A brief biography is presented of Dr Jan Ingen Housz, as written, originally in Dutch, by M J Godefroi, a mid-nineteenth-century Dutch physician who was a friend of a near descendant of Dr Ingen Housz. From being a general practitioner at Breda, his home town, he moved to England to learn smallpox inoculation, was sent to inoculate members of the Habsburg family at Vienna and dedicated his later life to scientific experimentation, notably revealing the fundamentals of photosynthesis.
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References
1.
de GrezHendrick Ferdinand (1807–74) was the eldest son of William de Grez (1777–1828), an apothecary at Breda, and Theresia Ingen Housz (1771–1850). Theresia was the sixth child of Louis Ingen Housz (1729–88) — also a Breda apothecary and the older brother of Jan Ingen Housz — and Maria Joanna Stuyk (1737–1812). Hendrick took a law degree at Leiden and became the District Commissioner of North Brabant from 1841 to 1850, for which he was honoured with the title of Jonkheer (equivalent to a knighthood in the UK). He must have taken a particular interest in his famous ancestor — his mother's uncle — and his mother, who survived into her eighties, would have met Jan Ingen Housz — her father's brother — face to face when he visited the family at Breda in 1777–78, and in 1789, when she was at the very impressionable age of 18. The family anecdotes therefore are first hand to de Grez. Note also that the spelling of the name Ingen Housz is prone to confusion, but the form as two separate words is correct — original signatures prove this.
2.
As he is still known in the family.
3.
Personal communication from Ir A J Ingen Housz of Enschede, The Netherlands.
4.
‘HA’ is a curious discrepancy. It seems unlikely that Dr Godefroi would have entered the name incorrectly in his manuscript but it is possible. It may simply be a typographical error that survived proof reading. We are satisfied that H F de Grez is identified correctly — the date of death given by Godefroi would confirm this.
5.
DanielsCEDe kinderpok-inenting in Nederland. Nederlandsch Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, Tweede Reeks1875;11:17–223.
6.
This biography is very limited in scope, almost certainly because of the nature of the material available to the author. The story focuses on Ingen Housz's medical career. The most significant omission is the part he played in the development of early plant physiology, especially in the discovery of photosynthesis (see also note 66). It is important in revealing how Ingen Housz managed to organize a higher education in the company of a striking number of the most prominent medical men of the era, create a career as a general practitioner and then achieve the very pinnacle of success as a royal physician. More comprehensive biographies include: WiesnerJ. Jan Ingen-Housz. Sein leben und sein wirken als naturforscher und artz. Vienna: Konegen, 1905; Lindeboom GA. Jan Ingen Housz. Dutch Medical Biography. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 1984: pp. 952–6; and, in English, Reed HS. Jan Ingenhousz. Plant physiologist. Chronica Botanica 1949;11:284-396.
7.
The Latin School at Breda. Like the grammar schools or gymnasia of later times, Latin schools prepared their pupils (then only boys) for university, where teaching was in Latin.
8.
HoogevenHendrick (1712–90) was master at the Breda Latin School from 1738 until he took up the post of headmaster at the Latin School at Delft.
9.
He is still known for his two important books — Doctrina Particularum Linguae Graecae (1769) and Dictionarium Analogicum Linguae Graecae, published posthumously by Cambridge University Press in 1810.
10.
‘I owe the foundation of my scientific education to you.’ Letter from Jan Ingen Housz, London, to Hendrick Hoogeveen, Delft, May 1767. Austrian National Library, New Series, 4061.
11.
Now Belgium. The Ingen Housz family was Catholic, whereas northern Dutch universities, being religious foundations, were strictly Protestant, favouring Protestant students and appointing only Protestants to their academic staffs. This latter discrimination was to be an influence on Ingen Housz's later life.
12.
Graduating, doctor of medicine summa cum laude, on 24 July 1753.
13.
GaubiusHieronymus David (1705–80) followed Herman Boerhaave (1668–1738) as Professor of Medicine and Chemistry at Leiden.
14.
AlbinusBernhard Siegfried (1697–1770), Professor of Anatomy and Surgery at Leiden in succession to his father, was known for his extensive collection of surgical instruments.
15.
Including, no doubt, Peter van Musschenbroek (1692–1761), Professor of Natural Philosophy. It was he who devised the word ‘physics’ and, an expert on electrostatics, he also invented the Leiden jar (glass lined by metal foil), the first reported means of storing electricity.
16.
He set up a practice at 23 Eindstraat, only a few houses from his birthplace at number 17.
17.
RamsdenJesse (1735–1800) built up a famous business in London, where he designed and built navigational and scientific instruments.
18.
Presumably Dr Donald Monro, FRS (1728–1802) — second son of Alexander Monro (primus) (1697–1767) — a private physician in London and lecturer at St George's Hospital.
