1660-1742

German physician who founded a famous eighteenth-century medical system. As the first professor of medicine at the new University of Halle, Hoffmann gave lectures on chemistry, physics, anatomy, surgery, and medical practice. He was widely respected as a teacher and a writer. Hoffman's medical system was based on the premise that health was the result of normal movement and disease was the result of disturbed movement. Therefore, the purpose of treatment was to restore normal movement with sedatives or tonics.