- A dictionary of medical eponyms

Otto Gsell

Born  1902
Died  1990

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Swiss physician, born March 30, 1902, St. Gallen; died November 26, 1990, Arizona, USA.

Biography of Otto Gsell

Otto Gsell was the son of a physician. He studied medicine in Geneva, Kiel, Paris, Vienna, and Zurich, obtaining his medical doctorate at the University of Zurich in 1926. He subsequently worked as an assistant physician in Basel, Berlin, and Zurich, where he became head physician in 1933. In 1936 he became physician-in-chief at the medical clinic at the Kantonsspital St. Gallen. From 1953 to 1971 he was Professor and director of the outpatients' clinic at the University of Basel.

A major part of Gsell's research work concerned infectious diseases (poliomyelitis, Q fever). In 1952 he received the Marcel-Benoist Prize for his work on leptospiroses. He became Doctor of medicine honoris causa of the University of Göttingen in 1962, and 1970 of the University of Turku (Swedish name: Åbo), Finland. From 1977 to 1982 he was president of the medical-ethical commission of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences.

We thank Patrick Jucker-Kupper, Switzerland, for information submitted.

Bibliography

  • Chemotherapie akuter Infektionskrankheiten durch Ciba 3714 (Sulfanilamidothiazol).
    Schweizerische medizinische Wochenschrift, Basel, 1940, 70: 342-350.
    First important trial of sulphatiazole.
  • Leptospirosen. Bern, Switzerland, 1952.

  • Infektionskrankheiten. Published with F. Mohr. Four volumes, 1867-1972.
  • U. Dubach, H.R. Marti:
    Prof. Robert Otto G. zum Gedenken.
    Schweizerische medizinische Wochenshrift, 1991, 121: 81.
  • M. Stuber, S. Kraut:
    Der Marcel Benoist-Preis 1920-1995. 1995.

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