Hirch, Rachel (1870–1953)

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Hirch, Rachel (1870–1953)

German-Jewish physician, medical researcher, and professor. Name variations: Rahel Hirsch. Born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Sept 15, 1870; died in London, England, Oct 6, 1953; dau. of Mendel Hirsch (1833–1900, school principal); paternal granddau. of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808–1888, foremost exponent of Orthodox Judaism); attended University of Zurich, 1898; University of Strassburg, MD, 1903; never married.

Researcher who was the 1st to discover the mechanism whereby corpuscular elements, after having 1st passed through the lymphatic vessel system, are then finally eliminated from the blood through the renal capillaries; her theory, published in a scientific paper (1906), was ignored in her day but found to be scientifically valid almost 2 generations later and then named the "Rachel Hirsch Effect"; was 1st woman in Prussia to receive title of Professor of Medicine (1913); fled Germany (1938).

See also Women in World History