In 1836 he was arrested unexpectedly because of his actions in association with a Burschenschaft (fraternal organization) at Giessen.
[1] In 1844, in addition to his private practice, he became a physician at the Mathilden-Landeskrankenhaus, a regional hospital in Darmstadt.
In 1868 he received the title of Obermedizinalrat (chief medical advisor) and during the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71), he was in charge of a Reservelazarette.
[2][1] He is credited with developing about 1835 the first symbol eye chart, consisting of figures of various objects (birds, frogs, farm implements, cannons, etc.)
cut from calendars and almanacs, which he glued to a sheet of paper in decreasing size.