Joseph Jacob Plenk, Plenck

* Vienna, November 28, 1735 – † Vienna, August 24, 1807 / physician, university professor ; ; Maria Theresa appointed him in 1770 and entrusted him with the leadership of the surgical department at the medical faculty of the University of Nagyszombat. He taught practical surgery, but also gave lectures on obstetrics and ophthalmology. He was a man of “exceptional” talent. His book Szélézzet afalvonalai, published in Latin in 1768, went through several editions. He wrote a whole series of textbooks, the most significant of which was his dermatology, Doctrina de morbis cutaneis, published in 1776, which was the first scientific classification of skin diseases (in the spirit of Linnaeus’ system). His famous textbook on eye diseases was even published in Japan. He also dealt with dental diseases and forensic medicine. Elementa chirurgiae c. was published in 1778. The work of Sámuel Rácz (1744–1807), professor at the University of Pest (author of the first Hungarian-language medical textbooks), The Beginning of Barbering, which was published in German and in Deák by József Plenck, a scholar of barbering and the ordinary royal teacher of barbers and midwives in Buda, was also published in Hungarian in 1782. In 1783, following the order of Joseph II, he became a professor of surgery, chemistry and botany at the Academia Josephina (military medical and surgical academy) in Vienna, then director of the military pharmacies, chief surgeon of the army, and royal councilor. He also published works on botanical subjects – e.g. Elementa terminologiae botanicae ac systematis sexualis plantarum (1796). In recognition of his merits, he was awarded Hungarian nobility in 1797.