Ferdinand Luwig Herff was born November 29, 1820 in Darmstadt, Germany. He came to San Antonio in 1847 to find an idealistic commune. His family was aristocratic and his dad, Christian von Herff, was a chief Justice of Hessian Supreme Court and his mother was Eleanora von Meusebach. He lived with his uncle while attending the University of Bonn studying under medical scientists. He began his medical education at Berlin and finish in 1843 in Giessen. He then joined the Hessian Army in 1843 for four years and there developed techniques in plastic surgery and tuberculosis treatment. He came to United States with a group of university-educated professionals and started a commune called Bettina in Texas. It failed and he had to return home to Germany. He married Mathilda Kungel Hoeffer in 1849. Then he rejoined the military and had great success in treating battle casualties because of his attention to cleanliness, which resulted in low infection rates. He moved back to Texas with his wife and settled in New Braunfels to become a citizen. His reputation grew as a surgeon with remarkable medical feats, including the removal of two large balder stones, the first use of chloroform, cataract removal resulting in the restoration of eyesight, the correction of a depressed skull fracture to alleviate traumatic epilepsy, and expert arrow removal. He also performed gastrostomy and a daughter-in-law who had an ectopic pregnancy. Some of the family is still living downtown. Some operations that he helped organize are still used today. He helped organize the Bexar County Medical Society, the West Texas Medical Association, the Texas Medical and Surgical Record, and the Texas Medical Association. He was also instrumental in the establishment of San Antonio's first hospital. He died May 18, 1912 in San Antonio.

1. When and where was Fredinand Luwig Herff?
       - He was born on November 29, 1820 in Darmstadt, Germany.
2. When and why did he come to San Antonio?
       - He came to San Antonio in 1847 for idealistic commune.
3. What were his parents names? What did his father do for a living?
       - Christian von Herff and Eleanora von Meusebach; His father was a chief Justice of Hessian Supreme Court.
4. Where did he go to College? What did he study under?
       - University of Bonn; medical scientists.
5. Where did he begin and end his medical education?
       - He began in Berlin and finished in Giessen.
6. What did he start in Texas? What was it called?
       - He started a commune; Bettina.
7. Who did he marry? When did they get married?
       - Mathilda Kungel Hoeffer; 1849.
8. Name his remarkable feats that he was known for.
       - Removal of two large balder stones, the first use of chloroform, cataract removal resulting in the restoration of eyesight,    the correction of a depressed skull fracture to alleviate traumatic epilepsy, and an expert arrow removal.
9. What kind of pregnancy did his daughter-in-law have?
       - ectopic pregnancy.
10. What did he help establish? When did he die?
       - he helped establish the Bexar County Medical Society, the West Texas Medical Association, the Texas Medical and surgical Record, the Texas Medical Association; he died May 18, 1912.