The flexible endoscope

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Who

Basil Hirschowitz, a gastroenterologist born in South Africa to Lithuanian-Jewish immigrant parents.

When

1957

Where

Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

In 1957 Basil Hirschowitz and colleagues at the University of Michigan built the first fully flexible fiber-optic endoscope, letting doctors see inside the stomach and intestines without surgery. It transformed gastroenterology and helped advance fiber optics generally. Hirschowitz was born in Bethal, South Africa, to Lithuanian-Jewish immigrant parents.

Sources

Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.