Walter Schiller
Encyclopedia
Walter Schiller was an austria
n-born American
pathologist. He published primarily in the field of gynaecological cancer, and described Schiller's test
and Schiller-Duval bodies
.
and pathology under Anton Weichselbaum
. He received his doctorate from the University of Vienna
in 1912, and worked as a bacteriologist in the Bulgarian Army during the First Balkan War
in the same year. He trained in pathology under Weichselbaum, and was a Medizinaloffizier in charge of a medical laboratory in the Austro-Hungarian Army
during World War I
, serving in Bosnia, Russia
, Turkey
and Palestine
.
From 1918 to 1921 he was pathologist to the Second Military Hospital of Vienna, where he worked with Hans Eppinger
. From 1921 to 1936 he was Director of Laboratories at the second Gynaecological Clinic of the University of Vienna, where he carried out studies on cervical cancer
and developed his eponymous test
. He published this work in German
in 1927 and in English
in 1933, and wrote one of the earliest papers on dysgerminoma
in 1934. Schiller travelled extensively during the 1930s, lecturing in England
, Dublin and the United States
.
In 1937 he emigrated to the United States with his wife and two daughters due to the threat of Nazism
, working initially at the Jewish Memorial Hospital in New York City
. He became Director of Pathology at the Cook County Hospital
, Chicago
in 1938, and started publishing on ovarian tumours
in 1939. He described yolk sac tumours
, and the Schiller-Duval bodies
which had previously been described in rats by Mathias-Marie Duval
.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pathologist. He published primarily in the field of gynaecological cancer, and described Schiller's test
Schiller's Test
Schiller's test or Schiller's Iodine test is a medical test in which iodine solution is applied to the cervix in order to diagnose cervical cancer.- Procedure :...
and Schiller-Duval bodies
Schiller-Duval body
A Schiller–Duval body is a cellular structure seen by microscope in endodermal sinus tumors which are the most common testicular cancer in children. Schiller-Duval bodies are present in approximately 50% of these tumors, and if found are pathognomonic...
.
Biography
Walter Schiller was born in Vienna in 1887, the only child of Friedrich and Emma Schiller, who were of Jewish descent. He studied in Vienna, working as a demonstrator of physiology under Sigmund ExnerSigmund Exner
Sigmund Exner-Ewarten was an Austrian physiologist who was a native of Vienna. He was the son of philosopher Franz Serafin Exner , and had three renowned brothers; law professor Adolf Exner , physicist Karl Exner and physicist Franz Exner .He studied in Vienna under Ernst Wilhelm von Brücke ,...
and pathology under Anton Weichselbaum
Anton Weichselbaum
Anton Weichselbaum was an Austrian pathologist and bacteriologist who was a native of Schiltern....
. He received his doctorate from 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...
in 1912, and worked as a bacteriologist in the Bulgarian Army during the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
in the same year. He trained in pathology under Weichselbaum, and was a Medizinaloffizier in charge of a medical laboratory in the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, serving in Bosnia, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
.
From 1918 to 1921 he was pathologist to the Second Military Hospital of Vienna, where he worked with Hans Eppinger
Hans Eppinger
Hans Eppinger Jr. was an Austrian physician who gained an infamous reputation due to experiments on prisoners.-Early Years:...
. From 1921 to 1936 he was Director of Laboratories at the second Gynaecological Clinic of the University of Vienna, where he carried out studies on cervical cancer
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri or cervical area. One of the most common symptoms is abnormal vaginal bleeding, but in some cases there may be no obvious symptoms until the cancer is in its advanced stages...
and developed his eponymous test
Schiller's Test
Schiller's test or Schiller's Iodine test is a medical test in which iodine solution is applied to the cervix in order to diagnose cervical cancer.- Procedure :...
. He published this work in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
in 1927 and in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
in 1933, and wrote one of the earliest papers on dysgerminoma
Dysgerminoma
A dysgerminoma is a type of germ cell tumor; it usually is malignant and usually occurs in the ovary.A tumor of the identical histology but not occurring in the ovary may be described by an alternate name: seminoma in the testis or germinoma in the central nervous system or other parts of the...
in 1934. Schiller travelled extensively during the 1930s, lecturing in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Dublin and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1937 he emigrated to the United States with his wife and two daughters due to the threat of Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, working initially at the Jewish Memorial Hospital in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He became Director of Pathology at the Cook County Hospital
John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County
The John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, formerly Cook County Hospital is a public urban teaching hospital in Chicago that provides primary, specialty and tertiary healthcare services to the five million residents of Cook County, Illinois. The hospital has a staff of 300 attending...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1938, and started publishing on ovarian tumours
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
in 1939. He described yolk sac tumours
Endodermal sinus tumor
Endodermal sinus tumor , also known as yolk sac tumor , is a member of the germ cell tumor group of cancers. It is the most common testicular tumor in children under 3, and is also known as infantile embryonal carcinoma. This age group has a very good prognosis...
, and the Schiller-Duval bodies
Schiller-Duval body
A Schiller–Duval body is a cellular structure seen by microscope in endodermal sinus tumors which are the most common testicular cancer in children. Schiller-Duval bodies are present in approximately 50% of these tumors, and if found are pathognomonic...
which had previously been described in rats by Mathias-Marie Duval
Mathias-Marie Duval
Mathias-Marie Duval was a French professor of anatomy and histology born in Grasse. He was the son of botanist Joseph Duval-Jouve .He studied medicine in Paris, and later served as prosector in Strassburg...
.
External links
- Image of Walter Schiller, c. 1937, from LifeLife (magazine)Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....