David Macht
Encyclopedia
David Israel Macht was a Pharmacologist and Doctor of Hebrew Literature
, responsible for many contributions to pharmacology during the first half of the 20th century.
Born in Moscow
in 1882, Macht moved to Baltimore
in 1892, aged 10. He was awarded a bachelor's and a medical degree by Johns Hopkins University
in 1905, and took postgraduate courses in Berlin
, Munich
and Vienna
. He returned to America in 1909 to join the teaching staff at Johns Hopkins. He rose to the position of assistant professor, lecturing in pharmacology
from 1912 to 1932. His grandson, Kenneth Lasson, would later report that at that time Johns Hopkins had a faculty quota limiting the number of Jewish staff that could proceed to full faculty.
In 1928 Macht received the first degree of advanced research awarded at Yeshiva College
, New York, being made Doctor of Hebrew Literature
. From 1933 to 1941 he served as visiting professor of general physiology
at Yeshiva College.
From 1944 Dr Macht was a consultant in pharmacology at Sinai Hospital
in Baltimore until he suffered a stroke in 1957. He died four years later at the same hospital.
Currently, Johns Hopkins honors Dr. Macht via the David I. Macht award.
The term "psychopharmacology
" (the branch of science concerned with the way drugs affect the mind and behaviour) was coined by Dr Macht in 1920.
which involved measuring the effects of drugs on plants. Macht's specific technique was to measure the growth rate of Lupinus albus
seedlings when dosed with a test substance, and compare this against a control group of undosed seeds. The relative length of root
growth would determine what he called the phytotoxic index, and provide a measure of the toxicity
of the substance to the plants.
Dr. Macht applied his technique of phytopharmacology to a variety of substances, including the blood
of people suffering from medical conditions. In 1930, he reported it could be used to demonstrate the presence of snake
venom and menotoxin (a toxin thought to be present in the blood of menstruating women). He felt the technique could aid in the differential diagnosis
of pernicious anemia
, leprosy
, pemphigus
and other conditions. At the time of his death it was reported that his technique could serve as an indicator of mental illness, since "the blood of persons suffering from certain types of mental illness acts as a poison on species of the European bean". To date, neither the existence of menotoxin nor the ability of phytopharmacology to predict toxicity to humans has been scientifically corroborated by independent researchers.
His claims to have used phytopharmacology to demonstrate the presence of menotoxin in the saliva, tears and blood of menstrual women is contentious. At the time the theory of the existence of menotoxin was widely believed. Macht would have seen his studies as confirmation of this and of the biblical teachings regarding the uncleanliness of menstruating women.
The use of phytopharmacology as a predictor of toxicity to humans was mainly restricted to the work of Dr. Macht and Dr. Macht's work was published in the journal Science. Currently, toxicity testing is mostly performed on animal subjects (both live animals and animal tissues), and the detection of individual toxins is performed with mass spectrometry
.
While Macht used the term phytopharmacology to refer to the effects of drugs on plants, the term is now only used to refer to the pharmacological usages of plants as medicine.
and the Talmud
, and published many papers that claimed to show that these were accurate descriptions of diseases or treatments. . Such papers include:
Hebrew literature
Hebrew literature consists of ancient, medieval, and modern writings in the Hebrew language. It is one of the primary forms of Jewish literature, though there have been cases of literature written in Hebrew by non-Jews...
, responsible for many contributions to pharmacology during the first half of the 20th century.
Born in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in 1882, Macht moved to Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
in 1892, aged 10. He was awarded a bachelor's and a medical degree by Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in 1905, and took postgraduate courses in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. He returned to America in 1909 to join the teaching staff at Johns Hopkins. He rose to the position of assistant professor, lecturing in pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
from 1912 to 1932. His grandson, Kenneth Lasson, would later report that at that time Johns Hopkins had a faculty quota limiting the number of Jewish staff that could proceed to full faculty.
In 1928 Macht received the first degree of advanced research awarded at Yeshiva College
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
, New York, being made Doctor of Hebrew Literature
Rabbinic literature
Rabbinic literature, in its broadest sense, can mean the entire spectrum of rabbinic writings throughout Jewish history. However, the term often refers specifically to literature from the Talmudic era, as opposed to medieval and modern rabbinic writing, and thus corresponds with the Hebrew term...
. From 1933 to 1941 he served as visiting professor of general physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
at Yeshiva College.
From 1944 Dr Macht was a consultant in pharmacology at Sinai Hospital
Sinai Hospital
LifeBridge Health is a Baltimore area corporation operating several medical institutions. These most notably include Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Northwest Hospital , and various nursing homes and medical office complexes.-Sinai Hospital:Sinai Hospital is a Baltimore, Maryland hospital originally...
in Baltimore until he suffered a stroke in 1957. He died four years later at the same hospital.
Currently, Johns Hopkins honors Dr. Macht via the David I. Macht award.
Contributions to medicine
Macht published over 900 scientific studies, and three books. He introduced a number of new methods of treatment of diseases. His contributions include:- Discovered the use of ephedrineEphedrineEphedrine is a sympathomimetic amine commonly used as a stimulant, appetite suppressant, concentration aid, decongestant, and to treat hypotension associated with anaesthesia....
as a substitute for cocaineCocaineCocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
. - Distinguished the sedative effect of morphineMorphineMorphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...
and codeineCodeineCodeine or 3-methylmorphine is an opiate used for its analgesic, antitussive, and antidiarrheal properties...
on the respiratory system from the stimulant effect of other narcoticNarcoticThe term narcotic originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with any sleep-inducing properties. In the United States of America it has since become associated with opioids, commonly morphine and heroin and their derivatives, such as hydrocodone. The term is, today, imprecisely...
drugs. - Proved X-rays of varying wavelengths produced different biological effects.
