Basil Hirschowitz

Basil Isaac Hirschowitz (* May 29, 1925 in Bethal, South Africa, † January 19, 2013 in Birmingham, Alabama) was an academic gastroenterologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

He completed his medical training at the University of Witwatersrand, where he received his Bachelor of Science in chemistry, in 1947 his bachelor's degrees in Medicine ( MB) and Surgery ( ChB ) and 1954 his medical doctorate (MD ) acquired in 1943. 1948 to 1949 he was a House Officer in the Johannesburg General Hospital, 1950 went to London, 1951-1953 Registrar at Central Middlesex Hospital.

In 1953 he went to the USA, where he first a gastrointestinal research group at the University of Michigan was a member, instructor and later was an assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine. In 1957 he became an Assistant Professor at Temple University in 1959 and an associate professor at the Medical College of Alabama, where he became Professor in 1964 and 1959 to 1988 Department of Gastroenterology initiated.

To 1955-1958 he developed with C. Wilbur Peter and Lawrence E. Curtiss improved optical fiber, the first flexible endoscope enabled. He dealt with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the physiology of the stomach and mechanisms and treatment of over-production of stomach acid.

He was married since 1958. In 1961 he was naturalized in the United States.

Hirschowitz was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Awards

• Schindler Medal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (1973 )
• Friedenwald Medal of the American Gastroenterological Association ( 1992)
• General Motors Cancer Research Awards Kettering Prize (1987 )
• Honorary doctorate from the University of Gothenburg (2006)