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This medical textbook, edited by Asher Arye b. Isaac Dov Goldin (1892-1966), contains chapters on diphtheria (by Golden), typhus (by Golden), bauchtyphus (by Golden), tuberculosis (by Goldenstein) and heart disease (by Goldenstein). A Hebrew-English-German glossary of medical terminology ("List of New and Uncommon Words"), prepared by Golden, is appended on pp. 82-96. "This book is the first of a series of medical books that we plan to publish ... Our goal with these books is to coin new term', clarify the unclear terms already in our literature and to prepare proper textbooks for the medical school of Hebrew University [in Jerusalem], which will no doubt be opened shortly" (p. 7). Brainin wrote in an introductory letter, "Your book will prove that in the future Jewish doctors in America will not just contribute funds (hard cash) for the building and perfecting of the medical school in Jerusalem (a great part of that which they have pledged has already been forthcoming), but that they will also enrich the treasures of medical science in Hebrew. I myself know very well more than a few Jewish doctors across America, who aside from their expertise in their specialties are also learned in our ancient and modern literature and dream about the renaissance of Hebrew. I am sure that your book will awaken the best of them to give of their hands and their hearts toward your labor, and to help strengthen the Hebrew publishing house for science books that you have founded with your limited resources. Then you will have the ability to solicit scientific works, written in Hebrew, from our scholarly doctors who are in the Land of Israel as well in the dispersions of the exile" (pp. 4-5). The purpose of this work was to "remove foreign nomenclature and dress medical science in Hebrew garb" (Persky, [1927], 333). The imprint date on the title page is 5684/1923 and on the front wrapper it is 1924.
Golden was born in Turov, Byelorussia, in 1892 and he received a traditional education from his father. He left for Kiev at the age of fourteen and studied in a gymnasium. He also assisted Abraham Kahana in his scholarly endeavors. Golden immigrated to America in 1913 and graduated from medical school in 1921. He
authored fiction, essays and translations into Hebrew and English. He also compiled a two-volume English-Hebrew medical dictionary (New York, 5705 [1945]) and was an editor of ha-Rofeh Ha-Ivri a Hebrew medical journal published in New York.
Leon M. Herbert was born in Lemberg in 1885. He was educated in a traditional heder as well as in a Polish school and a German gymnasium prior to immigrating to America in 1903. He earned an M.D. from New York University in 1908, after which he studied ancient and modern languages at Columbia University. Kressel records that he first studied languages at Columbia, and after graduating he enrolled in its medical school, which awarded him an M.D. in 1923. In addition to practicing as a doctor, Herbert contributed articles on music, literature, languages and medicine to the Yiddish and Hebrew press; translated foreign works into Hebrew; and published scientific articles in English, German and Polish journals.
Asher b. Solomon Goldenstein was born in Kishinev in 1900 and received a traditional education. He studied in the American College in Beirut and was active in its Jewish students club, Kadimah. He moved to New York in 1916 and graduated from the medical school of New York University seven years later. He returned to Kishinev in 1927. While there he helped arranged for the transfer of a large number of books to the Hebrew University library in Jerusalem. Goldenstein was active in the Zionist movement both in New York and in Kishinev and he settled in the Land of Israel in 1934. He worked as a doctor for the medical services of the Jewish Agency and Magen David Adom. He taught first aid and hygiene in a local teachers college beginning in 1959. Goldenstein published many medical books and dictionaries in Hebrew and contributed to the Yiddish and Hebrew press. He died in 1972. |
