Julius Wagner-Jauregg
Encyclopedia
Julius Wagner-Jauregg was an Austrian physician
, Nobel Laureate, and Nazi supporter.
at the University of Vienna
from 1874 to 1880, where he also studied with Salomon Stricker
in the Institute of General and Experimental Pathology. He obtained his doctorate in 1880 with the thesis "L'origine et la fonction du cœur accéléré." He left the institute in 1882.
in the Psychiatric Clinic, although his original training was not in the pathology of the nervous system. In 1889 he succeeded the famous Richard von Krafft-Ebing at the Neuro-Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Graz
, and started his research on Goitre
, cretinism
and iodine
. In 1893 he became Extraordinary Professor of Psychiatry and Nervous Diseases, and Director of the Clinic for Psychiatry and Nervous Diseases in Vienna
, as successor to Theodor Meynert
. A student and assistant of Wagner-Jauregg during this time was Constantin von Economo
.
Ten years later, in 1902, Wagner-Jauregg moved to the psychiatric clinic at the General Hospital and in 1911 he returned to his former post.
, an approach known as pyrotherapy
. In 1887 he investigated the effects of febrile diseases on psychoses, making use of erisipela and tuberculin
(discovered in 1890 by Robert Koch
). Since these methods of treatment did not work very well, he tried in 1917 the inoculation of malaria
parasites, which proved to be very successful in the case of dementia paralytica (also called general paresis of the insane
), caused by neurosyphilis
, at that time a terminal disease
. It had been observed that some who develop high fevers could be cured of syphilis. Thus, for a brief time malaria was used as treatment for tertiary syphilis because it produced prolonged and high fevers (a form of pyrotherapy). This was considered an acceptable risk because the malaria could later be treated with quinine, which was available at that time. This discovery earned him the Nobel Prize in Medicine
in 1927. His main publication was a book titled Verhütung und Behandlung der progressiven Paralyse durch Impfmalaria (Prevention and treatment of progressive paralysis by malaria inoculation) in the Memorial Volume of the Handbuch der experimentellen Therapie, (1931).
, where Wagner-Jauregg sterilized them, resulting in an "improved" condition.
commission in Austria disputed this in 2004 so as to maintain the integrity of medical institutions named after him.
Wagner-Jauregg advocated a racial hygiene ideology, influencing students such as Alexander Pilcz, who went on to author a standard handbook on racial psychiatry critical of Jews for being prone to mental illness.
He was also an advocate of forced sterilization of the mentally ill and criminal, having endorsed the concept in 1935 while a member of the Austrian Anthropological Society.
He was President of the Austrian League for Racial Regeneration and Heredity, which advocated sterilization for those of inferior genetics.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, Nobel Laureate, and Nazi supporter.
Early life
Julius Wagner was born on March 7, 1857 in Wels, Austria, the son of Adolph Johann Wagner. He attended the Schottengymnasium in Vienna before going on to study MedicineMedicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
from 1874 to 1880, where he also studied with Salomon Stricker
Salomon Stricker
Salomon Stricker – 2 April 1898) was an Austrian pathologist and histologist who was born in Waag-Neustadtl, which is now part of Slovakia. He studied at the University of Vienna, and subsequently became a research assistant at the Institute of Physiology under Ernst Wilhelm von Brücke...
in the Institute of General and Experimental Pathology. He obtained his doctorate in 1880 with the thesis "L'origine et la fonction du cœur accéléré." He left the institute in 1882.
Later years
After leaving the clinic, he conducted laboratory experiments with animals, which was practiced very little at this time. From 1883 to 1887 he worked with Maximilian LeidesdorfMaximilian Leidesdorf
Maximilian Leidesdorf was an Austrian psychiatrist born in Vienna.In 1845 he received his medical doctorate from the University of Vienna, afterwards visiting asylums in Italy, Germany, England and France. In 1856 he received his habilitation in Vienna, where he practiced medicine for the...
in the Psychiatric Clinic, although his original training was not in the pathology of the nervous system. In 1889 he succeeded the famous Richard von Krafft-Ebing at the Neuro-Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Graz
University of Graz
The University of Graz , a university located in Graz, Austria, is the second-largest and second-oldest university in Austria....
, and started his research on Goitre
Goitre
A goitre or goiter , is a swelling in the thyroid gland, which can lead to a swelling of the neck or larynx...
, cretinism
Cretinism
Cretinism is a condition of severely stunted physical and mental growth due to untreated congenital deficiency of thyroid hormones usually due to maternal hypothyroidism.-Etymology and use of cretin:...
and iodine
Iodine
Iodine is a chemical element with the symbol I and atomic number 53. The name is pronounced , , or . The name is from the , meaning violet or purple, due to the color of elemental iodine vapor....
. In 1893 he became Extraordinary Professor of Psychiatry and Nervous Diseases, and Director of the Clinic for Psychiatry and Nervous Diseases in 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...
