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Many pioneers of the developing medical specialties in the 19th century were Jewish physicians. This phenomenon is explained by the difficulties Jews had in obtaining academic careers and therefore the necessity to cultivate the periphery of science. The development of "physical medicine" seems to be a good example to investigate this thesis. A quantitative analysis of the rise of institutes and departments for physical medicine in Vienna shows that this special field was first established in the private sector between 1890 and 1914. At the same time 75 per cent of the "Dozenten" of the University of Vienna, who worked in the field of physical medicine, were Jewish doctors. This affinity can be explained by the scientific appeal of physical medicine on the one hand and the chance to work independently of public institutions on the other. The result indicates that the development of physical medicine as a specialised part of modern medicine was predominantly due to the work of Jewish physicians.