Friedrich Miescher-His

Born 1811
Died 1887

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Swiss pathologist, born March 2, 1811, Walkringen in Emmental, Canton Berne; died January 21, 1887, Basel. Friedrich Miescher-His was born Friedrich Miescher. The hyphenated name Miescher-His includes his wife's family name.

Biography of Friedrich Miescher-His

Friedrich-Miescher-His was the son of Johannes Miescher (1771-1846) who was both a farmer and a mill owner manufacturing and trading worldwide in woven linens. Graduating after his schooling at the ‘Gymnasium’ in Biel and his medical studies in Berne and Berlin with a doctoral degree in 1836, he was named in 1837, at the age of only 26, professor in ordinary pathology and pathological anatomy at the university of Basle. From 1844 to 1850 he taught at the University of Berne but, not very satisfied, he returned to Basle where he took up his old position at the university.

In 1843 he married Charlotte Antonie His, daughter of Eduard His (originally Ochs), manufacturer of silk ribbons, and Anna Catharina La Roche. In 1867 he obtained the ‘honorary’ citizenship of Basle for himself and his descendants.

His son was Johannes Friedrich Miescher-Rüsch (1844-1895), the discoverer of DNA.

We thank Guido Miescher, Switzerland, for information submitted.

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