Downloaded from jn.nutrition.org CASIMIR FUNK (1884-1967) by guest on June 28, 2014 Th±s One 14HA-494-B97F Downloaded from jn.nutrition.org by guest on June 28, 2014 CASIMIRFUNK Casimir Funk — A Biographical Sketch (i884-1967) ". the deficient substances, which are Polish, was also fluent in Russian and of the nature of organic bases we will call German. Soon he was also to acquire "vitamines"; and we will speak of a beri fluency in French: feeling that there was beri or scurvy vitamine, which means a no future for Casimir in Poland, his par substance preventing the special disease." ents sent him to Geneva, Switzerland, to The paper containing this sentence was study biology. He later moved to Berne, published by Casimir Funk in 1912. In this where he specialized in organic chemistry; so-called résuméhetried to show that at the age of 20, Casimir passed his oral various diseases listed in the subtitle, such exams and defended his doctoral thesis on Downloaded from as scurvy and beriberi, were due to nutri the chemistry of two organic dyes of the tional deficiencies, and not to food intoxica stilbene family (1904). tions or infectious diseases, as was widely A fair number of Polish and Russian believed at that time; they could all be teachers and students could be found in prevented by a complete diet. Swiss universities at that time; these in The man who wrote this historic paper cluded some men of great promise. It is was born on February 23, 1884, in War not surprising that this caused resentment, jn.nutrition.org saw, Poland, the son of Jacques and and perhaps jealousy, in some circles of Gustawa Funk. Jacques Funk was a physi the native-born population. While this did cian who had specialized in dermatology, not in any way interfere with Casimir's and a scientist in his own right: his clini studies and progress, the sensitive young cal research resulted in sixty publications, man was keenly aware of it. Even in later by guest on June 28, 2014 and his reputation had spread beyond the years, in the United States, he never borders of his native Poland, most of seemed to lose entirely the feeling of being which was, at that point in history, under somewhat different, and, therefore, not the heel of the Russian Empire. wholly wanted. If Casimir's home environment pro Having finished his graduate work, vided an excellent background for a scien Casimir went home to discuss his future tific career, the socio-political conditions with his parents, who discouraged him did not. After some years of home tutor from following in his father's footsteps and ing, which included extensive reading, studying medicine. He decided to enter the Casimir, despite excellent marks, failed to newly blossoming field of biochemistry. At gain entrance into the Russian Govern the Pasteur Institute in Paris a chair in ment school for ethnic reasons. In fact, biochemistry was already in existence. It there existed a "black market" in secondary was occupied by Gabriel Bertrand, a soli school acceptance. Later, entrance was tary worker with limited interest in stu arranged for him, but the timid boy's four dents. There Casimir became involved, years in the dull and anti-Polish Govern among other things, in chemical work with ment school were not a complete success. amino acids and organic bases, which was He finished his secondary education as the probably the reason for his next move, two best student in his class in a better, private, years later, to Emu Fischer's laboratory in school. A congenital dislocation of the hip Berlin. In Paris he also befriended von had previously brought him for prolonged, Euler, who in later years was to receive though unsuccessful, treatments to Ger a Nobel prize in chemistry, and became many and to Austria. The latter was also acquainted with Arrhenius and Metchni- the family's favorite destination during koff. He also seemed to have thoroughly vacation time. Thus it happened that at enjoyed the artistic and intellectual life of age 16 Casimir, whose native tongue was the French metropolis. While the following J. NUTRITION,102: 1105-1114. 1107 1108 CASIMIR FUNK year in Berlin may have been culturally polishings, thus causing a protein defi less stimulating, it was of great scientific ciency. Funk, given the job of finding the value to the young scientist. At that time, missing substance, discarded the "protein Berlin was a world center of scientific deficiency" theory on the basis of his pre progress, especially in chemistry and allied liminary experiments, and started to look sciences. Casimir worked under Emu Abderhalden, who was Fischer's private for some undefined material present in rice polishings, but absent in the polished medical assistant, and their cooperation rice. In 1912 he succeeded in preparing resulted in several publications. His inter thiamin-containing