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Museum
The way forward can frequently be found by going back and retracing paths already trod, and by recognising that the successes and failures of past eras can serve as lessons for the future.
Aesculap sees the Surgery Museum Asclepius as a medium for directly experiencing the history of medical technology, using illustrations from the company’s own development. In accordance with the company’s philosophy, the museum provides another building block along the way to a learning organisation. As such it is a valuable addition to the work of the Aesculap Academy, which is dedicated to promoting ongoing exchange between scientific medical research, medical practice and innovation in medical technology. Combining an appreciation for tradition with a rigorous commitment to continuous improvement in human medical care is absolutely fundamental to Aesculap’s company culture.
Aesculap had already created a smaller museum in the company's administration building in 1979, but this had to be closed in 1992 owing to pressure on space. In 2001, a worthy location for the Surgery Museum Asclepius was found in the former Aesculap post building. The architectural style of this building, which dates from 1905/06, reflects the transition from the "Gründerzeit" era – the years of rapid industrial expansion in Germany after 1871 – to Jugendstil or art nouveau at the turn of the century. It thus recalls the first boom period of the company and retains an aura of the pioneering business spirit of the Wilhelminian Empire from which Aesculap emerged.
The Asclepius Surgery Museum is divided into three sections. One is dedicated to the general history of surgery, the second contains a comprehensive collection of surgical instruments illustrating the importance of Aesculap as a manufacturer of medical technology products, and the third records the history of the company from its foundation in 1867.
The exhibition is arranged over three floors with a total area of 540 m2.
The museum tour begins with an explicit reference to Hippocrates, the real founding father of western medicine. His thinking still forms the ethical basis of the medical profession and is illustrated here through excerpts from his collection of aphorisms. Some of his maxims – which are just as relevant today as they ever have been – are captured on transparent cubes displayed as "philosophical cargo" on a metaphorical sailing ship. This abstract portrayal of a sailing ship not only represents the lifelong travels of the itinerant doctor Hippocrates, but also symbolises the dissemination of his teaching throughout the western world and ultimately across the globe.
A multi-vision presentation illustrates the life of this important physician of antiquity and is in tune with the museum's overall theme. This glimpse into the early days of medicine is continued in the next exhibition room, where the emergence of the Aesculap trade mark and its intrinsic link to antique mythology – from the Greek god of healing Asclepius to the Roman Aesculap – is represented
The tour continues into the central exhibition room of the museum with a large step forward into modern times, where the focus is on the development of medicine at the end of the 19th century under the ground-breaking influence of asepsis, anaesthetics and radiography. These new techniques pathed the way for modern surgery and also contributed to Aesculap's breakthrough.
A "walk-around" operation scenario simulating an abdominal surgical intervention set in an auditorium of the period demonstrates the importance of anaesthetics and sterile instrument preparation. Two interactive enquiry screens provide comprehensive information on these topics.
Finally a field hospital scene illustrates how a leg amputation may have been carried out during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71. Against this backdrop, selected military instrumentation sets from the Aesculap collection are exhibited, and these undoubtedly rank among the most important exhibits in medical and cultural history terms. They offer the viewer a fascinating insight into the now almost forgotten origins of invasive surgery.
However, the centre of attention in this part of the museum is the modern instrumentation used in individual surgical disciplines, ranging from neurosurgery, ENT and ophthamology and encompassing general surgery, endoscopy, anatomy and physiology, through to gynaecology and obstetrics. Orthopaedic prosthetics and trauma products are displayed in an adjacent room. A special room is dedicated to dental and the formerly important production of syringes.
The last stop in the museum tour brings together the important written testaments to the company's history: pattern books, catalogues, valuable monographs and bibliophile editions from Aesculap's library. An the "Authors' Cabinet" also lists the achievements of famous surgeons who have lent their names to important and well-known instruments.
As a final point of interest, the visitor can test his or her specialist knowledge in trying to identify unusual products on the original puzzle wall.
