San Francisco County
Biographies
Max Magnus, M. D.
Max
Magnus, M. D., whose office is at No. 9 Mason street, San Francisco since 1873,
and has been engaged in the practice of medicine since 1888. He was born in Brandenburg, Germany, in 1854,
and his family on both sides have been in military
life for generations. His father was an
officer in the cavalry of the Prussian service, in which the Doctor himself was
brought up and educated. Later he
entered the gymnasium, where he graduated in 1872. In that year he came to California and
engaged in teaching calisthenics and gymnastics in the Magnus Gymnasium, and
later went to Milwaukee, where he studied, and then graduated in the Normal
School for Teachers of Gymnastics.
Returning to California, he engaged in teaching and developed a high
branch in that direction, termed mechano-therapy. At the same time he commenced the study of
medicine at the Cooper Medical College of San Francisco, which he attended two
years. Later he entered the Jefferson
Medical College of Philadelphia, where he graduated in 1888, receiving his
degree as Doctor of Medicine. He then
spent four months in visiting the various gymnasia of the United States, after
which he returned to San Francisco. Here
he established the Magnus Sanitary Gymnasium, No. 310 O’Farrell street, where, besides the ordinary gymnastic teaching and
practice, Dr. Magnus pays special attention to mechano-therapy,
or the treatment of certain diseases and their cure by proper adaptive and
developing movements. Besides the
special work, the Doctor is engaged in the general practice of medicine.
Transcribed Karen L. Pratt.
Source:
"The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 1, pages 646-647, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2005 Karen L. Pratt.