Max Samter

Samter was born in what is now the eastern part of Berlin in 1908. Both his father and grandfather were medical doctors, and he was advised to attend multiple medical schools to gain knowledge and experience. Thus, he studied at Freiburg in the German Countryside, Innsbruck in Austria, and Berlin. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Berlin in 1933. == Career ==

After he earned his Medical Degree, Samter started working as an intern doing research at Charite Hospital in Berlin. During Hitler's Regime, Jewish doctors were no longer allowed to work in major Universities. He then spent the last 28 years of his career working there in a variety of positions. He served as Chief of Staff and, in 1975, was appointed Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs of the Abraham Lincoln School of Medicine. He also became Director of the Institute of Allergy and Immunology and Clinical Immunology at Grant Hospital of Chicago in 1975. It was there that he made his most notable discovery- now known as Samter's Triad or aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease. == Samter's Triad ==

(photographed in 2026) Samter became interested in allergies during his time at the University of Illinois and noted a connection between asthma, sinusitis with nasal polyps, and aspirin sensitivity. He found that people with one or more of these three factors are inclined to develop the others. This condition is called Samter's Triad, Samter's Syndrome, or, most commonly, aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease. While the first publication discussing the link between asthma, nasal polyps and aspirin sensitivity was made by Georges-Fernand Widal in 1922, it was Samter who fully characterized the condition and brought widespread study and acknowledgement. It is a chronic disease meaning it has no known cure and does not go away. As evidenced by its wide range of symptoms and status as a chronic disease, Samter's Syndrome impacts quality of life, and can be life-threatening. == Legacy ==

The Samter's Society is a patient advocacy group dedicated to raising awareness for the disease Samter discovered. He is survived by his three children, all of whom followed in his footsteps and became doctors. == Notable publications ==

Samter was instrumental in writing many of the essential books in his field, including Regional Allergy (1954), Classics in Allergy (1969), Immunological Diseases (1965), and Hypersensitivity to Drugs (1971). == References ==