In 1830 he succeeded Karl August Weinhold (1782-1829) as professor of surgery at Halle, afterwards (1833), relocating to the University of Bonn as a successor to Philipp Franz von Walther (1782-1849).
In 1850 he began to experience serious eye problems, a condition that eventually put an end to his surgical career.As a surgeon, he originated an operative procedure for inguinal hernia, and was an early practitioner of surgery for vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF).In the field of ophthalmology, he published a translation of a work by Antonius Gerardus van Onsenoort (1782-1841) with the title of, Geschichte der Augenheilkunde als Einleitung in das Studium (History of ophthalmology as an introduction to study).