- Developed a cure for pemphigusPemphigusPemphigus is a rare group of blistering autoimmune diseases that affect the skin and mucous membranes.In pemphigus, autoantibodies form against desmoglein. Desmoglein forms the "glue" that attaches adjacent epidermal cells via attachment points called desmosomes...
using "deep" X-Rays. - Studies of the thromboplastic (blood clotting) effects of various agents, including antibodies.
- Extensive researchResearchResearch can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
into the pharmacology of blood and spinal fluid of psychotic patients. - Research into the pharmacological applications of cobraCobraCobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
venomVenomVenom is the general term referring to any variety of toxins used by certain types of animals that inject it into their victims by the means of a bite or a sting...
.
The term "psychopharmacology
Psychopharmacology
Psychopharmacology is the scientific study of the actions of drugs and their effects on mood, sensation, thinking, and behavior...
" (the branch of science concerned with the way drugs affect the mind and behaviour) was coined by Dr Macht in 1920.
Phytopharmacology
Dr. Macht was known for his pioneering use of a technique he termed phytopharmacologyPhytopharmacology
Phytopharmacology was invented by the Russian scientist David Macht in the 1930s. The term has since changed its meaning to become an established field of drug research, where the active substances come from plants. There is at least one established journal, the Phytomedicine: International...
which involved measuring the effects of drugs on plants. Macht's specific technique was to measure the growth rate of Lupinus albus
Lupinus albus
Lupinus albus, commonly known as the white lupin, is a member of the genus Lupinus in the family Fabaceae. It is a traditional pulse cultivated in the Mediterranean region.- Description :...
seedlings when dosed with a test substance, and compare this against a control group of undosed seeds. The relative length of root
Root
In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial or aerating . Furthermore, a stem normally occurring below ground is not exceptional either...
growth would determine what he called the phytotoxic index, and provide a measure of the toxicity
Toxicity
Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can damage a living or non-living organisms. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell or an organ , such as the liver...
of the substance to the plants.
Dr. Macht applied his technique of phytopharmacology to a variety of substances, including the blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
of people suffering from medical conditions. In 1930, he reported it could be used to demonstrate the presence of snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
venom and menotoxin (a toxin thought to be present in the blood of menstruating women). He felt the technique could aid in the differential diagnosis
Differential diagnosis
A differential diagnosis is a systematic diagnostic method used to identify the presence of an entity where multiple alternatives are possible , and may also refer to any of the included candidate alternatives A differential diagnosis (sometimes abbreviated DDx, ddx, DD, D/Dx, or ΔΔ) is a...
of pernicious anemia
Pernicious anemia
Pernicious anemia is one of many types of the larger family of megaloblastic anemias...
, leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
, pemphigus
Pemphigus
Pemphigus is a rare group of blistering autoimmune diseases that affect the skin and mucous membranes.In pemphigus, autoantibodies form against desmoglein. Desmoglein forms the "glue" that attaches adjacent epidermal cells via attachment points called desmosomes...
and other conditions. At the time of his death it was reported that his technique could serve as an indicator of mental illness, since "the blood of persons suffering from certain types of mental illness acts as a poison on species of the European bean". To date, neither the existence of menotoxin nor the ability of phytopharmacology to predict toxicity to humans has been scientifically corroborated by independent researchers.
His claims to have used phytopharmacology to demonstrate the presence of menotoxin in the saliva, tears and blood of menstrual women is contentious. At the time the theory of the existence of menotoxin was widely believed. Macht would have seen his studies as confirmation of this and of the biblical teachings regarding the uncleanliness of menstruating women.
The use of phytopharmacology as a predictor of toxicity to humans was mainly restricted to the work of Dr. Macht and Dr. Macht's work was published in the journal Science. Currently, toxicity testing is mostly performed on animal subjects (both live animals and animal tissues), and the detection of individual toxins is performed with mass spectrometry
Mass spectrometry
Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that measures the mass-to-charge ratio of charged particles.It is used for determining masses of particles, for determining the elemental composition of a sample or molecule, and for elucidating the chemical structures of molecules, such as peptides and...
.
While Macht used the term phytopharmacology to refer to the effects of drugs on plants, the term is now only used to refer to the pharmacological usages of plants as medicine.
Medicine in the Bible
Macht was an Orthodox Jew and a Doctor of Hebrew Literature, and he frequently advocated the position that there was a harmonious relationship between religion and science. He studied medical and other descriptions in the BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, and published many papers that claimed to show that these were accurate descriptions of diseases or treatments. . Such papers include:
- A Pharmacological Appreciation of References to Alcohol in the Hebrew Bible , (1929). In which he compared the effects of alcoholAlcoholIn chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
mentioned in the Bible with current medical understanding and concluded "the Book of Books is in complete accord with the most modern and advanced experimental data on the subject" - An Experimental Pharmacological Appreciation of LeviticusLeviticusThe Book of Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, and the third of five books of the Torah ....
XI and DeuteronomyDeuteronomyThe Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch...
XIV, (1953). In which Macht used his phytopharmacology technique on samples of both Levitically clean and unclean animals, and showed a markedly higher phytotoxic index for the unclean meats and the correlation was 100%. - A pharmacological appreciation of a biblical reference to mass poisoning, II Kings IV
Books by Macht
- The Holy Incense. A Botanical, Pharmacological, Psychological, and Archaeological Appreciation of the Bible, 1928, Waverly Press, Inc., Baltimore, MD
- Bones and Verdure. An Appreciation of Science in Biblical Expressions,1943, H.G. Roebuck and Son, Baltimore, MD.
- The Heart and Blood in the Bible, 1951, Boone Press, Baltimore, MD