, as successor to Theodor Meynert
Theodor Meynert
Theodor Hermann Meynert was a German-Austrian neuropathologist and anatomist who was born in Dresden.In 1861 he earned his medical doctorate, and in 1875 became director of the psychiatric clinic associated with the University of Vienna. One of his better known students in Vienna was Sigmund...
. A student and assistant of Wagner-Jauregg during this time was Constantin von Economo
Constantin von Economo
Constantin Freiherr von Economo was a Romanian psychiatrist and neurologist of Greek origin. He is mostly known for his discovery of encephalitis lethargica and his atlas of cytoarchitectonics.- Youth and schooling :Constantin Freiherr Economo von San Serff was born in Brăila, Romania, to Greek...
.
Ten years later, in 1902, Wagner-Jauregg moved to the psychiatric clinic at the General Hospital and in 1911 he returned to his former post.
Nobel prize
The main work pursued by Wagner-Jauregg throughout his life was related to the treatment of mental disease by inducing a feverFever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
, an approach known as pyrotherapy
Pyrotherapy
Pyrotherapy is a method of treatment by raising the body temperature or sustaining an elevated body temperature . In general, the body temperature was maintained at 41° Celsius. Many diseases were treated by this method in the first half of the 20th century...
. In 1887 he investigated the effects of febrile diseases on psychoses, making use of erisipela and tuberculin
Tuberculin
Tuberculin is the name given to extracts of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. bovis, or M. avium that is used in skin testing in animals and humans to identify a tuberculosis infection. Several types of tuberculin have been used for this, of which purified protein derivative is the most important....
(discovered in 1890 by Robert Koch
Robert Koch
Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch was a German physician. He became famous for isolating Bacillus anthracis , the Tuberculosis bacillus and the Vibrio cholerae and for his development of Koch's postulates....
). Since these methods of treatment did not work very well, he tried in 1917 the inoculation of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
parasites, which proved to be very successful in the case of dementia paralytica (also called general paresis of the insane
General paresis of the insane
General paresis, also known as general paralysis of the insane or paralytic dementia, is a neuropsychiatric disorder affecting the brain and central nervous system, caused by syphilis infection...
), caused by neurosyphilis
Neurosyphilis
Neurosyphilis is an infection of the brain or spinal cord caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It usually occurs in people who have had untreated syphilis for many years, usually about 10 - 20 years after first infection.-Symptoms and signs:...
, at that time a terminal disease
Terminal illness
Terminal illness is a medical term popularized in the 20th century to describe a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and that is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient within a short period of time. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as...
. It had been observed that some who develop high fevers could be cured of syphilis. Thus, for a brief time malaria was used as treatment for tertiary syphilis because it produced prolonged and high fevers (a form of pyrotherapy). This was considered an acceptable risk because the malaria could later be treated with quinine, which was available at that time. This discovery earned him the Nobel Prize in Medicine
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine administered by the Nobel Foundation, is awarded once a year for outstanding discoveries in the field of life science and medicine. It is one of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in his will...
in 1927. His main publication was a book titled Verhütung und Behandlung der progressiven Paralyse durch Impfmalaria (Prevention and treatment of progressive paralysis by malaria inoculation) in the Memorial Volume of the Handbuch der experimentellen Therapie, (1931).
Sex treatment for psychosis
Wagner-Jauregg administered thyroid and ovarian preparations to young psychotic patients who had experienced delayed puberty, which led to the development of their secondary sexual characteristics and diminished psychosis. Other patients were deemed schizophrenic because of excessive masturbationMasturbation
Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
, where Wagner-Jauregg sterilized them, resulting in an "improved" condition.
Retirement
In 1928, Wagner-Jauregg retired from his post but remained active and in good health until his death on September 27, 1940. In his retirement he published nearly 80 scientific papers. Many schools, roads and hospitals are named after him in Austria.Nazi ideology and affiliation
Wagner-Jauregg was a notorious anti-semite (his first wife Balbine Frumkin who he divorced in 1903 was Jewish) and enthusiastic Nazi, where it is claimed, supported by documentary evidence, that he joined the party shortly after the invasion of Austria in 1938 by Germany. However, a denazificationDenazification
Denazification was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of any remnants of the National Socialist ideology. It was carried out specifically by removing those involved from positions of influence and by disbanding or rendering...
commission in Austria disputed this in 2004 so as to maintain the integrity of medical institutions named after him.
Wagner-Jauregg advocated a racial hygiene ideology, influencing students such as Alexander Pilcz, who went on to author a standard handbook on racial psychiatry critical of Jews for being prone to mental illness.
He was also an advocate of forced sterilization of the mentally ill and criminal, having endorsed the concept in 1935 while a member of the Austrian Anthropological Society.
He was President of the Austrian League for Racial Regeneration and Heredity, which advocated sterilization for those of inferior genetics.
External links
- Nobel Foundation: the 1927 Medicine and Physiology Award
- Magda Whitrow. Julius Wagner-Jauregg (1857–1940). London: Smith-Gordon, 1993.
- Nazi past