August Socin

August Socin (February 21, 1837 - January 22, 1899) was a Swiss surgeon and educator who was born in the town of Vesey. He earned his medical doctorate at the University of Würzburg, and subsequently was a hospital surgeon and professor of surgery in Basel. Socin also gained valuable surgical experience working in military hospitals at Verona and Karlsruhe.

Socin is credited with the development of several surgical innovations, and was a specialist concerning gastrointestinal and "radical hernia" operations. He was one of the first physicians in Europe to advocate the use of Joseph Lister’s antiseptic practices.

Socin placed great importance on the education of medical students, and advocated several reforms regarding the qualitative improvement of student training.