Sophie Rabinoff

Sophie Rabinoff (1899–1957) was a Jewish pediatrician, public health educator, and researcher. She was known for her contributions to the field of preventative medicine.

Sophie served as a health official in various hospitals and centers in New York including New York Department of Health and New York Medical College. She was the first female physician on house staff at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and the only female physician in the American Zionist Medical Unit in Israel during World War I.

Life Rabinoff was born to Jewish parents Louis and Rose Rabinoff in Mogeileff, Russia (now Belarus) on May 19, 1889. Immediately after birth, the family relocated ro New York, US. She had a brother, George Rabinoff, and three sisters, Clara Rabinoff Carson, Jeannie Rabinoff and Eva Rabinoff Goalwin.

She attended New York public schools, then Hunter College from 1906 - 1908, and then went to Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania (now Drexel University College of Medicine) receiving her medical degree in 1913.

In 1915 Rabinoff and Dr. Alfred F. Hess attempted to prophylacticly immunize children against mumps and chickenpox at the Hebrew Infant Asylum where Rabinoff was a physician. Children who never had mumps received injections from the blood of mumps patients and were then placed in mumps wards. This experiment yielded resounding success to stem the spread of Chickenpox through vaccines and led to others copying this method including Chicago's Home for Jewish Friendless.

From 1918 - 1919, she worked on the first large-scale project on the use of Diphtheria toxin, Antitoxin, and Toxoid.

From 1919 - 1934, Rabinoff ran the pediatric clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital (Manhattan). In addition, she maintained a private medical practice specializing in Pediatrics and in the 1930s was the cardiologist for the New York Infirmary for Women and Children. In 1934, Rabinoff began working with the New York Department of Public Health, organizing health center programs on the Lower East and West side.

Teaching career In 1939 Rabinoff taught as a Clinical Instructor in public health for New York Medical College, supervising fieldwork for senior medical students.

Rabinoff returned to the United States in 1919 where she published a medical paper on her experience there, Some Experience with Malaria Among Children in Palestine, presenting it at the New York Academy of Medicine in December 1919.

Advocacy After retiring in 1956, Rabinoff continued working with the East Harlem Council for Community Planning and Public Health Committee of New York County Medical Society.

Rabinoff also continued raising money for various Jewish philanthropies.

Awards and associations In 1957 Rabinoff received the Achievement Award of the Alumnae Association of Woman's Medical College.

She was named a Diplomate of the American Board of Preventive Medicine and Public Health.

She was a member of the American Public Health Association, Women's Medical Association of New York City and New York State, American Medical Association, Women's City Club of New York, and New York Academy of Medicine.