Alfred Baring Garrod
Encyclopedia
Sir Alfred Baring Garrod FRS (1819–1907) was an English physician.
He was born in Ipswich
, the son of Robert and Sarah (née Ennew) Garrod.
He initially apprenticed at Ipswich Hospital
, and later moved to University College Hospital
, where he earned his medical doctorate in 1843. Afterwards he was an assistant at West London Hospital and a physician at the Aldersgate
Dispensary. In 1849 be was appointed full physician at University College Hospital, and in 1863 became a professor of materia medica
and therapeutics at King's College Hospital
. In 1874 he left hospital to become an honorary Fellow and consultant physician to the college.
In 1848 Garrod had discovered an abnormal increase of uric acid
in the blood of patients with gout
, and was the first to propose lithium
as a remedy for the disorder. He recommended lithium as a treatment for mental illness, and hypothesized that gout could be a cause of mood disorders such as mania and depression. He is also credited for coining the term "rheumatoid arthritis
".
In 1858 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
In 1860 he was elected president of the Medical Society of London
. In 1887 he was knighted as "Sir Alfred Baring Garrod", and in 1890 was appointed "Physician Extraordinary" to Queen Victoria.
On his death in 1907 he was buried in Great Northern cemetery, Southgate, Middlesex. He had married Elizabeth Ann Colchester of Ipswich; they had six children. Two of his sons were zoologist Alfred Henry Garrod
(1846–1879) and physician Archibald Edward Garrod (1857–1936).
He was born in Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, the son of Robert and Sarah (née Ennew) Garrod.
He initially apprenticed at Ipswich Hospital
Ipswich Hospital
For the Ipswich Hospital in Australia see Ipswich Hospital, QueenslandThe Ipswich Hospital is a large district general hospital in Suffolk, England...
, and later moved to University College Hospital
University College Hospital
University College Hospital is a teaching hospital located in London, United Kingdom. It is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is closely associated with University College London ....
, where he earned his medical doctorate in 1843. Afterwards he was an assistant at West London Hospital and a physician at the Aldersgate
Aldersgate
Aldersgate was a gate in the London Wall in the City of London, which has given its name to a ward and Aldersgate Street, a road leading north from the site of the gate, towards Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington.-History:...
Dispensary. In 1849 be was appointed full physician at University College Hospital, and in 1863 became a professor of materia medica
Materia medica
Materia medica is a Latin medical term for the body of collected knowledge about the therapeutic properties of any substance used for healing . The term 'materia medica' derived from the title of a work by the Ancient Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides in the 1st century AD, De materia medica libre...
and therapeutics at King's College Hospital
King's College Hospital
King's College Hospital is an acute care facility in the London Borough of Lambeth, referred to locally and by staff simply as "King's" or abbreviated internally to "KCH"...
. In 1874 he left hospital to become an honorary Fellow and consultant physician to the college.
In 1848 Garrod had discovered an abnormal increase of uric acid
Uric acid
Uric acid is a heterocyclic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen with the formula C5H4N4O3. It forms ions and salts known as urates and acid urates such as ammonium acid urate. Uric acid is created when the body breaks down purine nucleotides. High blood concentrations of uric acid...
in the blood of patients with gout
Gout
Gout is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe is the most commonly affected . However, it may also present as tophi, kidney stones, or urate...
, and was the first to propose lithium
Lithium
Lithium is a soft, silver-white metal that belongs to the alkali metal group of chemical elements. It is represented by the symbol Li, and it has the atomic number 3. Under standard conditions it is the lightest metal and the least dense solid element. Like all alkali metals, lithium is highly...
as a remedy for the disorder. He recommended lithium as a treatment for mental illness, and hypothesized that gout could be a cause of mood disorders such as mania and depression. He is also credited for coining the term "rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
".
In 1858 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
In 1860 he was elected president of the Medical Society of London
Medical Society of London
The Medical Society of London is one of the oldest surviving medical societies in the United Kingdom ....
. In 1887 he was knighted as "Sir Alfred Baring Garrod", and in 1890 was appointed "Physician Extraordinary" to Queen Victoria.
On his death in 1907 he was buried in Great Northern cemetery, Southgate, Middlesex. He had married Elizabeth Ann Colchester of Ipswich; they had six children. Two of his sons were zoologist Alfred Henry Garrod
Alfred Henry Garrod
Alfred Henry Garrod FRS was an English vertebrate zoologist.Garrod was born in London, the eldest son of Sir Alfred Baring Garrod , a physician at King's College Hospital, who discovered the abnormal uric acid metabolism associated with gout...
(1846–1879) and physician Archibald Edward Garrod (1857–1936).
Selected writings
- "Observations on the blood and urineUrineUrine is a typically sterile liquid by-product of the body that is secreted by the kidneys through a process called urination and excreted through the urethra. Cellular metabolism generates numerous by-products, many rich in nitrogen, that require elimination from the bloodstream...
of gout, rheumatismRheumatismRheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
and Bright's diseaseBright's diseaseBright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. The term is no longer used, as diseases are now classified according to their more fully understood causes....
"; Medical Chirurgical Transactions 1848;31:83. - "Treatise on nature and treatment of gout and rheumatic gout"; London: Walton and Maberly, 1859.
- "A treatise on gout and rheumatic gout (rheumatoid arthritis)"; 3rd edn. London: Longman Green, 1876.