Heinrich Curschmann

Heinrich Curschmann (June 28, 1846 - May 6, 1910) was a German internist who was a native of Giessen. Prior to 1888 he worked in hospitals in Berlin and Hamburg. Afterwards he was a professor and lecturer at the University of Leipzig.

Curschmann is remembered for the 1894 production of Klinische Abbildungen (Clinical Illustrations), which is considered a major pioneer work in medical photography. It is a collection of photos involving changes to the outer human form caused by internal disease. Curschmann's name is also lent to a number of eponymous medical terms, including Curschmann's disease, also known as hyaloserositis of the liver; Curschmann's trocar, a medical instrument; and Curschmann's spirals, which are coiled mucinous fibrils sometimes found in the sputum in bronchial asthma.