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Thomas Hodgkin
HISTORY IN PATHOLOGY
Thomas Hodgkin Susan L. Abbondanzo, MD
T
HOMAS HODGKIN was the third of four sons born to John Hodgkin and Elizabeth Rickman in Pentonville, London in 1798. His parents were Victorian Quakers who lived strictly according to the rules of their sect. Thomas and his younger brother were strongly influenced by the Quaker lifestyle and did not indulge in forbidden pastimes such as playing and dancing. The Hodgkin brothers were privately educated, primarily by their father. Thomas was very interested in chemistry, electricity, and mechanics, and was also fluent in several foreign languages as a young man. Following an apprenticeship in a Brighton pharmacy, he became a medical student at The United Hospitals of St. Thomas’ and Guy’s in 1819. In 1821, he went to the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, to continue his studies and graduated in 1823 with a Doctor of Medicine degree. For much of his life he was in love with his cousin, Sarah Adler, but two could not marry because marriage between cousins was forbidden in the Quaker religion.1 Thomas Hodgkin was elected member of the Royal College of Physicians of London in 1825 and was given the position of physician to the London Dispensary. He was also appointed lecturer in morbid anatomy and curator of the newly established Pathology Museum at Guy’s Hospital Medical School. At this time, he began his career in pathology and shortly thereafter was recognized as a leader in the field. His early contributions included a catalogue about the museum’s collections that described pathologic changes in various organs and tissues. Thomas Hodgkin was also interested in preventive medicine and published a book on the subject. In 1827, Hodgkin became the first reader in England to lecture on pathologic anatomy and his
From the Department of Hematopathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC. Address reprint requests to Susan L. Abbondanzo, MD, Department of Hematopathology, Building 54, Room 2051, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 6825 16th St, NW, Washington, DC 20306-6000. © 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1092-9134/03/0705-0012$30.00/0 doi:10.1053/S1092-9134(03)00077-7
lectures were published as “Lectures on Morbid Anatomy” several years later. On a personal level, he was known to have a quick temper but was highly regarded and appreciated as a lecturer. In one of his case studies, Hodgkin described the classic symptoms of acute appendicitis, a disease that was not formally recognized until 50 years later. Thomas Hodgkin’s most significant contribution to pathology, however, is the description of the disease that bears his name. In 1832, he published a manuscript entitled “On Some Morbid Appearances of the Absorbent Glands and Spleen in the Medico-Chirurgical Transactions,” in the Journal of the Medical and Chirurgical Society in London.2 In this paper he described six cases that he had seen at Guy’s Hospital and a seventh case that had been given to him by Robert Carswell from his collection of pathologic drawings.3,4 In 1856, Samuel Wilks published a series of 45 cases of “lardaceous disease,” which included five of Thomas Hodgkin’s cases.5 In 1865, Wilks acknowledged the importance and validity of Hodgkin’s observations and proposed the term “Hodgkin’s disease.”6 Since then, “Hodgkin’s disease” has become one of the best-known and most widely used medical eponyms.7-9 In 1837, Hodgkin applied for a position as an assistant physician at Guy’s Hospital and asked to remain curator of the pathologic museum. Despite the influence of Hodgkin’s friends and relatives, his friend and competitor, Benjamin Babington was elected to the position instead. Hodgkin immediately left Guy’s Hospital and took a position at St. Thomas’ Hospital. For the rest of his life, Hodgkin devoted himself to the social and medical problems of the poor and underprivileged members of society, including American Indians and African natives. When Sarah (Adler) Goodlee’s husband died in 1836, Hodgkin attempted to resume the relationship between the two cousins. They talked about marriage, but again, the sect stood in the way and Hodgkin tried, unsuccessfully, to have the rules changed. Unwilling to go against the strict rules of the sect, Hodgkin ended their relationship
