Samuel Siegfried Karl ''

Ritter Ritter (German for "knight") is a designation used as a title of nobility in German-speaking areas. Traditionally it denotes the second-lowest rank within the nobility, standing above " Edler" and below "" (Baron). As with most titles and desig ...

'' von Basch (9 September 1837,

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

25 April 1905) was an

Austrian Austrian may refer to: * Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent ** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen * Austrian German dialect * Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ** Austria-Hungary ** Austria ...

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

(

Yekke A Yekke (also ''Jecke'', ''Jekke'') is a humorous, mildly derogatory reference to a Jew of German-speaking origin. - A review of the book ''The Ben Yehuda Strasse Dictionary'' by Devorah Haberfeld Its Central and Eastern European Jewish counterp ...

)

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

who was best known as the personal physician of emperor

Maximilian Maximilian or Maximillian (Maximiliaan in Dutch and Maximilien in French) is a male name. The name "Max" is considered a shortening of "Maximilian" as well as of several other names. List of people Monarchs *Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (1 ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

and the inventor of the blood pressure meter (also known as

sphygmomanometer A sphygmomanometer ( ), also known as a blood pressure monitor, blood pressure machine, or blood pressure gauge, is a device used to measure blood pressure, composed of an inflatable cuff to collapse and then release the artery under the cuff i ...

). Basch was educated at

Charles University in Prague Charles University (CUNI; , UK; ; ), or historically as the University of Prague (), is the largest university in the Czech Republic. It is one of the oldest universities in the world in continuous operation, the oldest university north of the ...

and the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (, ) is a public university, public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and among the largest ...

. From 1857 he studied

chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...

at the laboratory of

Ernst Wilhelm von Brücke Ernst Wilhelm von Brücke (; 6 July 1819 – 7 January 1892) was a German physician and physiologist. He worked on the nature of cells, physiology of language, the effect of electricity on muscles, and studies of albumin. He also made significa ...

in Vienna, and five years later began the practice of

medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

. From that time until 1865 he was assistant to Leopold Ritter von Dittel,

Eduard Jäger von Jaxtthal Eduard Jäger von Jaxtthal (25 June 1818 in Vienna – 5 July 1884 in Vienna) was an Austrian ophthalmologist who was a native of Vienna. He was a professor at the University of Vienna, and was son to oculist Friedrich Jäger von Jaxtthal (1784- ...

, Ludwig Türck and Eugen Kolisko (18111884) at the

. In 1864, Basch was appointed chief surgeon of the

military hospital A military hospital is a hospital owned or operated by a military. They are often reserved for the use of military personnel and their dependents, but in some countries are made available to civilians as well. They may or may not be located on a m ...

Puebla Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...

, Mexico. Soon after that, he was appointed as Maximilian's personal physician. Basch remained with Maximilian until the emperor's execution by firing squad at

Querétaro Querétaro, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Querétaro, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Querétaro, 18 municipalities. Its capital city is Querétaro Cit ...

on 19 June 1867. When Maximilian realized that a few days at the most would decide his fate, he commissioned Basch, Lieutenant Ernst Pitner, and Major Becker to keep daily records of all that happened. When the emperor and his entourage were betrayed to

Benito Juárez Benito Pablo Juárez García (; 21 March 1806 – 18 July 1872) was a Mexican politician, military commander, and lawyer who served as the 26th president of Mexico from 1858 until his death in office in 1872. A Zapotec peoples, Zapotec, he w ...

by Colonel Miguel Lopez on 14 May 1867, Basch rushed to saddle his horse, but was at once overpowered by the Mexicans. Basch lost most of his memoranda, saving only cursory notes. After the execution of Maximilian, he returned to Austria with the Emperor's body, arriving on 16 January 1868 on the ''

Novara Novara (; Novarese Lombard, Novarese: ) is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont (Italy), Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With 101,916 inhabitants (on 1 January 2021), it is the second most populous ...

''. In 1870 Basch was appointed lecturer of

experimental pathology Experimental pathology, also known as investigative pathology, is the scientific study of disease processes through the microscopic or molecular examination of organs, tissues, cells, or body fluids from diseased organisms. It is closely related ...

at the University of Vienna, and in 1877

assistant professor Assistant professor is an academic rank just below the rank of an associate professor used in universities or colleges, mainly in the United States, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. Overview This position is generally taken after earning a doct ...

. He was ennobled by Emperor

Franz Joseph I of Austria Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I ( ; ; 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the ruler of the Grand title of the emperor of Austria, other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 1848 until his death ...

for his share in Maximilian's enterprise.

Literary works

Basch's best-known work is ''Erinnerungen aus Mexico'' (1868), written at the request of Maximilian. In addition, he has written for technical journals a number of articles on the histology of the

duodenum The duodenum is the first section of the small intestine in most vertebrates, including mammals, reptiles, and birds. In mammals, it may be the principal site for iron absorption. The duodenum precedes the jejunum and ileum and is the shortest p ...

, the anatomy of the

urinary bladder The bladder () is a hollow organ in humans and other vertebrates that stores urine from the Kidney (vertebrates), kidneys. In placental mammals, urine enters the bladder via the ureters and exits via the urethra during urination. In humans, the ...

, and the physiological effects of

nicotine Nicotine is a natural product, naturally produced alkaloid in the nightshade family of plants (most predominantly in tobacco and ''Duboisia hopwoodii'') and is widely used recreational drug use, recreationally as a stimulant and anxiolytic. As ...

Bibliography of Jewish Encyclopedia

* ** Basch, ''Erinnerungen aus Mexico'', 1868; ** Pagel, ''Biog. Lexikon Hervorragender Aerzte'', 1901, p. 99; ** Wernich and Hirsch, ''Biog. Lexikon Hervorragender Aerzte'', 1884, i. 319

Screen portrayals

Carlos Orellana Carlos Orellana Martínez (28 December 1900 in Hidalgo – 24 January 1960 in Mexico City) was a Mexican actor, film director and screenwriter. Filmography As actor *1932: ''Santa'' - Hipólito *1933: '' El anónimo'' - Médico *1933: ...

portrayed Basch in '' Juárez y Maximiliano'' (1934). * Harry Davenport portrayed Basch in '' Juarez'' (1939). *

Michael Visaroff Michael Simeon Visaroff (born Mikhail Semenonovich Vizarov (Russian: Михаил Семёнович Визаров); December 18, 1889 – February 27, 1951) was a Russian-born character actor, who worked in the United States on stage and s ...

portrayed Basch in '' The Mad Empress'' (1939).

References

Austrian Jews Austrian military doctors Academic staff of the University of Vienna Physicians from Prague Mexican military doctors Mexican people of Austrian-Jewish descent Mexican Jews 1837 births 1905 deaths Physicians from the Austrian Empire Expatriates in Mexico 19th-century Austrian physicians 19th-century Mexican military personnel 19th-century Mexican physicians {{Mexico-hist-stub