 He served as an assistant physician during the Franco-Prussian War, and following the end of hostilities, settled as a general practitioner in Barmen (presently part of the city of Wuppertal).In 1878 he was named senior physician at the hospital in Barmen, and in 1903 was awarded with the title of professor.In 1898 he co-founded the "Vereinigung Niederrheinisch-Westfälischer Chirurgen" (Union of Lower Rhenish-Westphalian surgeons).