Annals of Diagnostic Pathology, Vol 7, No 5 (October), 2003: pp 333-334
333
334
Susan L. Abbondanzo
in 1847. Two years later, he married Sarah Frances Callow. From 1849 to 1866, Hodgkin lived at 35 Bedford Square in the house formerly owned by Thomas Wakely, the founding editor of The Lancet. Over the years, Hodgkin had been a physician to his friend Sir Moses Montefiore, a successful philanthroper and successful businessman.10 They traveled widely together and, in 1866, visited Israel. Hodgkin had been experiencing health problems and became ill with a severe intestinal infection during the trip and was unable to complete the journey to Jerusalem. He stayed in Jaffa and died in early April 1866. He was buried there in a small protestant churchyard in a grave marked by an obelisk that was erected by Montefiore.11 References 1. Rosenfeld L. Thomas Hodgkin: Morbid Anatomist and Social Activist1993. Madison Books, New York, NY
2. Hodgkin T: On some morbid appearances of the absorbent glands and spleen. Med Chir Soc Trans 1832;17:68-114 3. Carswell R. Cases and Descriptions, MS1. London, UK, University College Library, 1828, pp 145-149 4. Carswell R. Pathological Anatomy: Illustrations of the Elementary Forms of Disease1838. Longman’s, London, UK 5. Wilks S: Cases of lardaceous disease and some allied affections with remarks. Guy’s Hosp Rep 1856;2:103-132 6. Wilks S: Cases of enlargement of the lymphatic glands and spleen (or, Hodgkin’s disease), with remarks. Guy’s Hosp Rep 1865;11:56-67 7. Fox H: Remarks on the presentation of microscopical preparations made from some of the original tissue described by Thomas Hodgkin, 1832. Ann Med Hist 1926;8:370-374 8. Dawson PJ: The original illustrations of Hodgkin’s disease. Arch Intern Med 1968;121:288-290 9. Dawson PJ: The original illustrations of Hodgkin’s disease. Ann Diagn Pathol 1999;3:386-393 10. Sakula A: Dr. Thomas Hodgkin and Sir Moses Montefiore Bart–The friendship of two remarkable men. J R Soc Med 1979;72:382-387 11. Sakula A: Hodgkin’s grave. Lancet 1978;2:1150
Thomas Hodgkin Susan L. Abbondanzo, MD
T
HOMAS HODGKIN was the third of four sons born to John Hodgkin and Elizabeth Rickman in Pentonville, London in 1798. His parents were Victorian Quakers who lived strictly according to the rules of their sect. Thomas and his younger brother were strongly influenced by the Quaker lifestyle and did not indulge in forbidden pastimes such as playing and dancing. The Hodgkin brothers were privately educated, primarily by their father. Thomas was very interested in chemistry, electricity, and mechanics, and was also fluent in several foreign languages as a young man. Following an apprenticeship in a Brighton pharmacy, he became a medical student at The United Hospitals of St. Thomas’ and Guy’s in 1819. In 1821, he went to the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, to continue his studies and graduated in 1823 with a Doctor of Medicine degree. For much of his life he was in love with his cousin, Sarah Adler, but two could not marry because marriage between cousins was forbidden in the Quaker religion.1 Thomas Hodgkin was elected member of the Royal College of Physicians of London in 1825 and was given the position of physician to the London Dispensary. He was also appointed lecturer in morbid anatomy and curator of the newly established Pathology Museum at Guy’s Hospital Medical School. At this time, he began his career in pathology and shortly thereafter was recognized as a leader in the field. His early contributions included a catalogue about the museum’s collections that described pathologic changes in various organs and tissues. Thomas Hodgkin was also interested in preventive medicine and published a book on the subject. In 1827, Hodgkin became the first reader in England to lecture on pathologic anatomy and his
From the Department of Hematopathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC. Address reprint requests to Susan L. Abbondanzo, MD, Department of Hematopathology, Building 54, Room 2051, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 6825 16th St, NW, Washington, DC 20306-6000. © 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1092-9134/03/0705-0012$30.00/0 doi:10.1053/S1092-9134(03)00077-7
