DR. JOHAN LOUIS SCHLIMMER (1819 – 1881): THE EMINENT PROFESSOR OF MODERN MEDICINE AT DAR AL-FONUN SCHOOL

During the reign of the fourth Qajar king, Naser-ad-Din Shah (who reigned from 1848–1896), the Chief Minister, Amir Kabir, was involved in modernization of Iran. He founded the first modern higher educational institute in Iran the so called “Dar al-Fonun” (House of Techniques) in 1851. One of the subjects taught there was medicine; now, it is considered a major step in promulgation of modern medicine in Iran. Initially, students studying at Dar al-Fonun were mainly taught by Austrians with the aid of local translators. However, after 1860, teachers in the field of medicine were multinational.