1774 studies of medicine under Wrisberg, University of Göttingen ; M.D. 1778 with a dissertation entitled De basi encephali originibusque nervorum; 1778 travelled to London, where he attended lectures held by John and William Hunter; 1779 teacher of anatomy at the Collegium Carolinum, Kassel and reviewer of the anatomical section of the Göttinger Gelehrten Nachrichten; 1784 professor of anatomy and physiology at the University of Mainz; met Humboldt there with whom he kept up a correspondence; 1791 published his main work Vom Baue des menschlichen Körpers; since 1795 private practice in Frankfurt, Main; 1805 member of the academy of science, Munich and professor at the local university.
