Johann Klein

Johann Klein is thought to be one of the figures in this 1853 drawing

Johann Klein (25 March 1788 – 11 April 1856) was Professor of Obstetrics at the University of Salzburg and at the University of Vienna. Johann Baptist Chiari was his son-in-law. In Vienna, he was succeeded by professor Carl Braun in 1856.

In the maternity clinic at the Vienna General Hospital there was a position as assistant to professor Klein. The position was held by:

• Eduard Lumpe
• Franz Breit, 1843?–1847 (except July 1, 1846 – Oct 20, 1846, where Semmelweis was Assistent)
• Ignaz Semmelweis, 1847–1849
• Carl Braun, 1849–1853

It was normal to grant the Assistent a two-year extension; indeed both Breit and Braun were granted extensions, Semmelweis was not however.^[1] Klein seems to have felt threatened by the younger members of the faculty, and he opposed both Semmelweis and his theories.^[2]

References

1. Carter 2005:61
2. Semmelweis, Ignaz (1861). Etiology, Concept and Prophylaxis of Childbed Fever. K. Codell Carter (translator and extensive foreword). University of Wisconsin Press, September 15, 1983. p. 61 footnote 1. ISBN 0-299-09364-6.