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Melchior, Nathan Gerson

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

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Danish physician; born in Copenhagen Aug. 2, 1811; died there Jan. 30, 1872; brother of Moritz G. and Moses Melchior. Nathan graduated from the University of Copenhagen in 1835. In 1836-37 he traveled, studying ophthalmology at the universities of Berlin, Leipsic, Dresden, and Prague, and on his return made the treatment of diseases of the eye his specialty. In 1842 he became a member of the Medical Society of Brussels, and in 1843 of that of Mechlin. During the war with Germany (1848-50) he served as an army surgeon at a lazaretto in Copenhagen. In 1853 the title of "professor" was conferred upon him; in 1855 he was appointed privat-docent in ophthalmology at Copenhagen University;two years later he became a member of the board of directors of the newly founded Ophthalmological Institute in Copenhagen; and in the same year he acted as vice-president of the ophthalmological congress at Brussels. In 1856 he was sent abroad by the king to study the means adopted by foreign countries against the contagious Egyptian eye-disease then ravaging a great part of Europe.

Melchior published a number of essays in Danish medical journals, among which may be mentioned "Et Tilfælde af Heldig Overskærelse af Musculus Rectus Internus paa begge Öjnene" and "Nogle Ord med Hensyn til Prof. Switzer's Bemærkninger om Operation for Skelen." To the "Annales d'Oculistique" he contributed (1844) an article entitled "Om Pupillens Dilatation i Sund og Sygelig Tilstand."