Education
Heine studied classical languages and theology before turning to medicine, a decision influenced by his uncle, Johann Georg Heine, who owned an orthopaedic institute in Würzburg.
Heine studied classical languages and theology before turning to medicine, a decision influenced by his uncle, Johann Georg Heine, who owned an orthopaedic institute in Würzburg.
He is most famous for his 1840 study into poliomyelitis, which was the first medical report on the disease, and the first time the illness was recognised as a clinical entity. Poliomyelitis is often known as Heine-Medin disease, after the work of Heine and Karl Oskar Medin. He was awarded a doctorate in 1827.
In the 1830s, Jakob Heine opened an orthopaedic institution in Cannstatt near Stuttgart and served as director there until 1865.
In his institution patients from all over Europe were treated. Heine"s special interests were scoliosis, clubfeet and paralysis of arms and legs.
He also used washings and gymnastics as a therapy. Heine was also honoured at Warm Springs, Georgia, United States of America, where his bronze bust can be found along with those of other polio experts and United States president Franklin Doctorate. Roosevelt in the Polio Hall of Fame.