extracts, first from rice ests covered various aspects of physiologi polishings, and later from yeast, milk, and cal chemistry, with emphasis on amino ox-brain. According to Williams (1961) acids and protein. these extracts were relatively low in beri In 1907 08 Funk, who up to this time beri-preventing activity. Williams quotes had been supported by his parents, earned Barger as having suggested in 1914 that his first money as a biochemist at the mu the original substance isolated by Funk nicipal hospital in Wiesbaden, Germany. There he adapted Bertrand's assay for may have been impure nicotinic acid, the antineuritic properties being due to the Downloaded from sugar to the determination of blood sugar, impurities. On the other hand, Funk was worked on peptide separation, and famil able, in the same year, to state that "the iarized himself with the characteristics curative substance is a pyrimidine base, of malignant tumors. Still in cooperation analogous to uracil and thymine . .", with Abderhalden, he undertook research indicating that he must have had a product on uric acid metabolism. This finally led him back to Berlin in 1908. Abderhalden's on hand that contained appreciable jn.nutrition.org position having changed, relations between amounts of the vitamin. In the following the two men became strained, and Funk year, he actually isolated and identified transferred to the Charité,the University nicotinic acid from one of the fractions of Hospital in Berlin. During his eight months his extract, without, however, recognizing at the hospital, he undertook some respira its vitamin nature. by guest on June 28, 2014 tion studies on babies. Not seeing much To Funk must go not only the honor of hope for a rewarding future at the preparing the first useful concentrate, however impure, of the antineuritic fac Charité,he moved to the Lister Institute in tor. More important, in this writer's London in 1910 on the recommendation of the Englishman Dean, whom he had opinion, was his scientific intuition, ex befriended in Fischer's laboratory. emplified in the well-known résumémen The Lister Institute, under the leader tioned earlier, in which he listed a number ship of Charles James Martin, was devoted of deficiency diseases, coined the term mainly to preventive medicine. In 1911 "vitamine" deficiencies for these diseases, Funk published his first paper in English and even predicted, from the apparent —the language of the majority of his later minuteness of the requirements for the publications —on the synthesis of dihy- proposed micronutrients, that they may be droxyphenylalanine ("DOPA"). His suc used as, or transformed into, ferments cess in this field was probably instru (enzymes). F. G. Hopkins as well as other mental in his subsequent appointment as a scientists of that time also believed in the Scholar of Lister, with an annual salary existence of substances, other than the of 150 pounds. known major nutrients, that were required The head of the Institute (he became in small amounts. The boldness of Funk's Sir Charles Martin in 1927) was in com predictions, however, in this paper as well munication with an English doctor in as in his later book on vitamins (1914) Malaya, W. L. Braddon, who was inter had a profound influence on subsequent ested in beriberi and had published a book work. Scientists began to take an active about the disease in 1907. Braddon be interest in the new field, which resulted, lieved that beriberi was caused by a toxin, within 35 years, in the discovery of all while Martin thought that an essential vitamins known today, and, incidentally, amino acid was discarded with the rice in the creation of a billion-dollar industry. A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 1109 At the Lister Institute, Funk worked for chemicals of all types greater than under rather primitive conditions, either ever, this was a time of opportunity for alone or with the aid of a servant not the growth of the American chemical in trained in the sciences. While his vitamin dustry. Funk, with imagination and skill, theory did not create many converts in the became one of the pioneers in the develop medical profession, he made an excellent ment of this industry. impression on Hopkins at Cambridge: His first position was not a success; the Casimir received a Beit Fellowship and the second position was a great improvement, degree of Doctor of Science of the Uni but required an amount of travel that versity of London for his efforts. In the would make even a hardy commuter shud spring of 1913 he had also been joined by der. Funk had to get up at five in the morn his parents; Funk senior helped with the ing, take an elevated train to the ferry to collection and evaluation of data and New Jersey, then take another train, fol abstracted the literature for his son.