James Adolf Israel (2 February 1848 – 2 February 1926) was a German surgeon.

Academic background

Israel was a native of Berlin, where he was born to Jewish parents. In 1870, Israel received his medical doctorate from Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Berlin, where he studied under Ludwig Traube (1818–1876). During the Franco-Prussian War, he served as a military physician, afterwards furthering his studies in Vienna (1871). During the following year (1872), he became an assistant physician at the hospital for the Jewish community. In 1875, after furthering his education in England and Scotland, he was appointed deputy physician-in-chief of the surgical department of the Jewish hospital in Berlin, where, in 1880, he was promoted to chief-in-chief. In 1894, he received the title of professor. Among his students in Berlin was surgeon Ferdinand Karewski (1858-1923).

Contributions in medicine

Israel was a pioneer in modern urologic and renal surgery. His inaugural thesis involved Bright's kidney disease, and his first report of an operation of the kidney was in 1882. He published over 100 articles during his career, largely on urologic medicine. He was co-founder of the journal Folia Urologica. Israel made significant contributions in the field of plastic surgery, in particular, oral and maxillofacial surgery. He was also an early advocate of Joseph Lister's antiseptic practices in the operating room. In addition, he is credited for design of a mobile hospital railcar known as a "lazarett". In 1878, he provided the first description of actinomycosis in humans, caused by a pathogen that was later given the name Actinomyces israelii.

Associated eponym

The Nicoladoni-Israel-Branham sign is a circulatory phenomenon seen in angioma racemosum of the extremities. It was first described in 1875 by Carl Nicoladoni (1847–1902).

Selected writings