BOERHAAVE, HERMANN Dutch physi cian and a famous professor of medicine, was born at Voorhout near Leyden on Dec. 31, 1668, and died at Leyden on Sept. 23, 1738. He graduated in philosophy at Leyden and in medicine at Harderwyck. He spent the whole of his professional life at Leyden, being professor of botany and medicine, rector of the university, professor of practical medicine and professor of chem istry. His genius so raised the fame of the university of Leyden, especially as a school of medicine, that it became a resort of strangers from every part of Europe. All the princes of Europe sent him disciples, who found in this skilful professor not only an indefatigable teacher, but an affectionate guardian. When Peter the Great went to Holland in 1715, to instruct himself in maritime affairs, he also took lessons from Boerhaave. A Chinese mandarin wrote him a letter directed "To the illustrious Boer haave, physician in Europe," and it reached him in due course.
His principal works are Institutiones medicae (Leyden, 5708) ; Aphorismi de cognoscendis et curandis morbis (Leyden, 1709), on which his pupil and assistant, Gerard van Swieten (1700-72) published a commentary in 5 vols. ; and Elementa chemiae (Paris, 1724) .