Christoph Jacob, a celebrated anatomist and botanist of Germany, was born at Lauf near Nürnberg, on the 26th of April 1695. After receiving his medical degree at Altdorf in 1716, he began practice in his native town. Having had a strong desire to see a little more of Europe before he should settle down to the close and fatiguing practice of a medical man, he accordingly spent the next year or two in visiting Switzerland, France, and Holland. In 1720 he again returned to Lauf, and was made a member of the College of Physicians at Nürnberg. The margrave of Anspach shortly after appointed him physician-in-ordinary and counsellor to the court. In 1746 he was chosen president of the Académie des Curieux de la Nature, which included the titles of count palatine, aulic councillor, and physician to the emperor. Besides the numerous admirable works of which Trew was the author, he published a great number of experiments and observations on botany and anatomy in the Commercium Litterarium and the Acta Curiosum Natura. He died on the 18th of July 1769, aged seventy-four.

The principal works of Trew in anatomy were his Dissertatio Epitome, 4to, Nürnberg, 1736; his Epitome ad Alb. Hallerum, 4to, 1734; and his Tabulae Osteologicae Corporis Humani, 1767. In botany, he published a splendid work, in which he was assisted by the magnificent designs of Ehret the painter. This work was entitled Flora Selecta, and appeared in 1750-73. In 1757-67, appeared his Cedratum et Tributum Historiae et Character Botanicus. He likewise published an improved edition of Blackwell's Herbal, and the Icones posthumae, Geometricae, in 1748.