József Dorner

József Dorner (2 November 1808 – 9 October 1873), was a Hungarian educator and botanist.

He was born József Thurner the Younger, was born to German parents József Thurner the Elder, a merchant, and Zsuzsanna Schmidt. A pharmacist by trade, he also worked as a schoolteacher and is best known today as a botanist.

By 1831, or 1834, According to Szmodits, he married in 1845 but they remained childless, He completed his secondary education in Sopron, and from 1824 to 1827 he undertook further training as an apprentice at the Kochmeister-run Magyar Korona (Hungarian Crown) pharmacy in Sopron, before passing his examinations and receiving an assistantship.

From 1836 to 1840, he ran a pharmacy in Bratislava called the Arany Korona (Golden Crown), that had been purchased for him by his father. He also taught at Deák Téri Evangélikus Gimnázium in Budapest. Alongside his specialty of the natural sciences, he also taught German and French.

Although Dorner intended to compose a Flora of Hungary with his botanical colleagues József Sadler and János Heuffel, the plans never came to fruition after the death of Sadler in 1849, and the retirement of Heuffel due to ill health. Dorner also shared his research on the development of cells with German scientists. At the same time, through these professional networks, Dorner was aware of wider innovations in science, including the theory of biological evolution developed by Charles Darwin, and the botanical research of Asa Gray.

He also named the following species: Quercus cerris var. macrophylla Dorner (a synonym of Quercus cerris).

Death and burial After a long illness Dorner passed away in October 1873, and was subsequently buried in Plot 9, Row 4, Grave 70 of the Fiume Road Graveyard in Budapest.

alt=A weathered timber gabled cross grave marker in a grassy meadow.

Major publications von Dorner, Joseph. 1839. Das Banat in topographisch-naturhistorischer Beziehung, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Herculesbäder nächst Mehadia und ihrer Umgebungen. Nebst einer ausführlichen Schilderung der Reise in die Bäder mit den Dampfschiffen und zu Lande, und einer Beschreibung der an den banatischen Donauufern vorkommenden Alterthümer. (The Banat in its topographical and natural-historical aspects, with special consideration of the Baths of Hercules near Mehadia and their surroundings. Including a detailed account of the journey to the baths by steamboat and by land, and a description of the antiquities found on the banks of the Banatian Danube.) Pressburg (Bratislava). von Dorner, Joseph. 1839. Mehadia und die Hercules-Bäder im Cserna-Thale im walachysch-illyrischen Gränzgebiete Königreich Ungarn (Mehadia and the Baths of Hercules in the Cerna Valley, in the Wallachian-Illyrian border region of the Kingdom of Hungary), in Panorama der Oesterreichischen Monarchie oder malerisch-romantisches Denkbuch. Dorner, Joseph. 1841. Das Ganze der Essigfabrikation theoretisch und praktisch abgehandelt, oder vollständiger Unterricht, wie der Essig aus den verschiedenartigsten Substanzen mit grösstmöglichem Vortheile sowohl im Kleinen für den Hausbedarf erzeugt, als auch im fabrikmässigen Betrieb genommen werden kann. Mit ausführlicher Beschreibung der neuen Schnell-Essigfabrikations-Methoden nach einem wesentlich abgeäderten Verfahren, nebst einer Anweisung zur Bereitung der verschiedenen Tafel- und aromatischen Essige und zum Einmachen der Früchte. Mit Abbildungen. (The entire process, both theoretically and practically, of vinegar production; or a complete instruction on how vinegar can be produced from the most diverse substances with the greatest possible advantage, both on a small scale for household use and on an industrial scale. Includes a detailed description of new, rapid methods of vinegar-making from a significantly modified procedure, along with instructions for preparing various table and aromatic vinegars and for preserving fruit. With illustrations.) Dorner, Joseph. 1843. Der vollständige Betrieb der Branntweinbrennerei nach allen seinen Verzweigungen mit ausführlicher Beschreibung der Malz- und Hefenbereitung, des Maischverfahrens, sowie des gesammten Destillationsprozesses nach den neuesten Erfahrungen und bewährtesten Methoden; enthaltend eine vollständige Belehrung, wie der Ertrag der Getreidekörner und Kartoffeln aufs Höchste gesteigert und der Gehalt, sowie der Werth der Waare unter allen Umständen mit Sicherheit ausgemittelt werden könne. Mit 21 Abbildgen. (The complete operation of a spirit distillery in all of its aspects, with a detailed description of malt and yeast preparation, the mashing procedure, and the entire distillation process according to the latest experience and most best methods; including complete instructions on how to maximize the yield of grain seeds and potatoes, and how to determine the content and value of the product under all circumstances and with certainty. With 21 illustrations.) Dorner, Joseph. 1853. Die Traubenkrankheit nach den neuesten Erfahrungen und Ergebnissen. (The grape disease, presented according to the newest research and findings.) Az ásványtan elemei algymnasiumok és alreáliskolák számára, Pest, 1858 Az állattan elemei a gymnasium és ipartanoda alsóbb osztályai számára I–III., Pest, 1863–1864 A növénytan elemei a gymnasium és ipartanoda alsóbb osztályai számára, Pest, 1864 Dorner József. 1865. Ásványtan felsőbb tanodák számára (Mineralogy for high school students). von Dorner, Josef. 1867–1868. Die cuscuteen der ungarischen Flora (The dodders/Cuscuta of the Hungarian flora).

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