How Adam Politzer (1835-1920) Became an Otologist

In 1861, Politzer became a privat-docent in otology at the Vienna University and was promoted to the first official teacher of otology. To receive the vena legendi, Politzer followed-up training in otology by visiting the most eminent physiologists and ear specialists of the epoch. The aim of this study is to detail this training as presented by Politzer himself in a hand-written request sent to the Collegium of Professors of the Viennese University to obtain his academic degree. His career development was divided into three main components: physiological research, anatomopathologic research, and clinical training. Politzer began with physiological research in Carl Ludwig's physiology laboratory in Vienna, working on the innervation of the middle ear muscles and the opening of the eustachian tube. He then went to Albert Kölliker and Heinrich Müller in Würzburg to learn more about the function of the eustachian tube and its functional innervation. In Würzburg, he also learned the histopathology of the ear with Kölliker and assisted with the lessons given by Anton von Tröltsch. He continued his travels to Paris, where he carried on his physiological research with Rudolph König and Claude Bernard by studying the mobility of the ossicular chain after sound stimulation. There, he also attended at the consultation of Prosper Menière. Finally, he went to London to perfect his knowledge of anatomopathology of the ear by studying Joseph Toynbee's temporal bones collection.