Clinics in Dermatology (2015) 33, 135139

Joseph Plenck (17351807): Amalgam of

dermatology and ophthalmology
Andrzej Grzybowski, MD, PhD, MBA a,b,, Barry D. Kels, JD, MD c , Jane M. Grant-Kels, MD d
a

Department of Ophthalmology, Poznan City Hospital, ul., Szwajcarska 3, 61-285 Pozna, Poland
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
c
Department of Surgery, Divison of Ophthalmology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, 06032
d
Department of Dermatology 152, University of Connecticut Health Center 153, Farmington, CT 06032
b

Abstract In todays world of specialization, many of our current major contributors to the medical
literature tend to work in only their specialty area. Historically, that was not the case. Great physicians
were great observers and often contributed to many areas of medicine. The best example of this type of
physician was Joseph Plenck who, although trained as a surgeon, had major impacts on many fields of
medicine including both dermatology and ophthalmology.
2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Introduction
The fields of dermatology and ophthalmology overlap in
many ways. For example, a number of diseases involve the eye
and skin. Additionally, many diseases are peculiar to the skin
around the eyes, causing patients to consult with both an
ophthalmologist and a dermatologist. Finally, several physicians have held an interest and made some major contributions
to both dermatology and ophthalmology. The amalgam of both
disciplines is best represented by Joseph Plenck, who
introduced early skin disease classifications (Doctrina de
Morbis Cutaneis, 1776)1 and wrote an important ophthalmic
treatise (Doctrina de morbis oculorum, 1777).2

Biography
Joseph Plenck (17351807) (Figure 1) was born in Vienna,
the son of a bookbinder, Franck Plenck, and his wife, Maria
Corresponding author. Tel.: 0048618739169.
E-mail address: ae.grzybowski@gmail.com (A. Grzybowski).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clindermatol.2014.10.005
0738-081X/ 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anna Pochtl. He attended an lite gymnasium and later

apprenticed in surgery. During the years 17581763, he served
in the Seven Year War, eventually as a regimental surgeon.
He graduated from the University of Vienna with a masters
degree in surgery and obstetrics (Magister Chirurgiae et
Obstetriciae) but not as a medical doctor (Medicinae
Doctor). Interestingly, his name is not listed in the indices
of physicians of the University of Vienna. After Maria
Theresia, Empress of Austria, founded a new university in
Tyrnau (Nagyszambat) in 1770, he was invited to serve there
as a surgeon and obstetrician. The University was relocated
in 1777 to Buda, and later to Pest. In 1783, upon his request,
Emperor Joseph II granted Plenck to be the director of
military pharmacies in Vienna. In 1786, he was appointed a
professor in chemistry and botany at the Military Medial
Academy in Vienna (the so-called Josphinum), and later
Imperial/Royal Councelor, inspector of all military pharmacies, and Secretary of the Military Medical Academy. In
1797, he was bestowed a knight of the kingdom of Hungary.
In 1805 he retired. He had become unable to walk due to
paralysis of his legs. He died in 1807 in his home in Vienna,
survived only by his two daughters. Two of his wives and his
four sons had predeceased him.18

136

A. Grzybowski et al.

Dermatology contributions
Plenck was the first to propose the modern system of skin
disease classification in his treatise Doctrina de morbis
cutanei1 published in 1776 in Vienna (Latin edition)
(Figure 2), and in 1777 in Warsaw and Dresden (German
edition). Within 124 pages, he described 115 types of
dermatoses and divided them into 14 classifications
(Figure 3). Before this publication, skin diseases were
classified by the region of the body affected. Plenck
disclosed his motivation for creating this classification in
the books introduction:
The great number of variety of diseases which affect the
skin, the obscurity of the causes from which they develop
and the difficulty as well as the diverse methods of curing
that arise thence have made the science of medicine and
surgery most difficult and hardly understandable for
beginners. Finally, these are few writers whom they may
approach for consultation; of these some have touched on
Fig. 1 Joseph Plenck (17381807). (From Crissey JT, Parish
LC. The dermatology and Syphilology of the Nineteenth Century.
New York: Praeger Publishers; 1981, p. 20).

Fig. 2 Title page of Joseph Plenck's Doctrina de Morbis

Cutaneis (1776).

