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Georg Joseph Kamel

February 27, 2024

Georg Joseph Kamel (German: [ˈkaːml̩]; Latin: Georgius Josephus Camellus; Czech: Jiří Josef Kamel; Spanish: Jorge Camel; 12 April 1661 – 2 May 1706) was a Jesuit missionary, pharmacist and naturalist known for producing the first comprehensive accounts of Philippine flora and fauna and for introducing Philippine nature to the European learned world.[1] A number of Kamel's treatises were published in the Philosophical Transactions, while his descriptions of Philippine flora appeared as an appendix to the third volume of John Ray's Historia Plantarum.

Georg Joseph Kamel
Born21 April 1661
Brno, Moravia
Died2 May 1706 (1706-05-03) (aged 45)
Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines
Scientific career
FieldsBotany, zoology, natural history
Author abbrev. (botany)KAMEL
Author abbrev. (zoology)KAMEL

Biography edit

Early life edit

Kamel was born on 12 April 1661 in the city of Brno, Moravia (now the Czech Republic). His name suggests that he was of German origin. In November 1682 he joined the Jesuits as a lay brother and spent his novitiate in Brno. In 1685 he was sent to the Holy Trinity College in Jindřichův Hradec where he served as an assistant infirmarian and pharmacist. The Jesuit roster for that year indicated Kamel knew German, Czech and some Latin. In 1686 he was moved to the Jesuit college in Krummau where he worked as a pharmacist.[2]

His pharmacy has been minutely restored and still exists in the local Museum of Český Krumlov[3] During this time, Kamel applied to be sent to the Jesuit overseas missions and his request was granted.[1]

Philippines edit

In 1687 Kamel was sent to the Philippines with a number of other Moravian and Bohemian missionaries. He embarked from Cádiz on 9 July 1687 and sailed first to Vera Cruz, New Spain. From there he traveled overland to Acapulco where he boarded a galleon and arrived in Manila sometime in 1688.[4] In Manila he was assigned to the local Jesuit college, Colegio de Manila where he established the college pharmacy and gave free medical treatment to the city’s poor. He also created a botanical garden which became well known for its collection of rare and medicinal plants.[5][6] In 1696, Kamel made his final vows at the Church of the Society in Manila.[7]

Through Kamel's labours, the Jesuit College in Manila soon became the most reputed one in the Philippines and his treatment was sought by persons of high authority. At the same time, observing the Christian ideals of charity, he supplied remedies to the poor and the indigenous people for free.[5] Kamel's reputation fast extended even beyond the Philippine Islands, as he entered into scholarly correspondence with learned men both in Europe and Asia. He exchanged letters, information and specimens with Willem ten Rhijne, a Dutch botanist in Batavia; Samuel Browne and Edward Bulkley, two English surgeons in Madras; and two members of the Royal Society, the apothecary James Petiver and the naturalist John Ray.[1]

Kamel died at the age of 45 from a disease whose symptoms included diarrhoea.[8]

Work edit

Kamel drew, described and commented on diverse parts of Philippine nature: from plants to animals, from minerals to insects, shells and molluscs, snakes and even monsters (see below), with his first known text published in 1699.

Although the first consignment of his treatises fell into the hands of pirates and was lost, he successfully shipped his accounts to London where they were published by his correspondents Ray and Petiver. Kamel's descriptions of Philippine herbs, shrubs and trees were published as a 96-page appendix to Ray's third volume of Historia Plantarum (1704), while the remainder of his works appeared the Philosophical Transactions. Kamel was the first to acquaint Europe with species such as the tarsier, the colugo and the St Ignatius bean, a medicinal plant and source of strychnine. Linnaeus did not have a high opinion of Kamel's work and he was critical of the descriptions used in John Ray and declared them as “Descriptiones imperfectae. Florum nulla notitia.” Linnaeus preferred the works of Rumphius for plants of the region.[8]

The majority of Kamel's surviving notes are now kept in the British Library in London, while one volume each are held in the Natural History Museum, London and the Maurits Sabbe Library in Leuven, Belgium. Copies of parts of Kamel's work can be found in his birthplace in Brno, the Czech Republic, alongside his birth register records and several other documents.

