# Theodor Billroth

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Content updated: 2026-06-22

Theodor Billroth marks a history spot in Vienna, connecting the city’s medical tradition with its musical culture. The spot recalls a surgeon born in Prussia in 1829. He earned his medical degree in Berlin in 1852 before leading a surgical clinic in Zurich. In 1867, he joined the University of Vienna faculty and established a surgical clinic in the city. His 1863 textbook promoted publishing every surgical result, including failures, to improve medical practice. He also adopted antiseptic methods while investigating bacterial causes of wound fever.

In 1872, he removed part of the oesophagus and joined the remaining sections. The following year, he performed the first complete larynx removal. In 1881, he removed a cancerous pylorus, helping establish modern abdominal surgery. His work also shaped surgical teaching and influenced students beyond Austria. Away from medicine, he played piano and violin and became a close friend of Johannes Brahms. Brahms dedicated his first two string quartets to him, leaving music beside surgery in Billroth’s story.

- City: [Vienna](https://mytuur.com/en/city/vienna/)

## Photos

- ![](https://mytuur-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/image_TheodorBillroth_68345863f44f54dc869923d6_0.jpg) — [Image: wikimedia](https://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Figur_Theodor-Billroth_2.jpg)

Spots like this one are the stops myTuur strings into tours through Vienna. In the app, each story begins where you stand: walk up to a spot and it starts, read it on screen or listen as you go, then follow the route to the next one.

## What is myTuur?

myTuur is a free city-guide app. Its tours are built from spots, and each spot carries a story that starts when you get there, to read or to listen to as you like.