David Macht 2307404 201187241 2008-03-26T23:41:19Z 169.132.18.1 /* References */ '''David Israel Macht''' ([[February 14]], [[1882]] - [[October 14]], [[1961]]) was a [[Pharmacologist]] and Doctor of [[Hebrew Literature]], responsible for many contributions to pharmacology during the first half of the 20th century. ==Biography== Born in [[Moscow]] in [[1882]], Macht moved to [[Baltimore]] in [[1892]], aged 10. He was awarded a bachelor's and a medical degree by [[Johns Hopkins University]] in [[1905]], and took postgraduate courses in [[Berlin]], [[Munich]] and [[Vienna]]. He returned to America in [[1909]] to join the teaching staff at Johns Hopkins. He rose to the position of assistant professor, lecturing in [[pharmacology]] from 1912 to 1932. His grandson, Kenneth Lasson, would later report that at that time Johns Hopkins had a faculty quota limiting the number of Jewish staff that could proceed to full faculty.{{ref|lasson}} In [[1928]] Macht received the first degree of advanced research awarded at [[Yeshiva University|Yeshiva College]], New York, being made Doctor of [[Rabbinic literature|Hebrew Literature]]. From 1933 to 1941 he served as visiting professor of general [[physiology]] at Yeshiva College. From 1944 Dr Macht was a consultant in pharmacology at [[Sinai Hospital]] in Baltimore until he suffered a stroke in 1957. He died four years later at the same hospital. Currently, Johns Hopkins honors Dr. Macht via the David I. Macht award. ==Contributions to medicine== Macht published over 900 scientific studies, and three books. He introduced a number of new methods of treatment of diseases. His contributions include: *Discovered the use of [[ephedrine]] as a substitute for [[cocaine]]. *Distinguished the sedative effect of [[morphine]] and [[codeine]] on the respiratory system from the stimulant effect of other [[narcotic]] drugs. *Proved [[X-rays]] of varying [[wavelengths]] produced different biological effects. *Developed a cure for [[pemphigus]] using "deep" X-Rays. *Studies of the thromboplastic (blood clotting) effects of various agents, including [[antibodies]]. *Extensive [[research]] into the pharmacology of blood and spinal fluid of psychotic patients. *Research into the pharmacological applications of [[cobra]] [[venom]]. {{ref|cobra}} The term "[[psychopharmacology]]" (the branch of science concerned with the way drugs affect the mind and behaviour) was coined by Dr Macht in 1920. ==Phytopharmacology== Dr. Macht was known for his pioneering use of a technique he termed ''[[phytopharmacology]]'' which involved measuring the effects of drugs on plants. Macht's specific technique was to measure the growth rate of ''[[Lupinus albus]]'' seedlings when dosed with a test substance, and compare this against a [[control group]] of undosed seeds. The relative length of [[root]] growth would determine what he called the ''phytotoxic index'', and provide a measure of the [[toxicity]] of the substance to the plants.{{ref|sera}} Dr. Macht applied his technique of phytopharmacology to a variety of substances, including the [[blood]] of people suffering from medical conditions. In 1930, he reported it could be used to demonstrate the presence of [[snake]] [[venom (poison)|venom]] and menotoxin (a toxin thought to be present in the blood of menstruating women). He felt the technique could aid in the [[differential diagnosis]] of [[pernicious anemia]], [[leprosy]], [[pemphigus]] and other conditions. At the time of his death it was reported that his technique could serve as an indicator of mental illness, since "''the blood of persons suffering from certain types of mental illness acts as a poison on species of the European bean''"{{ref|nyobit}}. To date, neither the existence of menotoxin nor the ability of phytopharmacology to predict toxicity to humans has been scientifically corroborated by independent researchers. His claims to have used phytopharmacology to demonstrate the presence of menotoxin in the saliva, tears and blood of menstrual women is contentious. At the time the theory of the existence of menotoxin was widely believed. Macht would have seen his studies as confirmation of this and of the biblical teachings regarding the uncleanliness of menstruating women. The use of phytopharmacology as a predictor of toxicity to humans was mainly restricted to the work of Dr. Macht and Dr. Macht's work was published in the journal ''Science''. Currently, toxicity testing is mostly performed on animal subjects (both live animals and animal tissues), and the detection of individual toxins is performed with [[mass spectrometry]]. While Macht used the term phytopharmacology to refer to the effects of drugs on plants, the term is now only used to refer to the pharmacological usages of plants as medicine. ==Medicine in the Bible== Macht was an [[Orthodox Jew]] and a Doctor of Hebrew Literature, and he frequently advocated the position that there was a harmonious relationship between religion and science. He studied medical and other descriptions in the [[Bible]] and the [[Talmud]], and published many papers that claimed to show that these were accurate descriptions of diseases or treatments. {{ref|exjud}}. Such papers include: *''A Pharmacological Appreciation of References to Alcohol in the Hebrew Bible '', (1929). In which he compared the effects of [[alcohol]] mentioned in the Bible with current medical understanding and concluded "''the Book of Books is in complete accord with the most modern and advanced experimental data on the subject''"{{ref|alc}} *''An Experimental Pharmacological Appreciation of [[Leviticus]] XI and [[Deuteronomy]] XIV'', (1953). In which Macht used his phytopharmacology technique on samples of both Levitically clean and unclean animals, and showed a markedly higher phytotoxic index for the unclean meats and the correlation was 100%.{{ref|lev}} *''A pharmacological appreciation of a biblical reference to mass poisoning, II Kings IV'' ==Books by Macht== *''The Holy Incense. A Botanical, Pharmacological, Psychological, and Archaeological Appreciation of the Bible'', 1928, Waverly Press, Inc., Baltimore, MD *''Bones and Verdure. An Appreciation of Science in Biblical Expressions'',1943, H.G. Roebuck and Son, Baltimore, MD. *''The Heart and Blood in the Bible'', 1951, Boone Press, Baltimore, MD ==References== #{{Note|lasson}}[http://www.jewishtimes.com/scripts/edition.pl?now=2/6/2003&stay=1&SubSectionID=48&ID=2068 JewishTimes.com] Kenneth Lasson's account of discrimination at Johns Hopkins. #{{Note|cobra}} Macht, D.I, [http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1076707 Experimental and Clinical Study of Cobra Venom as an Analgesic] Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1936 January; 22(1): 61–71 #{{Note|sera}} Macht, D.I, [http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1076786&blobtype=pdf Phytopharmacological reactions of normal, toxic and atoxic sera] Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1936 June; 22(6) 384–389: #{{Note|nyobit}} New York Times; Oct 16th, 1961, pg. 29. #{{Note|exjud}} Cecil Roth, ''Macht, David'', Encyclopedia Judaica, pg. 674 #{{Note|alc}} Macht, D.I., ''A Pharmacological Appreciation of References to Alcohol in the Hebrew Bible'', The Scientific Monthly, 1929, pg 163-176 #{{Note|lev}} Macht, D.I., (1953). [http://members.dslextreme.com/users/hollymick/Macht1953.pdf β€œAn Experimental Pharmacological Appreciation of Leviticus XI and Deuteronomy XIV,”] Bulletin of the History of Medicine. 27. 444-450 [[Category:American Orthodox Jews|Macht, David]] [[Category:1882 births|Macht, David]] [[Category:1961 deaths|Macht, David]] [[Category:American pharmacologists|Macht, David]] [[Category:Medical researchers|Macht, David]]