List_of_eponymous_diseases List_of_eponymous_diseases

List of eponymous diseases - Definition and Overview

A large number of diseases have been named after people. Most often, their namesakes discovered or described the disease, while occasionally the disease is named after the first patient described (Christmas disease) or the place where it was first identified (Bornholm disease).

The proliferation of eponyms in medicine is partly due to the fact that until recently the exact cause of many diseases was a mystery. The best way to refer to a syndrome, then, was to refer to the person who first addressed its existence.

There is controversy over the naming conventions for eponymous diseases. Many sources now agree that an apostrophe should be used if the disease is named after the patient, and no apostrophe if the disease is named after the physician (for example, Down syndrome). However, older conventions are still commonly in use, and usage in practice is effectively random.

Eponyms by medical specialty:

Alphabetical list

See also

External links

  • WhoNamedIt.com (http://www.whonamedit.com), a site dedicated to medical eponyms and their namesakes.
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