The Authors' Cabinet presents a selection of surgeons who have lent their names to important surgical instruments or techniques.
| Year | Incident |
| 1867 | Formation of the company by Gottfried Jetter. |
| 1887 | The two brothers Karl Christian and Wilhelm Scheerer become equal partners. |
| 1889 | Snake staff with crown is registered as trademark. |
| 1893 | Formation of subsidiaries in New York, London, Paris, Constantinople, Buenos Aires and Tokyo follows shortly. |
| 1895 | Transformation of the company into a corporation. |
| 1899 | Registration of the brand name Aesculap, construction of a new plant. |
| 1915-1923 | Generous extension of the manufacturing plants. |
| 1925-1929 | Rapid growth, export share achieved the maximum of 73%. |
| 1930-1946 | Difficult times due to world economic crisis, wartime economy and occupation. |
| 1950-1960 | Struggle for economic survival. |
| 1966 | Lowest level of number of people employed at Aesculap. |
| 1967-1971 | Economic recovery, new products, increase of capital stock. |
| 1976 | B. Braun AG acquires a majority shareholding. |
| 1977-1990 | Formation of subsidiaries in different countries. |
| 1988 | Renaming the company in Aesculap AG. |
| 1995 | Opening of the Aesculapium. |
| 1998 | Incorporation of Aesculap into the B. Braun company as the Aesculap division. |
| 2001 | Opening of the benchmark factory. |
| 2007 | Aesculap's turnover exceeded euro 1 Billion for the first time. |
| 2008 | Extension of the benchmark factory, new building of the logistic centre. |
| 2014 | Opening of the multipurpose factory building opening of the multipurpose factory building. |
| 2015 | Opening of the innovation factory. |
| 2017 | Opening of the event staff restaurant after reconstruction of the old forge and 150th anniversary of Aesculap. |
Gottfried Jetter (1838-1903)
After completing his apprenticeship as a cutler and working as a journeyman in the major European centres for instrument manufacture, Gottfried Jetter (1838-1903) opened a small surgical instrument maker’s workshop in Tuttlingen in 1867. He was very successful, mainly because he quickly started to produce instrument series en masse, whilst his competitors were still crafting small numbers of instruments by hand. Gottfried Jetter expanded his production facilities and increased his workforce in rapid succession. By 1878 he already had 120 employees, and when ill health forced him to retire from his business activities in 1890, he had as many as 440.
With his commercial training financed by his brother-in-law Gottfried Jetter, Karl Christian Scheerer (1857-1938) took over the commercial management of the firm in 1877. His brother Wilhelm was in charge of the technical side of the business until 1904, after which Karl Christian became the sole director of the company.
The rapid growth of the firm required a correspondingly high level of investment in machinery and buildings. However, it became increasingly difficult to raise enough capital for this as a family business, and it was necessary to change the company structure. Converting the firm into a public limited company and floating it on the stock market in 1895 brought in fresh capital to allow the vigorous expansion process to continue.
Karl Christian Scheerer visited customers all over the world, opened company branches on important sites from Berlin to New York, and successfully steered the company through the first world qar and the period of inflation that followed. The small Tuttlingen instrument manufacturer quickly became the largest producer of surgical instruments in the world. “Kommerzienrat“ Scheerer remained the determining influence on the company until 1930.
Karl Christian Scheerer (1857-1938)
The first world war, the world economic crisis and the second world war leave deep traces at Aesculap. The occupation of plant and machinery precipitated a long stagnation phase.
The number of people employed at Aesculap sank to its lowest level in 1966, after which the company’s fortunes began to recover. In 1971, the capital stock was raised for the first time since 1933 from DM 4.3m to DM 6.5m. Aesculap reacted to the increasing specialization within surgery by developing new products for cardio-vascular surgery, arthroscopy and micro-surgery, as well as hip joint prostheses.
B. Braun Melsungen AG acquired a majority shareholding in 1976.
In 1977, Prof. Dr. Dr. Dr. h.c. Michael Ungethüm arrived at Aesculap, initially as a Deputy Board Member. He became a full Member of the Board in 1979 and was appointed Chairman in 1983. In 1996, Prof. Ungethüm also became a Member of the Board of B. Braun Melsungen AG and was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Board in the same year. Two years later, Aesculap AG & Co. KG was incorporated into the B. Braun company as the Aesculap Division.
Aesculap’s fortune continued to rise. From 1995 onwards a series of major, trendsetting building programmes was successfully initiated, beginning with the Aesculapium and owing much to Prof. Ungethüm’s broad vision.
The Benchmark Factory, a modern manufacturing facility for implants, was opened in 2001.
In 2007 Aesculap’s turnover exceeded Euro 1bn for the first time, and that of the entire B. Braun Group Euro 3.5bn. The benchmark factory was extended and the new logistics centre built in 2008.
Another milestone followed in 2014 with the opening of a multipurpose factory building. In 2015, the innovation factory was opened and in 2017 the conversion of the old forge to the event staff restaurant was completed and the 150th anniversary of Aesculap was celebrated.
