Philip Showalter Hench
Philip Showalter Hench | |
---|---|
Ocho Rios, Jamaica | |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | Lafayette College University of Pittsburgh |
Known for | Discovery of cortisone |
Awards | Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1950) |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Medicine |
Institutions | Mayo Clinic |
Signature | |
Philip Showalter Hench (February 28, 1896 – March 30, 1965
Hench received his undergraduate education at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, and received his medical training at the United States Army Medical Corps and the University of Pittsburgh. He began working at Mayo Clinic in 1923, later serving as the head of the Department of Rheumatology. In addition to the Nobel Prize, Hench received many other awards and honors throughout his career. He also had a lifelong interest in the history and discovery of yellow fever.
Early life
He attended
In 1928 and 1929, Hench furthered his education at
Medical career
Hench started his career at Mayo Clinic in 1923, working in the Department of Rheumatic Diseases. In 1926, he became the head of the department. While at Mayo Clinic, Hench focused his work on arthritic diseases, where his observations led him to hypothesize that steroids alleviated pain associated with the disease.[3] During this same time, biochemist Edward Calvin Kendall has isolated several steroids from the adrenal gland cortex. After several years of work, the duo decided to try one of these steroids (dubbed Compound E at the time, later to become known as cortisone) on patients afflicted by rheumatoid arthritis.[3] Testing of the hypothesis was delayed because the synthesis of Compound E was costly and time-consuming, and Hench served in the military during World War II. The tests were conducted successfully in 1948 and 1949.[3]
Hench, Kendall, and Swiss chemist
During his career, Hench was one of the founding members of the American Rheumatism Association, and served as its president in 1940 and 1941.
In addition to his work with cortisone, Hench had a career long interest in yellow fever. Starting in 1937, Hench began to document the history behind the discovery of yellow fever. His collection of documents on this subject are at the University of Virginia in the Philip S. Hench Walter Reed Yellow Fever Collection.[8] His wife donated the collection to the university after his death.[9]
Family
Hench married Mary Kahler (1905-1982) in 1927.
References
- ^ Philip S. Hench on Nobelprize.org , accessed 2 May 2020
- ^ a b "The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1950". The Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Philip S. Hench". The Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
- ^ "Nobel Laureates and Research Affiliations". The Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
- ^ "Philip S. Hench". The Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
- ^ "Philip S. Hench - Banquet Speech". The Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
- ^ PMID 14323547.
- ^ "The Story". University of Virginia. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
- ^ "Philip S. Hench". University of Virginia. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
- ^ "About Kahler". Kahler Hotels. Archived from the original on 2011-06-24. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
- PMC 1030954.
External links
- Philip S. Hench on Nobelprize.org including the Nobel Lecture, December 11, 1950 The Reversibility of Certain Rheumatic and Non-Rheumatic Conditions by the Use of Cortisone Or of the Pituitary Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
- Biography
- University of Virginia Health Sciences Library, A Guide to the Philip S. Hench Walter Reed Yellow Fever Collection