Overview of some of his works edit

Published as an appendix to John Ray's Historia Plantarum
  • Plants of Luzon Island: Historia stirpium insula Luzonis et reliquarum Philippinarum. In John Ray, Historia plantarum, vol. 3, London 1704, pp. 1–96 (online) 2014-10-29 at the Wayback Machine.
Published in Philosophical Transactions from 1699
  • On True Amomum (Gingeraceae): A description and figure of the True Amomum, or Tugus (1699), 21 (248): 2–4 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1699.0002).
  • On Bean of St. Ignatius (Strychnine): An account of the vertues of Faba Sancti Ignatii, mentioned last Transaction (1699), 21 (250): 87 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1699.0018).
  • A further and more exact account of the same, sent in a letter from Father Camelli to Mr. John Ray and Mr. James Petiver, Fellows of the Royal Society (1699), 21 (250): 88–94 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1699.0019).
  • On Some Philippine Animals: An account of Mr. Samuel Brown his sixth book of East India Plants, with their names, vertues, description etc. By James Petiver, apothecary, and fellow of the Royal Society. To these are added some animals etc. which the reverend Father George Joseph Camel very lately sent him from the Philippine Isles (1702), 23 (277): 1055–1068 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1702.0003).
  • On Philippine Birds Georgii Josephi Cameli observationes de avibus Philippensibus, communicatae a Jacobo Petiver, S. R. S. (1702), 23 (285): 1394–1399 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1702.0051).
  • On Philippine Coralls and Marine Animals: A description of some coralls and other curious submarines lately sent to James Petiver, apothecary and fellow of the Royal Society, from the Philippine Isles by the reverend George Joseph Camel; as also an account of some plants from Chusan, an island on the coast of China, collected by Mr James Cuninghame, chyrurgeon & F.R.S. (1702), 23 (286): 1419–1429 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1702.0056).
  • Tractatulus de ambaro, a reverendo domino domino Georgio Josepho Camello, communicatus domino Jacobo Petiverio Societatis Regiae socio (1704), 24 (291): 1591–1596 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1704.0017).
  • Philippine Plants part 1: Reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli tractatus de plantis Philippensibus scandentibus, ad Jacobum Petiver, S.R.S. missus (1704), 24 (293): 1707–1722 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1704.0034).
  • Philippine Plants part 2: Georgii Josephi Camelli de plantis Philippensibus scandentibus; pars secunda. Ad Jacobum Petiver, S.R.S. nuper transmissa (1704), 24 (294): 1763–1773 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1704.0042).
  • Philippine Plants part 3: Georgii Josephi Camelli de plantis Philippensibus scandentibus; pars tertia. Ad Jacobum Petiver, S.R.S. nuper transmissa (1704), 24 (295): 1809 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1704.0053).
  • Philippine Plants part 4: Reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli de plantis Philippensibus scandentibus; pars quarta. Ad dominum Jacobum Petiver, S.R.S. nuper transmissa (1704), 24 (296): 1816–1842 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1704.0055).
  • Philippine Fishes, Moluscs and Crustaceans: De piscibus, moluscis at crustaceis Philippensibus, ex manuscriptis reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli ad dominum Jacobum Petiver, S.R.S. transmissis (1704), 24 (301): 2043–2080 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1704.0084).
  • On fourlegged animals of the Philippines (including first ever picture of tarsier or flying lemur): De quadrupedibus Philippensibus tractatus a reverendo Georgio Josepho Camello transmissus Jacobo Petiver, pharmacopolae et Societatis Regiae socio Londini (1706), 25 (305): 2197–2204 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1706.0002).
  • Philippine Monsters and Snakes: De monstris, quasi monstris et monstrosis; item de serpentibus, etc. Philippensibus ex manuscripto reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli communicavit dominus Jacobus Petiver, pharmacopola Londini et S.R.S. (1706), 25 (307): 2266–2276 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1706.0019).
  • Philippine Shells, Minerals and Fossils: De conchyliis turbinatis, bivalvibus et univalvibus; item de mineralibus, fossilibus et thermis Philippensibus, ex manuscriptis reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli communicavit dominus Jacobus Petiver, pharmacopola Londini et S.R.S. (1706), 25 (311): 2397–2408 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1706.0043).
  • Philippine Animals:De variis animalibus Philippensibus, ex manuscriptis reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli communicavit dominus Jacobus Petiver, pharmacopola Londini et S.R.S. (1708), 26 (318): 241–248 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1708.0037).
  • Philippine Spiders and Beetles: De araneis et scarabaeis Philippensibus, ex manuscriptis reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli communicavit dominus Jacobus Petiver, pharmacopola Londini et S.R.S. (1711), 27 (331): 310–315 (DOI:10.1098/rstl.1710.0025).