19.
Two brothers then practised medicine in London but Ingen Housz was probably taught by George Armstrong (1720–89). Armstrong is considered to have been the first British paediatrician, opening his London dispensary for sick children in 1769.
20.
HunterWilliam (1718–83) was the leading teacher of anatomy and obstetrics in London and founded, in 1770, the first London medical school, at Great Windmill Street. He was the eldest brother of John Hunter (1728–93), the so-called father of scientific surgery.
21.
This letter, as others quoted by Godefroi, is not sourced precisely and we have not been able to trace the original.
22.
PringleJohnSir, PRS MD FRCP (1707–82), whose studies of the causes of diseases, especially among army troops, earned him the title ‘Father of military medicine’. He served as physician to the Second Earl of Stair (1673–1747) and as Commander of the British Forces in Europe — hence his presence in The Netherlands in 1740–48.
23.
HouszArnold Ingen (1693–1764) was an apothecary and hence, we assume, his contacts with Pringle whose regiment over-wintered at Terheijden, just north of Breda in 1742/43.
24.
On 25 May 1769 — Royal Society of London. Certificates of Election, III, 1769.
25.
A physician, MD, at s'Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. Seemingly a good friend of Ingen Housz but we have not been able to discover any other details.
26.
The London Foundling Hospital was founded by Thomas Coram (1668–1751) in 1739, as an institution to receive the unwanted and often illegitimate newborn children of the poor who could not afford to look after them. Ingen Housz worked at the hospital as assistant to the appointed physician, Dr William Watson, MD FRS (1715–87), who was making a particular study of the inoculation of children. (A museum on the site displays many artefacts of relevance to the old hospital and its work.).
27.
SuttonRobert (1707–88) was a Suffolk surgeon-apothecary (the equivalent of a general practitioner) who specialized in smallpox inoculation, often organizing, with his sons, mass inoculations for whole parishes (the ‘Suttonian’ method).
28.
DimsdaleThomasMD (1712–1800), refined and simplified the so-called ‘Suttonian’ method of smallpox inoculation. Ingen Housz helped him fight a serious smallpox outbreak around Hertford over the winter of 1767/68.
29.
TheresaMaria (1717–80) grew from a shy girl, suddenly thrown into power, to become a canny, strong and respected Empress, despite her 16 pregnancies.
30.
Smallpox killed her daughter, Maria Josepha (1751–67), and her daughter-in-law, also called Maria Josepha (1739–67), second wife of Joseph.
31.
So determined was she to bring the benefits of inoculation to Austria that she sought help from England against the counsel of her medical advisers, including that of her personal physician, Gerhard van Swieten (1700–72), the doctor she most trusted.
32.
About £1400 sterling at modern values.
33.
Now Regensburg, north of Munich.
34.
In central Vienna, one of Europe's finest buildings and, for many centuries, the imperial residence of the Habsburg family.
35.
KaunitzPrince (1711–94) was Chancellor to the Empress — her most powerful political adviser. Ironically he was a renowned hypochondriac and especially neurotic about the risk of catching smallpox.
36.
TheresaMaria had recruited Baron van Swieten (1700–72), a Dutch physician, in 1745 and he rose rapidly to be her medical ‘right-hand man’ and, from 1746, reformed medical education at Vienna and he was the Director of the Royal Library.
37.
The most vociferous and fanatical opponent was Anton de Haen (1704–76), another Dutchman, recruited by van Swieten to be Professor of Medicine at the University of Vienna.
38.
FerdinandArchdukes (1754–1846) and Maximilian (1756–1801).
39.
Daughters — Maria Amelia (1746–1804), Maria Carolina (1752–1816) and Marie Antoinette (1755–93), later Queen of France — and, presumably, Maria Theresa (1762–70), her eldest grand-daughter.
40.
Adjacent to the Schönbrunn Palace, summer residence of the Royal Family.
41.
Also an isolated location well outside Vienna, so that the inoculated children would not start an epidemic.
42.
JosephII (1741–90) was Maria Theresa's eldest son and ruled jointly with his mother after his father died in 1765, and alone after his mother died in 1780.
43.
Who was, by now, at St Petersburg, inoculating the Russian Empress, Catherine the Great (1729–96), and her son, Paul (1754–1801).
44.
The design of the medal was not popular with Ingen Housz himself, apparently, as it made no mention of him!.
45.
About £14,250 sterling at present values.
46.
About £35,500 sterling at present values.
47.
