Ernst Wertheim was born and educated in Vienna. From 1910 he was full professor of gynecology and obstetrics. E. Wertheim also worked in bacteriology and he succeeded to find a good breeding ground for the clean culture of gonococcus. He worked out a method for the removal of womb neck carcinomas and his method became known as the Wertheim Operation. He also introduced other new techniques, such as operating on abnormal position of the womb and separation of the uterus. During his tenure Ernst Wertheim was regarded as the most competent surgeon in the gynecological field.