Plants named after Kamel edit

Several plants were named in Kamel's honour, though in his adopted homeland, the Philippines, he is mostly forgotten.

Carl Linnaeus named the well known genus of flowering plants Camellia in Kamel's honour. American botanist Elmer Drew Merrill named Eugenia kamelii after Kamel.

The standard author abbreviation Kamel is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[9]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Kroupa, Sebestian (Nov 2015). "Ex epistulis Philippinensibus: Georg Joseph Kamel SJ (1661–1706) and His Correspondence Network". Centaurus. 57 (4): 229–59. doi:10.1111/1600-0498.12099. ISSN 1600-0498.
  2. ^ Cullum 1956 pp. 322–323
  3. ^ Muzeum Český Krumlov http://www.muzeumck.cz/gallery/barokni-jezuitska-lekarna/
  4. ^ Cullum 1956 pp. 323-324
  5. ^ a b Murillo Velarde, Pedro (1749), Historia de la Provincia de Philipinas de la Compañia de Jesus, Manila, p.393v–394r
  6. ^ Reyes 2009
  7. ^ Cullum 1956 pp. 326
  8. ^ a b Reyes, Raquel A. G. (2009-10-01). "Botany and zoology in the late seventeenth-century Philippines: the work of Georg Josef Camel SJ (1661–1706)". Archives of Natural History. 36 (2): 262–276. doi:10.3366/e0260954109000989. ISSN 0260-9541. PMID 20014508.
  9. ^ International Plant Names Index.  Kamel.

Literature edit

  • Cullum, Leo A. (1956). "Georg Joseph Kamel: Philippine Botanist, Physician, Pharmacist". Philippine Studies. 4 (2): 319–339. ISSN 0031-7837. JSTOR 42719223.
  • Gicklhorn J. and Gicklhorn R. (1954) "Georg Joseph Kamel, S. J.: Apotheker, botaniker, arzt und naturforscher der Philippineninseln", Eutin: Holstein Internationale Gesellschaft für Geschichte der Pharmazie.
  • Kroupa, Sebestian (2015) "Ex epistulis Philippinensibus: Georg Joseph Kamel SJ (1661–1706) and His Correspondence Network", Centaurus 57(4): 229–259.
  • Murillo Velarde P. (1716) "Historia de la Provincia de Philipinas de la Compañia de Jesus. Segunda parte, que comprehende los progresos de esta provincia desde el año de 1616. Hasta el de 1716", Manila, pp. 393v-394r.
  • Reyes, Raquel A. G. (2009). "Botany and zoology in the late seventeenth-century Philippines: the work of Georg Josef Camel SJ (1661–1706)". Archives of Natural History. 36 (2): 262–276. doi:10.3366/e0260954109000989. PMID 20014508.
  • "Kamel, Georg Joseph (1661-1706) on JSTOR". plants.jstor.org. Retrieved 2021-08-02.

