Jacob Mendez Da Costa (1833 – 1900) was an American physician.
Global eclectic traveler, fluent in German and French and able to read Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Dutch.
Eponymously affiliated with Da Costa Syndrome
‘A teachers work does not die with him. It lives long after and may give great results.’ – Valedictory address, 1874.
Biography
- Born February 7, 1833 St. Thomas, West Indies (Danish colony)
- 1837 – travelled with family for education in Europe (Dresden gymnasium)
- 1845-1852 – Studied medicine at Jefferson Medical College, USA
- 1852 – Returned to Europe working in Paris with Armand Trousseau (1801-1867), then on to work in Prague and Vienna
- 1853-1861 – Physician to the dispensary of Moyamensing House of Industry, but struggled in private practice and preferred to teach medical students. Exyensive teaching resulted in his very popular textbook ‘Medical Diagnosis‘ in 1864 (running to nine editions).
- 1861-1865 Acting Assistant Surgeon, Military Hospital in Philadelphia
- 1865 – Visiting Physician to the Pennsylvania Hospital
- 1866 – Lecturer on Clinical Medicine, Jefferson Medical College
- 1872 – Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College
- Died September 12, 1900
Medical Eponyms
- Da Costa Syndrome (1871)
Major Publications
- Da Costa JM. Medical diagnosis, with special reference to practical medicine: a guide to the knowledge and discrimination of diseases. Philadelphia : Lippincott 1864.
- Da Costa JM. On strain and over-action of the heart. Toner lecture, delivered May 14, 1874
- Da Costa JM. Professional aspirations: valedictory address to the graduating class of Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia. 1891.
- Da Costa JM. Biographical sketch of Dr. Austin Flint. Philadelphia: 1887
References
- Wooley CF. Jacob Mendez DaCosta: medical teacher, clinician, and clinical investigator. Am J Cardiol. 1982 Nov;50(5):1145-8. [PMID 6753556]
eponym
the person behind the name
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