Viola Angelika Schwarz Walter Edwin Griesbach (1888-1968) Life and Work This thesis was submitted for the degree of a doctor of medicine at the “Institute of Medical History”, Eberhard-Karls-University of Tübingen/Germany, supervisor Prof. Dr. Dr. D. Goltz (grade: magna cum laude) Partly translated from German into English by John S. Dawson†, MA (NZ), PhD (Toronto), Dunedin, 2002 Edited by Andrew Brook†, D.V.Sc., Narooma, Australia Published in German by: Peter Lang GmbH, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, 1999 ISBN 3-631-34446-5 Medico Magistrali I may not expect that, from the flight of fate, years have passed me by without a trace. Each one seized the spokes of my wheel, Spun it around, stopped, and left its mark. One struck me in the gall bladder, another slowly bowed my neck, Many of them laid their hands on my face: Light spread inside me, yet the day’s beams faded. That in turn had its effect on the joints of my sole and foot, My step grew heavy, my ankle began to twist. This took the pleasure from vigorous slurping and munching, It tortured my fingers in claw-like cramp. One stroked over my hair, so that it was streaked with grey, And banished me from the daughters to the mothers. The gloss fades, just as on the antique sideboard – The dowling splits, the drawer screeches: you’re out of fashion! But stand tall, with lively spirit, when the naked whirlwind Wildly tears at old trees and clumps of branches, And invisibly my little bird cuts victoriously through the thunderous song of the giant: My bird’s heart beats powerfully, Whether it is rejoicing or afraid, for it is not made to linger in limbo. Poem by exiled poet Karl Wolfskehl, Auckland 1941 For Dr. Walter Griesbach in Dunedin, New Zealand Table of contents A. Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 B. Sources and method of evaluation .......................................................................................4 C. A historical survey of endocrinology up to 1940 .................................................................6 1. The three stages of development in endocrinology ..........................................................6 2. Exploration of the pituitary gland ...................................................................................10 3. Exploration of the thyroid gland .....................................................................................13 D. Life of Walter E. Griesbach ...............................................................................................17 1. General remarks ..............................................................................................................17 2. Overview of his life ........................................................................................................18 3. From birth till emigration from Germany .......................................................................21 3.1. Ancestry, childhood and adolescence (1888-1906) .................................................21 3.2. Student time (1906-1912), early scientific works, Army Doctor (1916-18) ...........25 3.3. Resident and Consultant – Research activity 1919 - 1924 ......................................29 3.4. Academic career and marriage to Olga Hallenstein ................................................32 3.5. The time from 1933 – 1938 .....................................................................................36 4. Emigration and time in New Zealand .............................................................................43 4.1. Emigration to Dunedin/New Zealand – 1938/39 .....................................................43 4.2. Beginnings in New Zealand 1939 to 1940 ..............................................................50 4.3. Years 1941 to 1944 – assistant lecturer in the “Physiology Department” and research work in the “Thyroid Research Department” ............................................57 4.4. Research work in the “Thyroid Research Department” and “Endocrinology Research Department” until part-time retirement 1959 ..........................................63 4.5. Last years of his life, 1960-1968 .............................................................................69 E. Research work in Germany ................................................................................................73 1. General remarks ..............................................................................................................73 2. Institutions and co-workers .............................................................................................75 2.1. “Chemical-Physiological Institute”, Frankfurt, Head of Institute: Gustav Embden ....................................................................................................................75 2.2. “Institute of Metabolism” in the Municipal Hospital of Wiesbaden, Head of Institute: Wilhelm Weintraud ..................................................................................79 2.3. “Chemical-Physiological Institute”, General Hospital St. Georg in Hamburg, Head of Institute: Arthur Bornstein .........................................................................82 3. Publications of the years 1910-1933 ...............................................................................85 3.1. Research on metabolism ..........................................................................................85 3.1.1 Sugar metabolism .............................................................................................85 3.1.2 Fat metabolism .................................................................................................92 3.1.3 Uric acid metabolism .......................................................................................93 3.2. Haematological research topics ...............................................................................95 3.3. Clinical reports and publications on methodology ..................................................98 F. Research work in New Zealand .......................................................................................100 1. Institutions and co-workers ...........................................................................................100 1.1. “Thyroid/Endocrinology Research Department” in Dunedin ...............................100 1.2. Research co-workers H. D. Purves, W. E. Griesbach and T. H. Kennedy ............104 2. Publications of the years 1941 – 1967 ..........................................................................109 2.1. Correlative studies on structure and function of thyroid and pituitary glands ......110 2.2. Research on thyroid and pituitary gland tumours ..................................................116 2.3. Research on the histology of the pituitary gland ...................................................121 2.3.1 Cellular changes correlated with changes in the thyroid gland. Search for the place of production for TSH. .....................................................................................124 2.3.2 Discovery of the sites of production of all anterior pituitary hormones ........126 2.3.3 Supplementary studies ...................................................................................129 G. Appraisal ..........................................................................................................................132 H. Summary of results ..........................................................................................................134 I. Bibliography of Walter E. Griesbach ...............................................................................136 1. Book chapters ................................................................................................................136 2. Journal publications ......................................................................................................136 J. Index of sources and literature .........................................................................................145 1. Archival material ..........................................................................................................145 1.1. “Office of reparations”, Hamburg .........................................................................145 1.2. Documents of the “Endocrinology Research Department” in the basement of the “Pathology Institute”, Otago Medical School, Dunedin, N. Z. .......................145 1.3. “Historic Staff Room”, of the Medical Library of the University of Otago, Dunedin, N. Z. .......................................................................................................145 1.4. “Hocken Archives”, Castle Street, Dunedin, N. Z. ...............................................145 1.5. “Hocken Library”, Leigh Street, Dunedin, N. Z. ..................................................146 1.6. “Institute of the history of German Jews”, Hamburg, Germany ...........................146 1.7. Estate of Walter E. Griesbach ...............................................................................146 1.8. “National Archives Of New Zealand”, Wellington, N. Z. ....................................146 1.9. “Records of the Dunedin Public Hospital”, Dunedin, N. Z. ..................................146 1.10. “Registrar of the University of Otago”, Dunedin, N. Z. ........................................146 1.11. “State Archive”, Hamburg (StAH), Germany .......................................................147