(Born: Tägerswylen, Switzerland, 27 April 1641; Died: Zurich, Switzerland, 14 December 1695) Swiss physician & naturalist.

Wagner received his medical degree in 1667. First he was a doctor in Tägerswylen the Canton of Thurgau, than in 1670, he became Physicus in Zurich. He was a member of the Leopoldian Academy.

Biographical references: DBA: I 1323, 2-26. • Jöcher, Gelehrten-Lexikon, 1750-51. • Poggendorff: 2, cols. 1238-9. • WBI. • Wolf, Rudolf. Biographien zur Kulturgeschichte der Schweiz. Zürich, 1858-62. 4 vols.

Historia Naturalis, 1680

1. Latin, 1680 [First edition].
Historia | Naturalis | Helvetiæ | Curiosa, | In VII. Sectiones com- | pendiose digesta. | Authore | Joh. Jacobo Wagnero, | Med. Doct. | [ornament] | Tiguri, | Impensis | Joh. Henrici Lindiner, Bibliopreg. | M. DC. LXXX.

12°: [24], 390, [28] p.

Rare. This early natural history description of Switzerland is divided into seven sections: 1. General description of Switzerland. 2. The Alps are described with respect to their shape, height, glaciers, caves, etc. 3. Covers the lakes, rivers, baths, mineral springs, etc. 4. Animals. 5. Plants. 6. Provides about 50 pages of systematic description of organic and inorganic fossils and minerals. 7. Meteorology. Wagner includes descriptions of 85 Swiss baths and mineral water wells as well as political conditions of the border. He also treats birds, fish, insects, snakes, etc. in the section on animals. For the first time various caves in Switzerland are described.

Bibliographical references: BL. • BMC: 5, 2247. • Fueter, Grosse Schweizer Forscher, 1941: p. 62. • Haller, Bibliotheca Botanica, 1771-2: 1, 1039. • Studer, Geschichte Geographie Schweiz, 1863: 178ff. • Ward & Carozzi, Geology Emerging, 1984: no. 2265.

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