External links edit

  • A digital version of Kamel's manuscript held in Leuven 2016-08-28 at the Wayback Machine
  • Drawings from the Philippine Islands by Kamel


February 27, 2024
georg, joseph, kamel, german, ˈkaːml, latin, georgius, josephus, camellus, czech, jiří, josef, kamel, spanish, jorge, camel, april, 1661, 1706, jesuit, missionary, pharmacist, naturalist, known, producing, first, comprehensive, accounts, philippine, flora, fau. Georg Joseph Kamel German ˈkaːml Latin Georgius Josephus Camellus Czech Jiri Josef Kamel Spanish Jorge Camel 12 April 1661 2 May 1706 was a Jesuit missionary pharmacist and naturalist known for producing the first comprehensive accounts of Philippine flora and fauna and for introducing Philippine nature to the European learned world 1 A number of Kamel s treatises were published in the Philosophical Transactions while his descriptions of Philippine flora appeared as an appendix to the third volume of John Ray s Historia Plantarum Georg Joseph KamelBorn21 April 1661Brno MoraviaDied2 May 1706 1706 05 03 aged 45 Manila Captaincy General of the PhilippinesScientific careerFieldsBotany zoology natural historyAuthor abbrev botany KAMELAuthor abbrev zoology KAMEL Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Philippines 2 Work 2 1 Overview of some of his works 3 Plants named after Kamel 4 See also 5 References 6 Literature 7 External linksBiography editEarly life edit Kamel was born on 12 April 1661 in the city of Brno Moravia now the Czech Republic His name suggests that he was of German origin In November 1682 he joined the Jesuits as a lay brother and spent his novitiate in Brno In 1685 he was sent to the Holy Trinity College in Jindrichuv Hradec where he served as an assistant infirmarian and pharmacist The Jesuit roster for that year indicated Kamel knew German Czech and some Latin In 1686 he was moved to the Jesuit college in Krummau where he worked as a pharmacist 2 His pharmacy has been minutely restored and still exists in the local Museum of Cesky Krumlov 3 During this time Kamel applied to be sent to the Jesuit overseas missions and his request was granted 1 Philippines edit In 1687 Kamel was sent to the Philippines with a number of other Moravian and Bohemian missionaries He embarked from Cadiz on 9 July 1687 and sailed first to Vera Cruz New Spain From there he traveled overland to Acapulco where he boarded a galleon and arrived in Manila sometime in 1688 4 In Manila he was assigned to the local Jesuit college Colegio de Manila where he established the college pharmacy and gave free medical treatment to the city s poor He also created a botanical garden which became well known for its collection of rare and medicinal plants 5 6 In 1696 Kamel made his final vows at the Church of the Society in Manila 7 Through Kamel s labours the Jesuit College in Manila soon became the most reputed one in the Philippines and his treatment was sought by persons of high authority At the same time observing the Christian ideals of charity he supplied remedies to the poor and the indigenous people for free 5 Kamel s reputation fast extended even beyond the Philippine Islands as he entered into scholarly correspondence with learned men both in Europe and Asia He exchanged letters information and specimens with Willem ten Rhijne a Dutch botanist in Batavia Samuel Browne and Edward Bulkley two English surgeons in Madras and two members of the Royal Society the apothecary James Petiver and the naturalist John Ray 1 Kamel died at the age of 45 from a disease whose symptoms included diarrhoea 8 Work editKamel drew described and commented on diverse parts of Philippine nature from plants to animals from minerals to insects shells and molluscs snakes and even monsters see below with his first known text published in 1699 Although the first consignment of his treatises fell into the hands of pirates and was lost he successfully shipped his accounts to London where they were published by his correspondents Ray and Petiver Kamel s descriptions of Philippine herbs shrubs and trees were published as a 96 page appendix to Ray s third volume of Historia Plantarum 1704 while the remainder of his works appeared the Philosophical Transactions Kamel was the first to acquaint Europe with species such as the tarsier the colugo and the St Ignatius bean a medicinal plant and source of strychnine Linnaeus did not have a high opinion of Kamel s work and he was critical of the descriptions used in John Ray and declared them as Descriptiones imperfectae Florum nulla notitia Linnaeus preferred the works of Rumphius for plants of the region 8 The majority of Kamel s surviving notes are now kept in the British Library in London while one volume each are held in the Natural History Museum London and the Maurits Sabbe Library in Leuven Belgium Copies of parts of Kamel s work can be found in his birthplace in Brno the Czech Republic alongside his birth register records and several other documents Overview of some of his works edit Published as an appendix to John Ray s Historia PlantarumPlants of Luzon Island Historia stirpium insula Luzonis et reliquarum Philippinarum In John Ray Historia plantarum vol 3 London 1704 pp 1 96 online Archived 2014 10 29 at the Wayback Machine Published in Philosophical Transactions from 1699On True Amomum Gingeraceae A description and figure of the True Amomum or Tugus 1699 21 248 2 4 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1699 0002 On Bean of St Ignatius Strychnine An account of the vertues of Faba Sancti Ignatii mentioned last Transaction 1699 21 250 87 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1699 0018 A further and more exact account of the same sent in a letter from Father Camelli to Mr John Ray and Mr James Petiver Fellows of the Royal Society 1699 21 250 88 94 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1699 0019 On Some Philippine Animals An account of Mr Samuel Brown his sixth book of East India Plants with their names vertues description etc By James Petiver apothecary and fellow of the Royal Society To these are added some animals etc which the reverend Father George Joseph Camel very lately sent him from the Philippine Isles 1702 23 277 1055 1068 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1702 0003 On Philippine Birds Georgii Josephi Cameli observationes de avibus Philippensibus communicatae a Jacobo Petiver S R S 1702 23 285 1394 1399 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1702 0051 On Philippine Coralls and Marine Animals A description of some coralls and other curious submarines lately sent to James Petiver apothecary and fellow of the Royal Society from the Philippine Isles by the reverend George Joseph Camel as also an account of some plants from Chusan an island on the coast of China collected by Mr James Cuninghame chyrurgeon amp F R S 1702 23 286 1419 1429 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1702 0056 Tractatulus de ambaro a reverendo domino domino Georgio Josepho Camello communicatus domino Jacobo Petiverio Societatis Regiae socio 1704 24 291 1591 1596 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1704 0017 Philippine Plants part 1 Reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli tractatus de plantis Philippensibus scandentibus ad Jacobum Petiver S R S missus 1704 24 293 1707 1722 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1704 0034 Philippine Plants part 2 Georgii Josephi Camelli de plantis Philippensibus scandentibus pars secunda Ad Jacobum Petiver S R S nuper transmissa 1704 24 294 1763 1773 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1704 0042 Philippine Plants part 3 Georgii Josephi Camelli de plantis Philippensibus scandentibus pars tertia Ad Jacobum Petiver S R S nuper transmissa 1704 24 295 1809 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1704 0053 Philippine Plants part 4 Reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli de plantis Philippensibus scandentibus pars quarta Ad dominum Jacobum Petiver S R S nuper transmissa 1704 24 296 1816 1842 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1704 0055 Philippine Fishes Moluscs and Crustaceans De piscibus moluscis at crustaceis Philippensibus ex manuscriptis reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli ad dominum Jacobum Petiver S R S transmissis 1704 24 301 2043 2080 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1704 0084 On fourlegged animals of the Philippines including first ever picture of tarsier or flying lemur De quadrupedibus Philippensibus tractatus a reverendo Georgio Josepho Camello transmissus Jacobo Petiver pharmacopolae et Societatis Regiae socio Londini 1706 25 305 2197 2204 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1706 0002 Philippine Monsters and Snakes De monstris quasi monstris et monstrosis item de serpentibus etc Philippensibus ex manuscripto reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli communicavit dominus Jacobus Petiver pharmacopola Londini et S R S 1706 25 307 2266 2276 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1706 0019 Philippine Shells Minerals and Fossils De conchyliis turbinatis bivalvibus et univalvibus item de mineralibus fossilibus et thermis Philippensibus ex manuscriptis reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli communicavit dominus Jacobus Petiver pharmacopola Londini et S R S 1706 25 311 2397 2408 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1706 0043 Philippine Animals De variis animalibus Philippensibus ex manuscriptis reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli communicavit dominus Jacobus Petiver pharmacopola Londini et S R S 1708 26 318 241 248 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1708 0037 Philippine Spiders and Beetles De araneis et scarabaeis Philippensibus ex manuscriptis reverendi Patris Georgii Josephi Camelli communicavit dominus Jacobus Petiver pharmacopola Londini et S R S 1711 27 331 310 315 DOI 10 1098 rstl 1710 0025 Plants named after Kamel editSeveral plants were named in Kamel s honour though in his adopted homeland the Philippines he is mostly forgotten Carl Linnaeus named the well known genus of flowering plants Camellia in Kamel s honour American botanist Elmer Drew Merrill named Eugenia kamelii after Kamel The standard author abbreviation Kamel is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name 9 See also editList of Catholic clergy scientistsReferences edit a b c Kroupa Sebestian Nov 2015 Ex epistulis Philippinensibus Georg Joseph Kamel SJ 1661 1706 and His Correspondence Network Centaurus 57 4 229 59 doi 10 1111 1600 0498 12099 ISSN 1600 0498 Cullum 1956 pp 322 323 Muzeum Cesky Krumlov http www muzeumck cz gallery barokni jezuitska lekarna Cullum 1956 pp 323 324 a b Murillo Velarde Pedro 1749 Historia de la Provincia de Philipinas de la Compania de Jesus Manila p 393v 394r Reyes 2009 Cullum 1956 pp 326 a b Reyes Raquel A G 2009 10 01 Botany and zoology in the late seventeenth century Philippines the work of Georg Josef Camel SJ 1661 1706 Archives of Natural History 36 2 262 276 doi 10 3366 e0260954109000989 ISSN 0260 9541 PMID 20014508 International Plant Names Index Kamel Literature editCullum Leo A 1956 Georg Joseph Kamel Philippine Botanist Physician Pharmacist Philippine Studies 4 2 319 339 ISSN 0031 7837 JSTOR 42719223 Gicklhorn J and Gicklhorn R 1954 Georg Joseph Kamel S J Apotheker botaniker arzt und naturforscher der Philippineninseln Eutin Holstein Internationale Gesellschaft fur Geschichte der Pharmazie Kroupa Sebestian 2015 Ex epistulis Philippinensibus Georg Joseph Kamel SJ 1661 1706 and His Correspondence Network Centaurus 57 4 229 259 Murillo Velarde P 1716 Historia de la Provincia de Philipinas de la Compania de Jesus Segunda parte que comprehende los progresos de esta provincia desde el ano de 1616 Hasta el de 1716 Manila pp 393v 394r Reyes Raquel A G 2009 Botany and zoology in the late seventeenth century Philippines the work of Georg Josef Camel SJ 1661 1706 Archives of Natural History 36 2 262 276 doi 10 3366 e0260954109000989 PMID 20014508 Kamel Georg Joseph 1661 1706 on JSTOR plants jstor org Retrieved 2021 08 02 External links editA digital version of Kamel s manuscript held in Leuven Archived 2016 08 28 at the Wayback Machine Drawings from the Philippine Islands by Kamel Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Georg Joseph Kamel amp oldid 1205930825, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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