Hegar

HEGAR Alfred (Alfred Hegar; 1830-1914), outstanding German obstetrician and gynecologist. Received his medical education in Giessen, Heidelberg, Berlin, and Vienna. After completing his university studies, he was a practicing physician in Darmstadt for 12 years, while simultaneously working scientifically (monograph: "Pathologie und Therapie der Placentarretention", Vienna, 1862). In 1864, he received a professorship in Freiburg and quickly distinguished himself as a scientific specialist, clinician, and operator. He remained in Freiburg for 40 years (until 1904) and in the first decades attracted students from all over the world. Among his numerous works, it is necessary to note the operative gynecology written together with Kaltenbach (1st ed., Vienna, 1874; 4th ed., Vienna, 1897) and the monograph which still represents great interest (albeit historical) - "Die Castration der Frau" (Leipzig, 1878). H. greatly improved operative gynecological technique, proposed dilators for the cervix bearing his name, and gave a number of valuable diagnostic methods and signs (especially H.'s signs for recognizing early pregnancy: Hegar I - softening of the uterus between the body and cervix, and Hegar II - the possibility to "pinch" the peritoneum on the anterior wall of the uterine body).