Theodor Christian Brun Frølich (29 September 1870 – 14 August 1947) was a
Norwegian physician and Professor of Pediatrics at the
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo ( no, Universitetet i Oslo; la, Universitas Osloensis) is a public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the highest ranked and oldest university in Norway. It is consistently ranked among the top universit ...
. In 1938 he was nominated for the
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, accord ...
for his pioneering contributions to the study of the treatment of
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, feeling tired and sore arms and legs. Without treatment, decreased red blood cells, gum disease, changes to hair, and bleeding ...
and to the development of
Vitamin C
Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits and vegetables, also sold as a dietary supplement and as a topical 'serum' ingredient to treat melasma (dark pigment spots) an ...
.
Biography
Theodor Frølich was born in
Christiania (now Oslo), Norway. He was the son of ''Hofmarskalk'' (Lord Steward of the Household)
Theodor Christian Brun Frølich (1834–1904) and Bodil Christina (Stina) Grønn (1834–1901). In 1897 he married (Clara Constance Rosalie) Aimée Thaulow Knutsen (1873–1948). Their son was the
fencer Jens Frølich (1914–1938), who competed in the individual and team
foil events at the
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-sp ...
. Their grandsons were
jazz musician
This is a list of jazz musicians by instrument based on existing articles on Wikipedia. Do not enter names that lack articles. Do not enter names that lack sources.
Accordion
* Kamil Běhounek (1916–1983)
* Luciano Biondini (born 1971)
* A ...
s
Theodor Christian Frølich «Totti» Bergh (1935–2012) and his brother ''Johs. Bergh'' (1932–2001).
Early career
After
examen artium from Gjertsen's Skole (1888) Frølich studied medicine at the University of Oslo and gained the ''cand.med'' degree in 1895. He was a general practitioner in
Larvik
Larvik () is a List of cities in Norway, town and Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestfold in Vestfold og Telemark Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. The municipality ...
and
Sandefjord Spa
Sandefjord Spa ( no, Sandefjord Kurbad, often shortened to Kurbadet), was a spa in Sandefjord, Norway, established by Heinrich Arnold Thaulow in 1837. The main building from 1899 is one of the largest wooden buildings in Norway and in the Nord ...
and returned to Kristiania in 1896 as chief physician at
Rikshospitalet, the departement of
pediatrics
Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until th ...
. He did research on
diabetes
Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...
in children, resulting in his doctorate (dr.med) in 1903.
Frølich then joined professor
Axel Holst
Axel Holst (6 September 1860 – 26 April 1931) was a Norwegian Professor of Hygiene and Bacteriology at the University of Oslo.
He was most known for his contributions to the study of the treatment of Beriberi and Scurvy.
Biography
Holst was bor ...
(1860–1931) at the University Institute of Hygiene to study
scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, feeling tired and sore arms and legs. Without treatment, decreased red blood cells, gum disease, changes to hair, and bleeding ...
, suspected of being a nutritional deficiency among fishermen, then called ''shipboard beri-beri''. Holst and Frølich established an animal model that allowed systematic study of factors that led to the ship-related dietary disease, as well as the preventive value of different substances. They discovered that scurvy occurred in guinea pigs when fed solely with various types of grain, either whole or baked into bread, and these symptoms were prevented when the diet was supplemented with known
antiscorbutic
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, feeling tired and sore arms and legs. Without treatment, decreased red blood cells, gum disease, changes to hair, and bleeding ...
s like fresh cabbage or lemon juice. Frølich published his results in 1910 and 1912 and identified
vitamin C
Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits and vegetables, also sold as a dietary supplement and as a topical 'serum' ingredient to treat melasma (dark pigment spots) an ...
before the essential idea of ''vitamins'' had been introduced, maybe the single most important piece of vitamin C research.
In 1920 Frølich was appointed Professor of pediatrics at the Oslo University. He engaged in research on
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
, became president of ''Nasjonalforeningen mot tuberkulosen'' (the National Society Against Tuberculosis), and initiated the preventive
Tuberculin skin test for school children. In Norway Frølich was also renowned for ''Dr. Frølichs Cough Syrup'', a sweetened extract of
Carapichea ipecacuanha.
Honors
* 1918–1920
Det norske medicinske Selskab
The Norwegian Medical Society ( no, Det norske medicinske Selskab, la, Societas Medica Norvegica) is a medical organisation in Norway.
It has its roots in an informal group created in 1826, which subscribed to and shared foreign medical journal ...
, president
* 1923–1924
Den norske legeforening The Norwegian Medical Association ( no, Den norske lægeforening (1886–2008), spelled ''Den norske legeforening'' since 2008) is the main Norwegian medical association and trade union, and was founded in 1886. It has 32 555 members (as of 2016) o ...
, president
* 1924
Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi, member
* 1935
Det Kongelige Norske Videnskabers Selskab, member
* 1928–1937 Nationalforeningen mot tuberkulosen, president
* 1931–1937 Oslo helseråd (Municipal Health Council of Oslo), member
* 1931
Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...
, France, officer
* 1934
Order of St. Olav
The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II ...
, Norway, knight
* 1935
Gunnerus Medal, of Det Kongelige Norske Videnskabers Selskab.
* Honorary member of Norsk pediatrisk selskap (The Norwegian Pediatric Society)
* 1933 Doctor honoris causa from
Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm
Books
* T. Frølich: ''Studier over Diabetes mellitus i barnealderen af Theodor Frølich.'' 1903
* T. Frølich: ''Experimentelle Untersuchungen über den infantilen Skorbut.'' In: ''Z. Hyg. Infektionskrankh.'' Band 72, 1912, S. 155–182.
* T. Frølich: ''Pædiatri: en veiledning under studiet av den første barnealders sygdommer.'' 1924
* T. Frølich: ''Nordisk Lærebog i Pædiatri'' Munksgaard, 1945, 892 S.
* T. Frølich: ''Pædiatri.'' Steen, 1924
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frolich, Theodor
1870 births
1948 deaths
University of Oslo alumni
Academic staff of the University of Oslo
Oslo University Hospital people
Norwegian medical researchers
Members of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters