After attending classes in Munich, he continued his education at the Universities of Giessen and Paris.

In 1847, he became an associate professor of physiological and pathological chemistry at Munich, followed by a full professorship of pharmacy and toxicology in 1852.

From 1852 to 1876, he was editor of the Repertorium für die Pharmacie, a journal founded by his father.

In 1872, he published Commentar zur Pharmacopoea Germanica (two volumes with Germanicized text).

Also, he is credited with contributing a number of articles to the Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie.