title: In vino sanitas. Apotheker des 19. Jahrhunderts als Wegbereiter der modernen Önologie
title: In vino sanitas. Pharmacists of the 19th century as forerunners of modern oenology
Creators: name: Lidy, Tanja (Geb. Möhring)
Publisher: name: Philipps-Universität Marburg
Year: 2014
Subjects: Benedikt Kölges (1774–1850) Johann Philipp Bronner (1792–1864) Julius Nessler (1827–1905) Wein Pharmazie Önologie
Benedikt Kölges Johann Philipp Bronner Julius Nessler wine
Benedikt Kölges (1774–1850) Johann Philipp Bronner (1792–1864) Julius Nessler (1827–1905) Wein Pharmazie Önologie Aussteiger
Naturwissenschaften

description: Life and work of outstanding
      pharmacists were often described in the history of pharmacy,
      usually as discoverers of new drugs or with special
      achievements in pharmaceutical disciplines. The rare kind of
      pharmacists who changed their career and worked as
      oenologists in the 19th century is insufficiently researched
      up to now. The “wine pharmacists” of the 19th century can be
      regarded as important forerunners of modern oenology. This
      special career path was more popular in France than in
      Germany. The German wine pharmacists are more or less
      forgotten, their achievements shall be appreciated here. The
      19th century is generally marked by an increasing influence
      of natural science. Also, viticulture changed from a purely
      empirical knowledge transfer between the generations of
      winemakers to a scientifically based discipline. At that time
      wine was food and medication rather than a luxury good, but
      wine lost its pharmaceutical importance more and more.
      Nevertheless it was interesting to investigate the role of
      pharmacists in promoting wine as a phytopharmacon and, vice
      versa, if there had been any knowledge transfer back to their
      old profession. The connection between the pharmacy and
      oenology at that time was much closer than today. Pharmacy
      school curricula included wine analysis and basic knowledge
      about the ingredients and types of wine. Generally,
      pharmacists were important experts for food related
      questions. No other occupational group at that time had more
      analytical, chemical and food chemistry knowledge. This level
      of education provided almost perfect career change options.
      Benedict Kölges (1774–1850) is the oldest pharmacist
      investigated of this study and almost forgotten today. His
      contributions to scientific progress are not the primary
      focus. His merits and his life's work lay in social and
      educational ranges. Rather visionary for his time, he
      developed and promoted the education of young winemakers. He
      called for special wine-growing schools in particular for
      teaching basic scientific knowledge. In this context he wrote
      textbooks and encyclopedias on wine and wine growing. The
      term “Önanthäther” from his lexicon is noteworthy. It was
      defined as a single component responsible for fragrance,
      bouquet and increased alcoholic effects of the wine. Today
      the term is not often used anymore due to the fact that
      “Önanthäther” is a multi component mixture. Already during
      his period as pharmacist Kölges saw, reinforced by wars and
      epidemics, the growing social problems in his wine-growing
      region. His most important contribution to social welfare was
      expressed in a draft of a health insurance for the benefit of
      the poor and less wealthy estates. This health insurance
      design, originating from 1817, shows remarkable parallels to
      today's health insurance systems. In addition to
      income-related contribution he proposed funding by export
      duties on wine. Philipp Bronner (1792–1864), a friend of
      Kölges, became after his career change an outstanding
      ampelographer (vine varieties specialist). He built up a vine
      nursery cultivating different grape varieties corresponding
      to different vineyard situations. Bronner cultivated just
      about 400 varieties, mostly brought back from his travels. We
      owe him grapes cultivated up to the present time, such as the
      Blue Saint Laurent. Based on his voyages he did wine
      cartography for various wine regions, at home and abroad.
      Here he also integrated regional mineralogical and climatic
      conditions. His systematic work resulted from using a large
      standard questionnaire. Bronner mediated the obtained
      knowledge from travels directly to the home winemakers. His
      literary skills associated with his charismatic nature led to
      very successful public relations. Today he is the currently
      best known wine pharmacist. The wine analysis by pharmacist
      got a negative review by the trade journals at the end of the
      19th century. For example the collision between everyday
      pharmacy workload and wine analysis services was pointed out.
      Pharmacist Nessler circumvented this issue by change of
      occupation and became an outstanding wine analyst of his
      time. He built up an agricultural research institute as a
      visible milestone of change. He published about 300
      publications on wine analysis and wine production. This
      thesis discusses the achievements of Nessler and the
      knowledge about wine chemistry based on the so-called “small
      wine analysis”. Compared to his dissertation about “Nesslers
      Reagenz” a similar success was not granted to him in wine
      analysis. However, he developed several new methods of
      analysis, for example for the detection of adulterations in
      the dyeing of the wine. An important field of Nesslers
      research activity was the so-called health of the wine, such
      as the killing of microorganisms, called as “little plants”
      by Nessler. He developed a method to eliminate acid bacteria
      in the wine using a floating wood part impregnated with two
      percent salicylic acid - the „Nessler sche Weinholz”. The
      "Nessler sche Gärrörchen", served to separate the wine from
      its surroundings during the fermentation process. Nessler
      contributed to the technical development of the device and
      made it popular among the winemakers. The pharmacy in
      Kippenheim, where Nessler was educated, is located within a
      local center of vine production and still doing wine analysis
      in the 21st century. All three discussed German pharmacist
      must be regarded as dropouts from the pharmacy after their
      career changes with a few exceptions at Julius Nessler. The
      interdisciplinary study of pharmacy paved their way to
      oenology. However, there were only few significant
      reflections back to their old profession considering the
      pharmaceutical use of wine. They have to be ragerded as
      pioneers of modern oenology instead.
description: In der vorliegend Studie wurden
      drei Weinbauapotheker des 19. Jahrhunderts
      untersucht(Benedikt Kölges (1774–1850), Johann Philipp
      Bronner (1792–1864) und Julius Nessler (1827–1905)). Es
      konnte gezeigt werden, dass sie ihr interdiziplinäres Wissen
      aus dem Pharmaziestudium für die Önologie nutzten. Sie galten
      alle drei als Aussteiger der Pharmazie.