Soma Weiss
Encyclopedia
Soma Weiss was born in Beszterce
, Transylvania
, then part of Hungary
. He studied physiology
and biochemistry
in Budapest
. Immediately after the end of World War I
, he emigrated to the United States
and qualified in medicine in 1923. After initially working at Cornell University
, Weiss moved to Harvard Medical School
, and in 1939 became physician-in-chief and professor at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. He published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, the majority relating to cardiovascular diseases and pharmacology
. He died suddenly in 1942, aged only 43 years, secondary to a ruptured intracranial aneurysm. An annual lecture in his name is held at the Brigham and Women's Hospital
in his honour - The Soma Weiss Award.
Bistrita
Bistrița is the capital city of Bistriţa-Năsăud County, Transylvania, Romania. It is situated on the Bistriţa River. The city has a population of approximately 80,000 inhabitants, and it administers six villages: Ghinda, Sărata, Sigmir, Slătiniţa, Unirea and Viişoara.-History:The earliest sign of...
, Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, then part of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. He studied physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
and biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. Immediately after the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and qualified in medicine in 1923. After initially working at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, Weiss moved to Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
, and in 1939 became physician-in-chief and professor at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. He published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, the majority relating to cardiovascular diseases and pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
. He died suddenly in 1942, aged only 43 years, secondary to a ruptured intracranial aneurysm. An annual lecture in his name is held at the Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital is the largest hospital of the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in Boston, Massachusetts. It is directly adjacent to Harvard Medical School of which it is the second largest teaching affiliate with 793 beds...
in his honour - The Soma Weiss Award.
Medical achievements
- He was the first to describe the carotid sinusCarotid sinusIn human anatomy, the carotid sinus is a localized dilation of the internal carotid artery at its origin, the common carotid artery.-Functions:...
hypersensitivity syndrome - In 1925, with Hermann Blumgart performed the first application of in-vivo circulating blood radioactive tracers
- In 1929, with G. Kenneth Mallory described hemorrhagic lacerations of the cardiac orifice of the stomach due to vomiting: Mallory-Weiss syndromeMallory-Weiss syndromeMallory–Weiss syndrome or gastro-esophageal laceration syndrome refers to bleeding from tears in the mucosa at the junction of the stomach and esophagus, usually caused by severe retching, coughing, or vomiting.-Causes:...