Jacob Mendes Da Costa

Jacob Mendes Da Costa ( born February 7 in 1833 on Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, † September 11, 1900 in Villanova, Pennsylvania) was an American surgeon.

Da Costa was formed in Dresden in 1852 and graduated at Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University today. He extended his higher education in Europe, mainly in Paris and Vienna.

After his return from Europe Da Costa practiced in Philadelphia and was until 1861 a lecturer at the Polyclinic in Moyamensing. During the Civil War Da Costa served in the Union Army, and on Turner 's Lane Hospital in Philadelphia. There he explored somatoform disorders in soldiers, watching for the first time named after him Da- Costa'sche syndrome or cardio phobia. After the Civil War, Costa continued since his teaching continues at Pennsylvania Hospital. From 1866 he taught clinical medicine at Jefferson Medical College, 1872 he was appointed professor of theory and practice of medicine and professor emeritus in 1891. During his retirement, he continued as a consultant for the reform of medical studies and was from 1899 curator of the University of Pennsylvania.

During his lifetime, published nine editions of his book "Medical Diagnosis" and was the first complete manual of its kind after Da Costa cardio phobia is also known as Da Costa 's syndrome.