For young Anton von Störck (1731-1803), the prospect of life was anything but promising. He was made an orphan early on and had to live in a poorhouse in Vienna on the alms of the community. Despite this Dickensian childhood, he was able to educate himself and study medicine at the University of Vienna under the mentorship of van Swieten. He obtained a doctoral degree and was hired by the municipality as the doctor of the poor.
Von Störck’s special field of interest was healing herbs. He believed that even poisonous herbs, if adequately dosed, could have medicinal benefits. His research led him to experiment with various plants and decipher a three-step testing routine. After initial animal testing, he took the drug himself, observing and recording the effect of it, and only when the result was positive did he administer the medicine to patients. In 1767, von Störck successfully cured the Empress of smallpox and was appointed her personal doctor. Years later, to show her gratitude for his contribution to pharmacology, the Empress ennobled him to the rank of baron.