The 1950 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine recognized a breakthrough in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, centered on the biological effects of hormones derived from the adrenal cortex. Philip Showalter Hench, a central figure in this discovery, demonstrated that the substance then known as Compound E could successfully reverse the symptoms of this debilitating rheumatic condition.
Early Education and Training
Born in Pittsburgh in 1896, Hench attended Shady Side Academy before moving to Lafayette College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1916. His medical training was interrupted by service in the United States Army Medical Corps. Following his military duty, he completed his education at the University of Pittsburgh, obtaining his Doctor of Medicine. His early clinical experience included a year as an intern at St. Francis Hospital in Pittsburgh.
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Hench joined the Mayo Clinic in 1923, marking the start of a long tenure that would define his professional life. He specialized in the Department of Rheumatic Diseases, eventually becoming its head. In 1928 and 1929, he temporarily left the United States to pursue further educational opportunities at the University of Freiburg and the von Müller Clinic in Munich, Germany, broadening his expertise in international medical practices.
The Cortisone Breakthrough
While investigating arthritic diseases, Hench observed that certain steroid compounds might alleviate pain. Working in collaboration with biochemist Edward Calvin Kendall, who had isolated steroids from the adrenal gland cortex, Hench tested Compound E—later identified as cortisone—on patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Although the high cost of synthesis and Hench’s military service during World War II delayed progress, successful trials were conducted in 1948 and 1949.
Honors and Research Interests
In 1950, Hench shared the Nobel Prize with Edward Calvin Kendall and Tadeus Reichstein. Beyond his work on steroids, Hench maintained a scholarly interest in the history of yellow fever, beginning extensive documentation in 1937. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Académie Nationale de Médecine. He died in 1965 in Ocho Rios and was buried at Oakwood Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1896, Pittsburgh
- Died: 1965, Ocho Rios
- Nobel Prize: Physiology or Medicine, 1950
- Lasker-DeBakey Award: 1949
- Primary Employer: Mayo Clinic (1923)
- Notable Research: Adrenal cortex hormones and rheumatoid arthritis
- Burial site: Oakwood Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What specific medical breakthrough was Hench awarded the Nobel Prize for?
He was honored for his discoveries concerning the hormones of the adrenal cortex and their application in treating rheumatoid arthritis.
Where did Philip Showalter Hench conduct his clinical research?
He spent the majority of his career working at the Mayo Clinic, which he joined in 1923.
Achievements
- Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine — 1950
- Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award — 1949
- Held posts at Mayo Clinic
- Fields: medicine