Fig. 3 Plenck's classification of skin diseases as it appeared in his

Doctrina de Morbis Cutaneis (1776).

Joseph Plenck (17351807)

137

this type of disease only fleetingly although it has been

common in every age; others, by a rambling and
inconsistent use of terms, have rendered the diagnosis
and method of treatment uncertain. These are the facts that
impelled me to strive to reduce to a system the vast and
unclassified mass of these diseases. This small volume
which I have put together for the use of my hearers contains
[one] hundred and fifteen types of cutaneous diseases .9

Plenck was the first to describe several types of lesions,

including pustule, macule, scale, crust, callosity, and excrescence, and reported on desquamative (scaly or scale-like)
diseases, probably including the first description of psoriasis.1
Robert Willan later retained six of Plencks classifications
and added exanthemata and tubercula. Thomas Bateman
(17781821), the pupil, coworker, and successor of Robert
Willan (17571812), described Plencks influence on Willan:
The arrangement of Plenck is founded upon the same
principle as that of Dr. Willan, namely, upon the external
appearance of the eruptions; but, in filling up the scheme, he
has deviated widely from the strict laws of classification,
which naturalists have established. Nine of these fourteen
classes very nearly correspond with the eight orders of
Dr. Willan. (It seems probable, indeed, that Dr. Willan was
indebted to this work of Professor Plenck for the groundwork
of his classification; since his definitions as well as his terms,
accord accurately with those of the Hungarian nosologist.)10

Karl Holubar (19362013), a renowned Viennese

dermatologist and dermatologic historian, wrote that
although Plenck contributed greatly to the development of
the Hungarian university education, Plenck was of Austrian
origin.36 Other important historians of dermatology, John
Crissey (19252009) and Lawrence Charles Parish (1938- ),
compared Plenck to Mozart:
The specialty properly speaking, began with a pair of
simple ideas. In rudimentary form they sprang from the
brain of a Viennese surgeon, Joseph von Plenck, an
unusual man who generated medical literature much as
his neighbor, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, generated
works of musicconstantly, in prodigious quantity, and
throughout all his life.8

Fig. 4 Title page of Joseph Plenck's Doctrina de morbis

oculorum (Vienna, 1777).

Plenck's ophthalmic treatise was written in Latin, and

translated into Italian, German, and Portuguese. It was
reportedly plagiarized by William Rowley in an English
translation in 1790.12,13 Rowley's plagiarism went unnoticed

Ophthalmology contributions
Plencks ophthalmic work, entitled Doctrina de morbis
oculorum (Vienna, 1777)2 (Figure 4), has not received as much
attention as his dermatology treatise. Julius von Hirschberg
(18431925), the most important historian of ophthalmology
up to the beginning of the 20th century, believed that it was:
perhaps the first useful compendium which contains the
achievements of the renaissance of ophthalmology in the 18th
century and presents them to the student and physician in an
easily accessible and understandable way."11 Plenck is also
credited with giving the first course of lectures on eye diseases
in Hungary.36

Fig. 5 Title page of Joseph Plenck's A New Work on Ophthalmology

(Osaka: Gungyokudo; Kyoto: Kobundo, 18151816.)

138

A. Grzybowski et al.
Rowleys work, writing that the book was bad and that
the book has done more harm than good,12 Only Joseph
Beer (17631821), a prominent Viennese ophthalmologist at
that time, wrote that one finds here again a well-organized
host of diseases of the eye, as already presented by Sauvages
and Plenck.12
Western ophthalmology was first introduced to Japan
with the publication of the five volume work entitled A new
work on ophthalmology (Osaka: Gungyokudo; Kyoto:
Kobundo, 18151816) (Figures 5 and 6), which was a
translation of Plenck's Verhandeling over de oogziekten
(Rotterdam, 1787), the Dutch version of his Doctrina de
morbis oculorum (Figure 7).

