Max Wilms
| Born | 1867 |
| Died | 1918 |
Related eponyms
- Bonnet's theory (Robert Bonnet)
- Brusa-Torricelli syndrome
- Wilms' amputation
- Wilms' cones
- Wilms' operation I
- Wilms' operation III
- Wilms' symptom
- Wilms' tumour
Bibliography
Biography of Max Wilms
Max Wilms, the son of a lawyer, was born in Hünshoven/Geilenkirchen, near Aachen and West of Cologne, close to the Belgian border. He studied at an impressive array of German universities, including Munich, Marburg, Berlin, and Bonn, obtaining his doctorate in 1890 at Bonn. Wilms' peripatetic student career presaged his professional life. Following graduation he held a post in Giessen, before he was appointed pathological anatomist to the Pathological Institute of Cologne under Otto Michael Ludwig Leichtenstern (1845-1900). Wilms was in Leipzig, working under Trendelenburg Friedrich Trendelenburg (1844-1924) between 1897 and 1899, when his book on what has come to be known as Wilms' tumour was published.
He was habilitated for surgery at Leipzig in 1899, becoming ausserordentlicher professor in 1904. In 1907 he was appointed professor of surgery in Basel and in 1910 he reached the peak of his career when he was called to the chair at the University of Heidelberg. Wilms was described as diligent and highly intelligent, possessing an exceptional working capacity, as well as being a dextrous surgeon.
Wilms made great efforts to map the pathology and development of tumour cells, and after investigating a comprehensive material of renal tumours he maintained that tumour cells are initiated already in the development of the embryo. He had a special interest in nephrology and his major contributions were in the surgical pathology of the kidney, bladder and urogenital tract.
In May 1918, Wilms performed a laryngotomy/cricotomy on a French prisoner of war who had laryngeal swelling secondary to diphteria. However, Wilms acquired the disease in a severe septic form and died a few days later. He was only 51 years old, at the height of a distinguished career. The French officer survived.
With Ludwig Wullstein (1864-1930), Wilms published the Lehrbuch der Chirurgie. Jena, 1908-1909; 7th edition, 1923; translated into English, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and Hungarian.
We thank Anke Hacker for information submitted.
