Soma
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
This 1930s encyclopedia article defines the term soma (from the Greek soma, body) as it is used in clinical practice to denote bodily phenomena opposed to mental ones, and in genetics, where it is contrasted with the germ plasm or idioplasm.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
SOMA, somatum (from the Greek soma—body), is a term used, firstly, in clinical practice to designate various phenomena connected with the body, in contrast to the psyche and phenomena of a mental character (diseases are thus divided into somatic and mental), and secondly, in genetics, where the concept of the soma is contrasted with the concept of the idioplasm, or germ plasm, i.e., the germ cells. A sharp demarcation between the soma and idioplasm was drawn by Weismann in his doctrine (see Weismann's theory and Heredity).
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“Soma.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/soma/