Josef von Halban (10 October 1870 – 23 April 1937) was an Austrian
obstetrician and
gynecologist
Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, forming the combined area ...
. He was the husband of opera singer
Selma Kurz
Selma Kurz (15 October 1874 – 10 May 1933) was an Austrian operatic dramatic coloratura soprano known for her brilliant coloratura technique.
Background
Selma Kurz was born in Bielsko-Biała to a very humble Jewish family of eleven childr ...
(1874–1933).
Born to a Jewish family, originally surnamed Blumenstock, in 1894, he obtained his medical doctorate at Vienna, where from 1898 to 1903, he worked as an assistant under
Friedrich Schauta. In 1903 he became
privat-docent for OB/GYN, becoming an associate professor in 1909.
From 1910 to 1937, he was director of gynecology at the in Vienna.
Halban is known for his pioneer research involving inner secretions of the
ovaries
The ovary is an organ in the female reproductive system that produces an ovum. When released, this travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it may become fertilized by a sperm. There is an ovary () found on each side of the body. T ...
. He also provided an early description on the
endocrine
The endocrine system is a messenger system comprising feedback loops of the hormones released by internal glands of an organism directly into the circulatory system, regulating distant target organs. In vertebrates, the hypothalamus is the neu ...
function of the
placenta
The placenta is a temporary embryonic and later fetal organ that begins developing from the blastocyst shortly after implantation. It plays critical roles in facilitating nutrient, gas and waste exchange between the physically separate mater ...
. His name is associated with the following two medical terms:
* Halban's disease: persistent cystic
corpus luteum
The corpus luteum (Latin for "yellow body"; plural corpora lutea) is a temporary endocrine structure in female ovaries involved in the production of relatively high levels of progesterone, and moderate levels of estradiol, and inhibin A. It is t ...
.
* Halban's pregnancy sign: indicator concerning increased hair-growth of pregnant women.
[Victor C. Medvei]
"The history of clinical endocrinology"
/ref>
Selected writings
* ''Topographie des weiblichen Ureters'' (with Julius Tandler
Julius Tandler (February 16, 1869 – August 25, 1936) was an Austrian physician and Social Democratic politician, whose research secured him a lasting place in the history of anatomy. His main claim to fame was his ambition to introduce a compr ...
), 1901 – Topography of female ureters.
* ''Anatomie und Ätiologie der Genitalprolapse beim Weibe'', 1907 – Anatomy
Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having its ...
and etiology of female genital prolapse
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is characterized by descent of pelvic organs from their normal positions. In women, the condition usually occurs when the pelvic floor collapses after gynecological cancer treatment, childbirth or heavy lifting.
In me ...
.
* ''Die pathologische Anatomie des Puerperalprozesses und ihre Beziehungen zur Klinik und Therapie'' – 1919 Pathological anatomy involving puerperal
The postpartum (or postnatal) period begins after childbirth and is typically considered to end within 6 weeks as the mother's body, including hormone levels and uterus size, returns to a non-pregnant state. The terms puerperium, puerperal perio ...
processes, etc.
* ''Gynäkologische operationslehre'', 1932 – Gynecological surgery lessons.
* ''Biologie und Pathologie des Weibes ein Handbuch der Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe'' (part of the series, ''Historische Quellen zur Frauenbewegung und Geschlechterproblematik'').
References
Further reading
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halban, Josef von
1870 births
1937 deaths
Physicians from Vienna
Austrian Jews
Austrian gynaecologists
Austrian obstetricians
Physicians from Austria-Hungary