7th January 2023, 1 min read

Harald Herminghaus

End of 2022 our family had a reunion. That gave the ability to see brother, sisters, cousins, etc.

During this reunion I became aware of the more specific circumstances of my survival as an infant in 1964-65. My mother did not breast-feed me, but fed me with wheat products, as was customary during that time. I did not gain any weight, instead I kept skinny and had permanent diarrhea. My mother was very scared. She finally visited Dr. Harald Herminghaus, a pediatrician in Iserlohn. Dr. Herminghaus, correctly diagnosed a coeliac disease. When the wheat products where omitted, I thrived. Since that time I eat gluten-free.

Coeliac disease was only very recently discovered by Dutch paediatrician Prof. Dr. Willem Karel Dicke in 1950. It is quite striking that Dr. Herminghaus was aware of this recent research and saw the connection.

Without this correct diagnosis I wouldn't be. I wouldn't have married, had no children. Amazing, how ones health and existence depends on technological advances and discoveries. And, thanks to the late Dr. Herminghaus!

Prof. Dr. Dicke, 15-Feb-1905 – 27-Apr-1962, was considered for Nobel prize, but died beforehand.

Dr. Herminghaus lived from 20-Apr-1921 – 21-Dec-1983.