He studied medicine at the University of Zürich, then furthered his education in ophthalmology at Vienna, Berlin, Paris, London, Edinburgh and Utrecht.
From 1860 he worked as an ophthalmologist in this hometown of Vevey, then in 1867 was named a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Bern.
[1][2] With Edouard Meyer he founded the journal Revue générale d'Ophtamologie.
In 1881 he became a member of the Société d'anthropologie de Lyon, serving as its president in 1898 and 1909.
[2] In 1908 he was chosen as the first president of the Tutmonda Esperantista Kuracista Asocio (World Esperanto Medical Association).