Wilhelm Ebstein

Wilhelm Ebstein

Wilhelm Ebstein (27 November 1836 – 22 February 1912) was a German internist who was a native of Rothschild, Hesse.

Early Life and Education

Ebstein was born in Rothschild, Hesse. He studied medicine at the Universities of Marburg, Göttingen, and Berlin, where he was a student of Rudolf Virchow and Albrecht von Graefe. He received his doctorate in 1859.

Career

In 1861, Ebstein became an assistant at the medical clinic in Berlin, and in 1869 he was appointed professor of internal medicine at the University of Göttingen. He remained at Göttingen for the rest of his career, where he made significant contributions to the field of internal medicine.

Ebstein is best known for his work on metabolic diseases, particularly gout and diabetes. He also made important contributions to the understanding of heart diseases, and the condition known as Ebstein's anomaly is named after him.

Ebstein's Anomaly

Ebstein's anomaly is a rare congenital heart defect in which the tricuspid valve is abnormally formed and positioned. Ebstein discovered this condition in 1866.

Legacy

Ebstein's work has had a lasting impact on the field of internal medicine. His research on metabolic diseases and heart conditions continues to be referenced in medical literature today.

See Also

• List of medical eponyms
• History of medicine

References

• Dictionary of Medical Eponyms. Firkin BG and Whitwirth JA. 2nd edition. New York and London: The Parthenon Publishing Group. 1996
• Who Named It, a dictionary of medical eponyms. http://www.whonamedit.com