Ernst Anton Nicolai | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by an unknown artist, c. 1800 | |
| Born | 7 September 1722 Sondershausen, Germany |
| Died | 28 August 1802 (aged 79) Jena, Germany |
| Nationality | German |
| Alma mater | University of Halle |
| Known for | Humorism, vitalism |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Medicine, chemistry |
| Institutions | University of Halle, University of Jena |
| Doctoral advisor | Johann Heinrich Schulze, Friedrich Hoffmann |
| Doctoral students | Ernst Gottfried Baldinger |
Ernst Anton Nicolai (7 September 1722 – 28 August 1802) was a German physician and chemist.
In 1745, Nicolai earned his medical doctorate from the University of Halle, where he was a disciple of Johann Heinrich Schulze and Friedrich Hoffmann. Soon afterwards, he obtained his habilitation in medicine, becoming an associate professor in 1748. At Halle, he gave lectures on theoretical subjects in the fields of pathology, physiology and pharmacology, later giving clinical lectures on diseases of the eye and childhood maladies.[1][2]
In 1758, Nicolai was appointed professor of theoretical medicine at the University of Jena. During the following year, he became a professor of chemistry and clinical medicine at Jena, a position he held until his death in 1802. As a physician, he was a proponent of humoral pathology and the doctrine of vitalism. He was a follower of Leibniz' concept of monadism, reportedly seeking solutions to medical problems based on the philosophic viewpoints of Gottfried Leibniz.[1][2]
- ^ a b Wikisource @ Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie
- ^ a b Biography of Nicolai @ NDB/ADB Deutsche Biographie