Carl Voegtlin
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Carl Voegtlin (July 28, 1879 – April 9, 1960), also Karl Voegtlin, was a Swiss-American pharmacologist, organic chemist, and the first director of the U.S. National Cancer Institute. He is known for his research into the biochemical effects of cancer, contributions to the pharmacology of
arsenicals Arsenicals are chemical compounds that contain arsenic. In a military context, the term arsenical refer to toxic arsenic compounds that are used as chemical warfare agents. This include blister agents, blood agents and vomiting agents. Examples Bli ...
and the discovery, with Homer Smith, of mapharsen as the active agent in Paul Ehrlich's Salvarsan.


Education and career

Voegtlin was born in
Zofingen, Switzerland Zofingen (french: Zofingue) is a city in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. It is the capital of the district of Zofingen. Zofingen is a walled city and home of an ancient monastic settlement. History In ancient times Zofingen was a settlemen ...
and grew up in Basel, Switzerland. He studied preclinical science at the University of Basel, chemistry and physics at the University of Munich, and also attended University of Geneva, where he worked with the German chemist
Carl Graebe Carl may refer to: *Carl, Georgia, city in USA *Carl, West Virginia, an unincorporated community * Carl (name), includes info about the name, variations of the name, and a list of people with the name *Carl², a TV series * "Carl", an episode of te ...
. He obtained a doctorate under the supervision of
Ludwig Gattermann Ludwig Gattermann (20 April 1860 – 20 June 1920) was a German chemist who contributed significantly to both organic and inorganic chemistry. Early life Ludwig Gatterman was born on 20 April 1860 in Goslar, an old mining town north of th ...
at the University of Freiburg, Germany in 1902, with a thesis entitled ''Beiträge zur Kenntnis des Phenyläthers und seiner Homologen'' (Contribution to the study of phenylether and its homologues). In 1903 and 1904, he was trained under
William Henry Perkin Jr. William Henry Perkin Jr., Royal Society, FRS FRSE (17 June 1860 – 17 September 1929) was an English Organic chemistry, organic chemist who was primarily known for his groundbreaking research work on the degradation of naturally occurring organi ...
at the University of Manchester in England. In 1904, he sailed for the United States. During the first months of his stay, he taught chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Naturalized as an American, he joined the
Johns Hopkins University Medical School The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSOM) is the medical school of Johns Hopkins University, a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1893, the School of Medicine shares a campus with the Johns Hopkins Hospi ...
as an assistant. In 1906, he was appointed assistant professor to John Jacob Abel, head of the pharmacology department. It was through contact with Abel that Voegtlin's career took a turn away from medicine towards pharmacology. In 1913, succeeding
Reid Hunt Reid Hunt (1870–1948), was an American pharmacologist, known for his work on adrenal glands The adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands) are endocrine glands that produce a variety of hormones including adrenaline and the steroids ...
, Voegtlin was promoted to head the pharmacology section of the U.S. Hygienic Laboratory, which in 1937 became the National Institutes of Health. He was also director of pharmacology at the United States Public Health Service. He held this post until 1940, but remained in the health service until 1943, when he retired, having been appointed Director of the National Cancer Institute in 1938. Voegtlin became a Herter Lecturer and Harvey Lecturer in 1938 and delivered three lectures on chemotherapy at
Bellevue Hospital Medical College NYU Grossman School of Medicine is a medical school of New York University, a private research university in New York City. It was founded in 1841 and is one of two medical schools of the university, with the other being the Long Island School of ...
(now part of New York University School of Medicine). He also lectures at the Institute of Medicine of Chicago. From 1943, when he retired from the medical service, to 1955, he taught pharmacology at the
University of Rochester Medical School The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), now known as UR Medicine, is located in Rochester, New York, is one of the main campuses of the University of Rochester and comprises the university's primary medical education, research and pat ...
, where he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree in 1947. He also worked as the chief toxicology consultant of the Manhattan District.


Honors and awards

Voegtlin was a member of the American Physiological Society, the American Society of Brewing Chemists, the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, the American Medical Association, and the Committee on Drug Addiction of the National Research Council. He was President of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics from 1927 to 1930, President of the National Academy of Medicine in 1938, and President of the
American Association for Cancer Research The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world's oldest and largest professional association related to cancer research. Based in Philadelphia, the AACR focuses on all aspects of cancer research, including basic, clinical, and t ...
in 1941. He took part in the first and second International Alliance for Biological Standardization, organized by the League of Nations in 1921 and 1925.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Voegtlin, Carl 1879 births 1960 deaths American pharmacologists University of Freiburg alumni University of Basel alumni Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich alumni Johns Hopkins University faculty People from Zofingen University of Rochester faculty American people of Swiss descent