Career
He earned his doctorate in 1777 from the University of Jena, where in 1779 he became an associate professor At Jena he was director of a health institute and subdirector of maternity hospital services. He was a physician to the Weimar Ducal Court, in particular Anna Amalia and Carl August of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.
He was also the doctor of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller.
In 1787 he became editor of the first obstetric-gynecological journal, Archivs für Geburtshilfe, Frauenzimmer und Neugeborener Kinder Krankheiten. He also published works in the fields of pharmacology and pediatrics, and was the author of a treatise on the history of tetanus.
In addition, he is credited with making modifications to a number of obstetrical instruments and devices.