Harold Joseph Jeghers (September 26, 1904 – September 21, 1990) was an American internist, best known for his description of

Peutz–Jeghers syndrome Peutz–Jeghers syndrome (often abbreviated PJS) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by the development of benign hamartomatous polyps in the gastrointestinal tract and hyperpigmented macules on the lips and oral mucosa ( mela ...

, a disorder of gastrointestinal

polyps A polyp in zoology is one of two forms found in the phylum Cnidaria, the other being the medusa. Polyps are roughly cylindrical in shape and elongated at the axis of the vase-shaped body. In solitary polyps, the aboral (opposite to oral) end i ...

and hyperpigmentation of the mouth and lips.

Life and scientific career

Jeghers was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1904. In 1928, he graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He graduated from medical school at

Western Reserve University Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US * Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that i ...

in 1932. He worked as a consultant at

Boston City Hospital The Boston City Hospital (1864–1996), in Boston, Massachusetts, was a public hospital, located in the South End. It was "intended for the use and comfort of poor patients, to whom medical care will be provided at the expense of the city, and . ...

before being appointed chairman of the Medicine Department at Georgetown University in 1946. In 1956, he become a professor at Seton Hall College. In 1966, he became a professor of Medicine at

Tufts University School of Medicine The Tufts University School of Medicine is the medical school of Tufts University, a private research university in Massachusetts. It was established in 1893 and is located on the university's health sciences campus in downtown Boston. The '' ...

. He retired in 1974. He is best known for the description of

in 1949, a syndrome of polyps in the gastrointestinal tract associated with hyperpigmentation of the lips and oral mucosa. The syndrome was previously described by Jan Peutz in 1921.

References

1904 births 1990 deaths Case Western Reserve University alumni Georgetown University Medical Center faculty Seton Hall University faculty Tufts University School of Medicine faculty American internists Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute alumni {{US-physician-stub