Timotheus Samuel Thorer 1795 - 1846

Timotheus Samuel Thorer 1795

• 1846 was a student at the University of Leipzig, and obtained his medical degree in Berlin, Thorer was an orthodox physician who converted to homeopathy.

Thorer was the first President of the Silesian Homeopathic Society, a student of Christoph Wilhelm von Hufeland, and a colleague of Engelhardt, Heinrich Auguste Fielitz, Clotar Moriz Mueller, Neumann, Schindler, J A Schubert, and Schulze.

The name appear in the Zeitung list of 1832, at which time Thorer was practicing in Gorlitz in Prussia. Frederick Hervey Foster Quin also notices him.

In The British Journal of Homeopathy for July, 1847, is the following: Dr. Thorer was born in Gorlitz on April 25, 1795. He died there June 25, 1846. This is a name inseparably connected with the advance of Homeopathy.

The writings of Dr. Thorer are numerous and were known to every student of Homoeopathy. His Practische Beitrage rank him among the most zealous and useful of Samuel Hahnemann’s followers. He was also a voluminous contribute to the Archiv.

At the organization of the Silesian Homeopathic Society in June 13, 1832, Dr. Thorer was elected first president. The Practical Contributions was really published by this Society. Thorer denounced the Isopathic craze. He said that the so called Isopathic remedies did not cure better, if as well, as the ordinary homeopathic ones.

The Zeitung says: Samuel Timotheus Thorer was born in Gorlitz, April 25th, 1795. His father, Carl Heinrich, was married to Sophie Eleonore, née Schuessler, and was a respected citizen; it was his particular care to give his son, who at an early day showed a rich measure of mental powers, a good education.

He, therefore, at an early age sent him to the Gymnasium (High School). After the boy, in his eager desire for knowledge, had passed through all the classes, and had grown in a study youth, he entered, in the year 1815, the University of Leipzig and zealously and assiduously prosecuted the study of medicine.

But he was not satisfied with the merely practical or utilitarian part of science. His inclination, as well the excellent classical preparation he had received in his native city, introduced him into the inner circle of a general scientific culture.

Platner, Heinroth and Wendt were his teachers in philosophy, Rosenmueller and Bock in anatomy, Chwaegrichen in botany, zoology and mineralogy. By Eschenbach he was taught chemistry: by Gilbert, physics; by Plainer, physiology; by Puchelt, pathology; by Eschenbach, pharmaceutics; by Ludwig, pharmacology; by Haase, therapeutics: by Kug, surgery, and by Joerg, obstetrics.

Nor did he fail to attend the interesting and genial lectures of Heinroth concerning physical diseases, or the elegant lectures of Platner, in which the principles and laws of medicina forensis were set forth.

Participation in a disputation presided over by Puchelt completed the cycle of his scientific exercises to which he devoted himself with all zeal, keeping outside of those unions, which, although closely allied with the student’s life, nevertheless in the found which prevailed then and which rules even now, are only too apt to lead the mind of youths astray and to deprive the pursuit if science of precious and irretrievable time.

After Thorer had in this manner gained a thorough knowledge of the healing art, according to the allopathic system, without giving mach attention or study to the homeopathic theory which was just then arising and developing in Leipzig, complete his practical education he went at the end of the year 1817 to Berlin.

There he visited for this purpose, under the direction of Christoph Wilhelm von Hufeland, Horn and Siebold, the excellent institutions there for one year, passed his medico chirurgic examination with distinguished honors on the 12th of May, 1818 and received his doctor’s diploma on the 18th of December the same year by defending his dissertation De Abortu.

In the summer of 1819 he then passed the state examination. Having returned to his native city, Dr. Thorer settled down as practicing physician, surgeon and obstetrician, and so acquired a considerable practice both in the city and in the surrounding country.

He first only used the customary allopaths method. But his attention was soon called to the successful cures undeniably effected by the esteemed and much sought for Surgeon Schulze, in Gruna, by the homeopathic method.

In consequence he studied the writings of Samuel Hahnemann and his followers with his peculiar perseverance; he made friends with the before mentioned practitioner, and gave himself up entirely to the homeopathic method, which he practiced in his extended sphere of operation with fidelity to his convictions and with consistency.

But with the patients of the penitentiary in Liegnitz, whose physician he had been by royal appointment ever since the establishment of the prison, he used the allopathic method.

In his extensive practice Thorer was careful, conscientious indefatigable and extremely sympathetic. He was frequently seen deeply moved and sad for days when he had not succeeded in saving a patient from death. At every such occasion he manifested to the family, whose physician and friend he was his heartfelt sympathy.

He himself enjoyed a happy family life through his marriage with Anna Caroline, née Eichhola who presented him with two daughters, who are still living; Thorer was a faithful, loving and careful husband and father this loved ones, and his time was divided between his intercourse with them and with a few friends, and his practice of his aid and his occupation with science.

In the year 1832 he, with several other homeopathic physicians of Upper Lusatia and of Silesia, who had practically proved this curative method and become convinced of its correctness and agreement with nature, formed themselves into society.

This was formed of the Doctors Clotar Moriz Mueller, in Liegnitz; Schindler, in Greiffenberg; Engelhardt, in Loeban; Heinrich Auguste Fielitz, in Lauban, later in Langensalza, now in Brunswick; Neumann, in Glogan: J A Schubert, in Hirschberg; Lerner, in Ebersbach.