Josef Bernt 1770 - 1842

Born on 14 September 1770 in Leitmeritz in Bohemia, he received his doctorate in 1797 from the University of Prague. Bernt first held the Chair for Forensic Medicine set up in Prague in 1808, and became a full professor in Vienna on 25 June 1813. He worked to promote the smallpox vaccination and focused on issues related to hygiene and battling epidemics.

Works:

Systemisches Handbuch der gerichtlichen Medizin

Instructions on saving those who appear to be dead

Work on smallpox vaccinations, plague infection, St. Vitus’ dance

Founder of the hydrostatic lung test (determining if a newborn had already breathed – still in use today in a related form)

Über den Nachweis des Gelebthabens neugeborener Kinder während und nach der Geburt.

The necessity to examine the circulatory system when assessing the cause of death in newborns, and the difference between foetal canals before birth and their changes after birth.

Founder of the journal Beiträge zur Gerichtsarzneikunde für Ärzte, Wundärzte und Rechtsgelehrte, precursor to the more well-known contributions to forensic medicine

Promoting the pathology of sudden death

Pathologie des Ertrinkungstodes

Tod durch Erhängen

Collection of visa reperta and forensic medicine reports to serve as a guide for students.