Hans Zinsser
Hans Zinsser was a prominent American bacteriologist and author, recognized for his significant contributions to medical science and literature. Born in New York City to German immigrant parents, Zinsser enjoyed a privileged upbringing that fostered his diverse interests in literature and the sciences. He attended Columbia College, where he initially focused on writing before shifting to a career in medicine, ultimately earning his M.D. in 1903. Zinsser's professional journey included pivotal roles at Stanford and Columbia universities, and he spent the latter part of his career at Harvard.
His research was particularly impactful in the study of infectious diseases, including typhus fever, for which he played a crucial role in vaccine development during World War I. Zinsser received numerous accolades for his work, including the United States Distinguished Service Medal and the French Legion of Honor. In addition to his scientific endeavors, he authored influential textbooks and a notable semiautobiographical work, "Rats, Lice, and History." Beyond science, Zinsser also pursued writing poetry and autobiographical literature. He passed away in 1940 and is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy of interdisciplinary achievement in both science and literature.
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Hans Zinsser
Physician
- Born: November 17, 1878
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: September 4, 1940
- Place of death: New York, New York
Biography
Hans Zinsser experienced a life of privilege and opportunity that led to a career of accomplishments and contributions to the well-being of all humanity. Zinsser was the New York City-born son of German immigrants. His father, August Zinsser, who emigrated from Oberflörsheim in the Rhineland, prospered in the United States as a chemical products manufacturer. His mother, Maria Theresa (Schmidt) Zinsser, grew up in a French- dominated area of the Black Forest near Freiburg. Both of Zinsser’s parents were well educated and encouraged their four sons to explore a wide range of interests. Zinsser, the youngest of the sons, was educated by tutors at home until he was ten, speaking both German and French. At his affluent Westchester County home, he indulged his hobby of horseback riding. He had the opportunity to travel to Europe with his parents and to become familiar with the art, literature, and music of the Continent. He spent one year at a school in Wiesbaden, Germany.
When he was ten, Zinsser was sent to a private school in New York City, where he had his first experience speaking English. His education fostered his interest in both literature and writing. When he entered Columbia College in 1895, he fully intended to study poetry and writing, but courses in science encouraged him to change his career path. He completed his A.B. from Columbia in 1899 and then went on to earn an M.D. from Columbia in 1903. He interned at Roosevelt Hospital in New York City until 1905. In that year he married Ruby Handforth Kunz, with whom he had two children, Gretel and Hans Handforth. He remained in New York, first becoming an assistant in bacteriology at Columbia, working briefly to establish a private practice, and then working as an assistant pathologist at St. Luke’s Hospital from 1907 to 1910.
Zinsser moved his family to California in 1910 when he took a position at Stanford University as an associate professor of bacteriology and immunology. He returned to Columbia in 1913 to become professor of bacteriology and immunology before moving to Harvard University, where he remained an esteemed member of the faculty until his death in 1940.
Zinsser made his mark on his field as both a researcher and as a writer. His scientific breakthroughs included work on typhus fever, syphilis, and the nature of antigens. His work on typhus during World War I led to life-saving progress on creating a vaccine for the disease. The United States Distinguished Service Medal, the French Legion of Honor, and the Order of Sava for his work on typhus were only the first of the numerous awards he would receive in his lifetime. One of Zinsser’s most notable books on his experiences, Rats, Lice, and History: Being a Study in Biography, Which, After Twelve Preliminary Chapters Indispensable for the Preparation of the Lay Reader, Deals with the Life History of Typhus Fever, made its mark as both a work of science and as a semiautobiography.
Zinsser wrote scores of scientific articles throughout his career and continued to write poetry as well. In 1910, with colleague Dr. Philip H. Hess, Jr., he wrote the first edition of his A Text-Book of Bacteriology: A Practical Treatise for Students and Practitioners of Medicine, which would become a standard text in the field. He also wrote another influential textbook, Infection and Resistance: An Exposition of the Biological Phenomena Underlying the Occurrence of Infection and the Recovery of the Animal Body from Infectious Disease. Despite his success as a scientific researcher, Zinsser did not completely abandon his literary aspirations, writing both a lively autobiography, As I Remember Him: The Biography of R. S. and a book of sonnets, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Zinsser died of leukemia in New York City in 1940 and is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Tarrytown, New York.