lectures were published as “Lectures on Morbid Anatomy” several years later. On a personal level, he was known to have a quick temper but was highly regarded and appreciated as a lecturer. In one of his case studies, Hodgkin described the classic symptoms of acute appendicitis, a disease that was not formally recognized until 50 years later. Thomas Hodgkin’s most significant contribution to pathology, however, is the description of the disease that bears his name. In 1832, he published a manuscript entitled “On Some Morbid Appearances of the Absorbent Glands and Spleen in the Medico-Chirurgical Transactions,” in the Journal of the Medical and Chirurgical Society in London.2 In this paper he described six cases that he had seen at Guy’s Hospital and a seventh case that had been given to him by Robert Carswell from his collection of pathologic drawings.3,4 In 1856, Samuel Wilks published a series of 45 cases of “lardaceous disease,” which included five of Thomas Hodgkin’s cases.5 In 1865, Wilks acknowledged the importance and validity of Hodgkin’s observations and proposed the term “Hodgkin’s disease.”6 Since then, “Hodgkin’s disease” has become one of the best-known and most widely used medical eponyms.7-9 In 1837, Hodgkin applied for a position as an assistant physician at Guy’s Hospital and asked to remain curator of the pathologic museum. Despite the influence of Hodgkin’s friends and relatives, his friend and competitor, Benjamin Babington was elected to the position instead. Hodgkin immediately left Guy’s Hospital and took a position at St. Thomas’ Hospital. For the rest of his life, Hodgkin devoted himself to the social and medical problems of the poor and underprivileged members of society, including American Indians and African natives. When Sarah (Adler) Goodlee’s husband died in 1836, Hodgkin attempted to resume the relationship between the two cousins. They talked about marriage, but again, the sect stood in the way and Hodgkin tried, unsuccessfully, to have the rules changed. Unwilling to go against the strict rules of the sect, Hodgkin ended their relationship
Annals of Diagnostic Pathology, Vol 7, No 5 (October), 2003: pp 333-334
333
334
Susan L. Abbondanzo
in 1847. Two years later, he married Sarah Frances Callow. From 1849 to 1866, Hodgkin lived at 35 Bedford Square in the house formerly owned by Thomas Wakely, the founding editor of The Lancet. Over the years, Hodgkin had been a physician to his friend Sir Moses Montefiore, a successful philanthroper and successful businessman.10 They traveled widely together and, in 1866, visited Israel. Hodgkin had been experiencing health problems and became ill with a severe intestinal infection during the trip and was unable to complete the journey to Jerusalem. He stayed in Jaffa and died in early April 1866. He was buried there in a small protestant churchyard in a grave marked by an obelisk that was erected by Montefiore.11 References 1. Rosenfeld L. Thomas Hodgkin: Morbid Anatomist and Social Activist1993. Madison Books, New York, NY
2. Hodgkin T: On some morbid appearances of the absorbent glands and spleen. Med Chir Soc Trans 1832;17:68-114 3. Carswell R. Cases and Descriptions, MS1. London, UK, University College Library, 1828, pp 145-149 4. Carswell R. Pathological Anatomy: Illustrations of the Elementary Forms of Disease1838. Longman’s, London, UK 5. Wilks S: Cases of lardaceous disease and some allied affections with remarks. Guy’s Hosp Rep 1856;2:103-132 6. Wilks S: Cases of enlargement of the lymphatic glands and spleen (or, Hodgkin’s disease), with remarks. Guy’s Hosp Rep 1865;11:56-67 7. Fox H: Remarks on the presentation of microscopical preparations made from some of the original tissue described by Thomas Hodgkin, 1832. Ann Med Hist 1926;8:370-374 8. Dawson PJ: The original illustrations of Hodgkin’s disease. Arch Intern Med 1968;121:288-290 9. Dawson PJ: The original illustrations of Hodgkin’s disease. Ann Diagn Pathol 1999;3:386-393 10. Sakula A: Dr. Thomas Hodgkin and Sir Moses Montefiore Bart–The friendship of two remarkable men. J R Soc Med 1979;72:382-387 11. Sakula A: Hodgkin’s grave. Lancet 1978;2:1150