanitary problems of the city and at the end of his career in 1935 the Romanian State awarded him the Sanitary Merit. In the exhibition, visitors will be able to admire entomological specimens (insect collection) by doctor D. Czekelius.
Another member of the Medical Section of the Transylvanian Society was Brigadier General Doctor Eugen Worell (1884-1961). He was a doctor on board a ship in the Habsburg navy since 1908, based in the military port of Pula on the Adriatic coast. As a ship's doctor he travelled in the Mediterranean Sea, the archipelago of Japan, the Java Islands, Sumatra, the Philippines, crossing the coasts of Asia to Vladivostok. He combined his work with his passion for insects; the collection comprises numerous exotic specimens displayed in the exhibition. E. Worell contributed to the eradication of the 1910 pneumonic plague epidemics in North China and Manchuria as a bacteriological delegate from the Habsburg Empire. In 1911 he took part in the fight against the Chinese plague. For his efforts, the Chinese government awarded him the "Dragon Order" and the "Gold Commemorative Medal." He was decorated in 1938 by the Romanian State with the "Star of Romania" officer rank, "Sanitary Merit" Cross first Class and the "Crown of Romania" officer rank.
The Pharmacy History Museum in Sibiu keeps in its collections medical objects that belonged to the doctor Viktor Weindel (1887-1966), objects that complete and combine in the exhibition the doctor's passion for butterflies with his medical practice.
The herbarium of Doctor Josepho Sadler, made between 1823 and 1827, is also exhibited. It contains medicinal plants used as remedies. The pharmaceutical herbarium is completed by the pharmaceutical kit dating from the 19th century, comprising samples of raw material from natural origin (vegetable, mineral, entomological) used in the preparation of remedies.
Through this temporary exhibition we aim to pay tribute to the work and dedication of Sibiu naturalists’ doctors, dedication for their profession, for the natural sciences and for the development of the local community, of the city in which they lived. We invite you to discover who these doctors were and what their heritage is.