[New viewpoints on old cases: pneumonia. 1841].

In this third presentation of reviewed old case histories a lecture by the famous clinician Schoenlein held in 1841 at the Charité on a patient with pneumonia is commented on. This case is in many ways instructive and interesting. The lecture at first reveals the numerous diagnostic difficulties in medicine 150 years ago and then demonstrates the great innovation brought to physical examination by ausculatation introduced to the clinic by Schoenlein against great opposition. For the first time the clinical diagnosis of pulmonary lesions had become possible whereby the diagnostic criteria for pneumonia obtained by auscultation and percussion were already precisely established. Furthermore the utilized therapeutic measures are in part still applicable. This impressive didactic demonstration reveals why Schoenlein was regarded as the most important clinical teacher of his time introducing modern scientific medicine.