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Edward Smith (physician)
Encyclopedia
Edward Smith was a British
physician and medical writer, born at Heanor
, Derbyshire
. According to his obituary, he failed to inspire the friendship of his colleagues, but more recent evaluations have noted that he "deserves to be better remembered by nutritionists, both for his contributions to the physiological basis of nutrition, and for his pioneering field surveys of dietary intake in relation to need among low income social groups". He worked out that prisoners who were fed on a diet of 93% carbohydrates would not be able to perform hard labour (and would therefore be more likely to resort to crime).
, Birmingham
, and graduated at the University of London
, MJB. in 1841, MD in 1843, and BA and LLB in 1848. In the following year he visited north-east Texas
, to examine its capacity as a place of settlement for emigrants, and published an account of the journey and a report with charts of temperature and the new constitution of the state (London, 1849). In 1851 he passed the examination for the diploma of fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
and in 1854 he became a member of the Royal College of Physicians
, London, and in 1863 was elected a fellow of the college.
Physiological chemistry
occupied much of his attention and he developed an early spirometer
. In 1856 he read his first paper.
Edward was very interested in the workings of the human body and would frequently take measurements of his own body temperature and pulse, sometimes over fifty times a day. He later became interested in the body's use of urea and again made over 1400 different observations.
Meanwhile Smith, in 1853, held the office of lecturer and demonstrator of anatomy at the Charing Cross Hospital
school of medicine, and was appointed in 1861 assistant physician to the Brompton Hospital for Consumption. In 1862 he published Consumption: its Early and Remediable Stages. He had previously published several papers on the pulse and the use of certain remedies in phthisis. Dietetics formed the subject of most of his subsequent literary work. He looked at the diet of prisoners, particularly those who were subjected to using a treadmill such as the one in Brixton prison. He decided to go to prison and join the others to investigate the diet in the prison system. He inspired two German researchers to investigate the prevailing idea that protein
alone powered muscles. Adolf Eugen Fick
and Johannes Wislicenus
climbed the Swiss Alps
after removing protein entirely from their diet. They were then able to balance the food they had consumed against the gain in potential energy
. They were able to show as Smith had suggested that the chemical energy required for muscular effort does not come primarily from consumed protein but from fat
s and carbohydrate
s.
Edward Smith died of pneumonia
in 1874.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
physician and medical writer, born at Heanor
Heanor
Heanor is a town in the Amber Valley district of Derbyshire in the East Midlands of England. It is northeast of Derby. According to the census of 2001 the town's population was 22,620.-History:...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. According to his obituary, he failed to inspire the friendship of his colleagues, but more recent evaluations have noted that he "deserves to be better remembered by nutritionists, both for his contributions to the physiological basis of nutrition, and for his pioneering field surveys of dietary intake in relation to need among low income social groups". He worked out that prisoners who were fed on a diet of 93% carbohydrates would not be able to perform hard labour (and would therefore be more likely to resort to crime).
Life
Smith was educated at Queen's CollegeQueen's College, Birmingham
The Birmingham Medical School was founded by surgeon William Sands Cox in 1828 as a residential college for medical students in central Birmingham, England. It was the first Birmingham institution to award degrees, through the University of London. Cox went on to found the Queen's Hospital in Bath...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, and graduated at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, MJB. in 1841, MD in 1843, and BA and LLB in 1848. In the following year he visited north-east Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, to examine its capacity as a place of settlement for emigrants, and published an account of the journey and a report with charts of temperature and the new constitution of the state (London, 1849). In 1851 he passed the examination for the diploma of fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
and in 1854 he became a member of the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
, London, and in 1863 was elected a fellow of the college.
Physiological chemistry
Physiological chemistry is the chemistry of the organs and tissues of the body and of the various physiological processes incident to life. Physiological chemistry is essentially the precursor to modern biochemistry. In the nineteenth century, physiological chemistry dealt primarily with...
occupied much of his attention and he developed an early spirometer
Spirometer
A spirometer is an apparatus for measuring the volume of air inspired and expired by the lungs. It is a precision differential pressure transducer for the measurements of respiration flow rates. The spirometer records the amount of air and the rate of air that is breathed in and out over a...
. In 1856 he read his first paper.
Edward was very interested in the workings of the human body and would frequently take measurements of his own body temperature and pulse, sometimes over fifty times a day. He later became interested in the body's use of urea and again made over 1400 different observations.
Meanwhile Smith, in 1853, held the office of lecturer and demonstrator of anatomy at the Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital is a general, acute hospital located in London, United Kingdom and established in 1818. It is located several miles to the west of the city centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham....
school of medicine, and was appointed in 1861 assistant physician to the Brompton Hospital for Consumption. In 1862 he published Consumption: its Early and Remediable Stages. He had previously published several papers on the pulse and the use of certain remedies in phthisis. Dietetics formed the subject of most of his subsequent literary work. He looked at the diet of prisoners, particularly those who were subjected to using a treadmill such as the one in Brixton prison. He decided to go to prison and join the others to investigate the diet in the prison system. He inspired two German researchers to investigate the prevailing idea that protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
alone powered muscles. Adolf Eugen Fick
Adolf Eugen Fick
Adolf Eugen Fick was a German physiologist. He started to study mathematics and physics, but then realized he was more interested in medicine. He earned his doctorate in medicine at Marburg in 1851...
and Johannes Wislicenus
Johannes Wislicenus
Johannes Wislicenus was a German chemist, most famous for his work in early stereochemistry.-Biography:...
climbed the Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
after removing protein entirely from their diet. They were then able to balance the food they had consumed against the gain in potential energy
Potential energy
In physics, potential energy is the energy stored in a body or in a system due to its position in a force field or due to its configuration. The SI unit of measure for energy and work is the Joule...
. They were able to show as Smith had suggested that the chemical energy required for muscular effort does not come primarily from consumed protein but from fat
Fat
Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and generally insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are triglycerides, triesters of glycerol and any of several fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure...
s and carbohydrate
Carbohydrate
A carbohydrate is an organic compound with the empirical formula ; that is, consists only of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with a hydrogen:oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 . However, there are exceptions to this. One common example would be deoxyribose, a component of DNA, which has the empirical...
s.
Edward Smith died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in 1874.
Works (incomplete)
- A Manual for Medical Officers of Health, 1873; 2nd edit. 1874
- A Handbook for Inspectors of Nuisances, 1873, 8vo. 10.
- Health: a Handbook for Households and Schools, 1874
Further reading
- Detailed study of his work at nutrition.org accessed 8 October 2007
- "Edward Smith (1818–1874) Physiologist, Human Ecologist, Reformer," Chapman, J., Hist Med Allied Sci.1967; XXII: 1-26
- Cambridge World History of Food accessed October 2007