Hermanus Pinkhof studied medicine in Leiden, where he sat for his medical finals on 4 March 1885. He obtained his doctoral degree on 29 January 1886 in Leiden on a thesis 'About the function of some heart poisons'. Hermanus Pinkhof lived and held his practice at 173 Amstelkade in Amsterdam. He became a branch doctor with the Dutch-Jewish Poor Relief Board and later municipal doctor.
Hermanus Pinkhof was a prominent member of medical professional associations, both on boards and on committees. He was also a famous medical author, particularly as a correspondent and, from 1911 onwards, as the editor of the Dutch Magazine for Medicine. He wrote books and articles about, among other things, quackery, Neomalthusianism, medical confidentiality, freedom to chose one's doctor, homeopathy, compulsory vaccination, child death, deontology and eubiotics (the art of preventing illnesses) of Jewish people. Together with Pieter van der Wielen (1872-1947) he wrote his most famous work, the 'Pharmacotherapeutic vademecum. List of the most common medicines with their composition and use'.
Within the Jewish community, he was known as a Talmud expert. In 1904, chief rabbi J.H. Dünner granted him the title of chover. He was president-curator of the Dutch-Jewish Seminary. He produced the text edition of a fourteenth century Hebrew manuscript about the pest 'Abraham Kashlari on pestilent fevers'. Pinkhof also focused on ensuring the Mohels (circumcisers) received appropriate training. Furthermore, he was a member of the Church Council and of the Central Committee for affairs relating to the Dutch-Jewish Church association. He was an avid Zionist. At a higher age, Hermanus Pinkhof was appointed officer in the Order of Oranje-Nassau.
Hermanus Pinkhof died in Westerbork and was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Muiderberg on 2 November 1945. He was married. His wife survived the war. Of their eight children, five sons (Meyer, Sallie, Jacob, Leonard and Joseph) did not survive the war.
J.H. Coppenhagen, Anafiem Gedoe‘iem. Overleden joodse artsen uit Nederland 1940-1945 (Rotterdam 2000) 126-127;
M.H. Gans, Memorboek. Platenatlas van het leven der joden in Nederland van de middeleeuwen tot 1940(6e bijgewerkte druk; Baarn 1988) 721; Het Joodsche Weekblad, 23 July 1943, 2
In addition, Jokos files (numbers 31563, 13799) on this family or other family members are at the Amsterdam Municipal Archive. Access is subject to authorization from the Stichting Joods Maatschappelijk Werk.The Jokos files reveal that a claim was lodged for compensation for valuables surrendered to the Lippmann-Rosenthal looting bank (L-claim, number 9309/6433).