Background
He was the son of pastor Johann Ludwig Heim (1704–1785).
He was the son of pastor Johann Ludwig Heim (1704–1785).
In 1772 he received his doctorate in Halle, later serving as Stadtphysikus in Spandau (1776). In 1783 he relocated to the Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin, where he opened a practice on Markgrafentheater Street. In Berlin he became a popular physician, recognized for treating the poor free of charge.
In 1822, in recognition of decades of altruistic service, and on the 50th anniversary of earning his Doctor of Philosophy, Heim was made an honorary citizen of Berlin.
In Germany, numerous landmarks bear his name, and he is commemorated on a 1984 postage stamp. In addition, over sixteen biographies on Heim have been published.
The plant genus Heimia is named in his honor.
German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.