Godefroi may not be right here. Maria Theresa sent Ingen Housz to Florence explicitly to inoculate her second son, Leopold, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1747–92), and his eldest child, Maria Theresa (1767–87). Both were inoculated on or about 12 May 1769 — pocks were reported to have appeared on 23 May — and recovered perfectly. (Letter from Joseph II, Florence, to his mother Maria Theresa, Vienna, 24 May 1769. ArnethA. Maria Theresia und Joseph II. Ihre correspondenz sammt Briefen … Carl Gerold's Sohn. 1867: p. 279.) It is true, however, that Ingen Housz remained in Italy for far longer than was necessary for this clinical task and obviously enjoyed his time, spending much of it on travelling, sightseeing and meeting Italian scientists.
48.
Godefroi seems unaware of the real reason but new evidence (ArnethAGeffreyM. The Secret Correspondence Between Maria Theresa and Count Mercy-Argenteau.Paris: Mesnil, 1874: vol. I, pp. 119–120) reveals that he had been deputed by Maria Theresa to investigate why her daughter, Marie Antionette, married to the French Dauphin on 16 May 1770, had not yet conceived a child. Ingen Housz was unable to get near the couple despite the maternal mandate. Etiquette at the French court prevented him — his rank was too inferior.
49.
Godefroi is probably wrong here too. There is no indication that Ingen Housz was suffering from a bladder calculus at this time, although there is a personal record that he did have such trouble on a later visit to England — in 1789. (Letter from Jan Ingen Housz to British Inland Revenue 1798 or 1799. Gemeentearchief, Breda IV, 16A-13.).
50.
£16,500 sterling at present values.
51.
£7500 sterling at present values.
52.
FrancisArchduke (1768–1835) became Emperor in 1792, when his father died.
53.
Very comprehensive clinical details, in Ingen Housz's own hand, have survived at Vienna (Austrian National Library, 6/97–2) and reveal that this inoculation did not proceed smoothly: the patient developed an abscess deep in the right shoulder and he was very seriously ill for several days.
54.
AnnaArchduchess Maria (1770–1809).
55.
The whereabouts of this valuable letter now are not known, although Godefroi presumably had it in his possession.
56.
JacquinAgatha Maria (1735–1800) was 40 years old when the couple married, on 24 November 1775. They never had children. The union may have been an arrangement to fulfil the expectation that courtiers at the Hofburg were married.
57.
JacquinNikolaus (1727–1817) had also been recruited to Vienna by van Swieten; he was the founder of the famous botanical garden at Schönbrunn.
58.
Hollandsche Historische Courant, 17 January 1782 (cover page). Dutch Royal Library: 1615 D 26.
59.
FranklinBenjamin (1706–90). It is difficult to summarize this famous man's achievements in science, politics and diplomacy (see BrandsHW. The First American. New York: Doubleday, 2000). Ingen Housz had known him since first arriving in London in 1765 and between 1778 and late 1780 they spent extended times together at Passy, near Paris.
60.
HouszLouis Ingen (1729–88) remained at Breda after the death of their father and took over the apothecary business.
61.
17 April 1790, in Philadelphia.
62.
During his last sojourn in England, lasting almost 10 years, Ingen Housz often spent extended times at the stately homes of various wealthy families, most often that of the first Marquis of Lansdowne (see note 63).
63.
The first Marquis of Lansdowne (1737–1805) had known Ingen Housz since 1765 and grew closer as they aged together. Lansdowne had been awarded his Marquisate for serving George III as Prime Minister in 1782/83, settling the American War of Independence (1775–83) during his administration.
64.
Near Calne, Wiltshire. Reconstructed — house and gardens both — by Lansdowne during the early 1760s. It is still one of the homes of the present Marquis of Lansdowne, now open to the public.
65.
In the very early hours of 7 September 1799, at Bowood House. He was buried in a vault under St Mary's Church, Calne, on 9 September (BealeNBealeE. Looking for Dr. Ingen Housz. Evidence for the site and nature of his burial in Calne. Wiltshire Heritage Studies2000;93:120–30). There is a memorial table (erected 1953) in a side-chapel in the church but no contemporary monumental inscription.
66.
This refers to the most glaring omission in Godefroi's biography: mention is not made of a journey Ingen Housz made to The Netherlands, England and France during 1778–80. During this extended trip he was given the great honour of delivering for 1778 and 1779 the annual invitation Bakerian Lectures of the Royal Society in London, which had been endowed by and named after Henry Baker, FRS (1698–1774). Then, while staying at a country house near the city during July, August and September 1779, he performed a series of 500 experiments in which he proved, ingeniously, that the green parts of plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen when they are in sunlight and the reverse in the dark. In other words, he discovered the fundamentals of photosynthesis. He published his results in a book — Experiments upon Vegetables, discovering their great power of purifying the common air in the sunshine and of injuring it at night. London: Elmsley and Payne, 1779.