Fig. 6 Illustrations from Plenck's A New Work on Ophthalmology

(Osaka: Gungyokudo; Kyoto: Kobundo, 18151816.)

until William Mackenzie (17911868) alluded to it in a

footnote in his textbook A practical treatise on the diseases
of the eye (London, 1830). Later, this was studied in detail
and described in 1910 by Hirschberg and in 1966 by
Snyder.12 Interestingly, Rowleys book was translated into
German in 1792 and then was reviewed by the same critics
who had reviewed the original Plencks book; they did not
notice the similarities. In addition, the same reviewers, who
praised the value of Plencks treatise were very critical of

Contributions in other fields

Plenck had an interest in many different fields of medicine,
including dentistry, botany, pharmacology, anatomy, obstetrics,
surgery, legal medicine, venereal diseases, skin diseases, and
ophthalmology. His manuscripts were short treatises, which
made them popular and were translated into other languages,
including Dutch and Japanese. The last of his publications,
which appeared posthumously in 1808, advocated the use of
gloves for protection in cases of childbirth involving syphilitic
mothers. His major work included seven volumes entitled
Icones plantarum medicinalium14 published in Vienna
between 1788 and 1803. These volumes contained 700
medicinal botanic species in copper plate engravings with
original hand-coloring.

Fig. 7 Title page of Joseph Plenck's Icones plantarum medicinalium secundum systema Linnaei digestarum cum enumeratione virium
et usus medici, chirurgici atque diaetetici. Vienna, Graeffer 17881792; Vienna, Blumauer, 1794; Camesina, Vienna 1803.

Joseph Plenck (17351807)

Conclusions
The skill of observation of the historical giants in
medicine afforded these men and women the opportunities
to contribute to many areas of medicine rather than to just
one organ system as is more common today. Dermatology
and opthalmology overlap anatomically and in the many
diseases that impact both organ systems. Specialists in both
could continue to contribute to both fields if we would
continue to practice the skill of astute observation. Despite
the modernization and technology of the present day practice
of medicine, all we really need is to remain alert and open to
new ideas to contribute significantly to medicine.

Acknowledgment
The authors thank Yoshihisa Oguchi, MD, Emeritus
Professor of Ophthalmology, Emeritus Professor, Keio University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan, for his assistance
in obtaining pictures of Japanese edition of Plenck's ophthalmic textbook.

References
1. Plenck JJ. Doctrina de morbis cutaneis. Vienna: Graeffer. 1776.
2. Plenck JJ. Doctrina de morbis oculorum. Vienna: Graeffer. 1777.

139
3. Holubar K, Frankl J. Joseph Plenck (17351807) A forerunner of
modern European dermatology. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1984;10:
326-332.
4. Holubar K. Early dermatology in Central Europe: Joseph Plenck in
Tyrnau, Budapest and Vienna. Korot. 1984;8:414-419.
5. Holubar K, Schmidt C, Kokert B. From Plenck (d. 1807) to Dohi (d. 1931)
and today: Austrian influence on Japanese dermatology. J Dermatol Sci.
1994;7:III-V.
6. Holubar K. A kind of Mozart of medicine: Joseph Plenck (17351807).
Acta Dermatovenerol Croat. 2004;11:207-211.
7. King DF. Josef Plenckgrandfather of modern dermatology. J Am
Acad Dermatol. 1984;2:143-145.
8. Crissey JT, Parish LC. Two hundred years of dermatology. J Am Acad
Dermatol. 1998;39:1002-1006.
9. Translation of Plencks preface by Lane JE: Joseph Jacob Plenk
(1738?-1807). Arch Dermatol Syph. 1933;28:193-214.
10. Bateman T. A Practical Synopsis of Cutaneous Diseases. 2nd American
ed. Philadelphia: James Crissy. 1823X.
11. Hirschberg J. ber ein abgeschriebenes Lehrbuch der Augenheilkunde.
Centralblatt fr Praktische Augenheilkunde. 1910;34:2-14.
12. Snyder Charles. Why, William Rowley? Arch Ophthalmol. 1966;75:
102-105.
13. Rowley W. A treatise on one hundred and eighteen principal diseases
of the eyes and eyelids, &c. in which are communicated several new
discoveries relative to the cure of defects in vision; with many original
prescriptions. To which are added, directions in the choice of
spectacles. Printed for J. Wingrave, E. Newbery, and T. Hookham,
London. 1790.
14. Plenck JJ. Icones plantarum medicinalium secundum systema
Linnaei digestarum cum enumeratione virium et usus medici,
chirurgici atque diaetetici. Centuria 17; Cent.1-4: Vienna, Graeffer
17881792; Cent.5-6: Vienna, Blumauer, 1794; Cent. 7: Vienna:
Camesina; 1803.