Ferdinand Hueppe

From 1872 to 1876, Hueppe studied medicine at the University of Berlin, afterwards serving as a military surgeon. From 1880 to 1884 he was a member of bacteriologist Robert Koch's staff in Berlin, and later worked at Carl Remigius Fresenius' institute (the Chemischen Institut Fresenius) in Wiesbaden. From 1889 to 1912 he was a professor at Charles University in Prague.

Hueppe is remembered for his pioneer investigations of hormesis in regards to chemical stimulation/inhibition of bacterial growth. The eponymous "Hueppe’s rule" is an historical term synonymous with hormesis.

Hueppe promoted a völkisch type of racial hygiene in which Aryans and Jews were considered separate races. He advocated Arnold Rikli's light and air baths as well as physical exercise.[1]

Hueppe opposed vegetarianism and characterized German vegetarians as "feminized men" who degenerated the Aryan race.[1] He argued that "Powerful Aryan elites" risked degeneration if they turned away from the omnivorous diet that had made their bodies and nation strong.[1] Hueppe stated that the earliest humans were meat eaters and that modern humans survive best on an omnivorous diet because a vegetarian diet is excessive in carbohydrates and lacks in protein. He described vegetarians as the "victims of an unnatural mode of existence".[2][3]

His book on bacterial research, Die methoden der bakterien-forschung, was later translated into English and published in 1886 with the title "The methods of bacteriological investigation".[4] Other noted efforts by Hueppe include:

• Naturwissenschaftliche Einführung in der Bakteriologie, 1896 – Natural sciences introduction to bacteriology.
• Der moderne Vegetarianismus 1900 – Modern vegetarianism.
• Hygiene der Körperübungen, 1922 – Hygiene associated with physical exercise.[5]

• Parts of this article are based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia.
• International Dose-Response Society, Biography