The Hormone Hunters
How a 1948 Scientific Volume Charted the Inner Universe of Our Bodies
The Codebreakers of Life
Imagine discovering an entire hidden world operating inside your own body—a complex chemical network that controls everything from your growth and metabolism to your mood and ability to handle stress.
This wasn't the premise of a science fiction novel in 1948; it was the cutting edge of medical research being documented in a groundbreaking scientific volume: "Recent Progress in Hormone Research, Volume II." Edited by the visionary biologist Gregory Pincus, this collection of papers from the Laurentian Hormone Conference represented the frontier of endocrinology, the science of hormones 1 9 . At a time when the very word "hormone" was still mysterious to the public, these scientists were mapping the body's internal communication system, laying the foundation for medical treatments that would save millions of lives.
Chemical Messengers
Hormones as the body's internal communication system
Scientific Collaboration
Leading researchers sharing discoveries and debating implications
Medical Foundation
Groundwork for treatments that would revolutionize medicine
The Gathering of Minds: The Laurentian Hormone Conference
The Birth of an Idea
The story begins not in a laboratory, but at a scientific meeting. In 1943, the endocrinological section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting was so successful that the Montreal Physiological Society invited the participants to regather in Canada the following year 1 . This "profitable reunion" in the beautiful Laurentian mountains quickly became an annual tradition, known as the Laurentian Hormone Conference 1 . By 1948, it had established itself as a premier forum where the world's leading hormone researchers could share their latest findings and debate their implications 8 .
The Documentarian: Gregory Pincus
Overseeing this intellectual exchange was Gregory Pincus, a brilliant and ambitious biologist who would later become famous as the co-inventor of the birth control pill 9 . In 1944, he co-founded the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology in Massachusetts, wanting to continue his research on how hormones influenced conditions ranging from cancer to heart disease to schizophrenia 9 . As chairman of the Laurentian Hormone Conference, Pincus ensured that the most significant presentations were preserved, not just as dry academic papers, but as lively discussions complete with the comments and debates they sparked among attendees 8 . The 1948 volume, which largely covered the 1946 conference, was notably successful at capturing this dynamic scientific dialogue 8 .
Conference Timeline
1943
Successful endocrinology section at AAAS meeting sparks idea for specialized conference 1
1944
First Laurentian Hormone Conference held in Canada, establishing annual tradition 1
1944
Gregory Pincus co-founds Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology 9
1948
Publication of "Recent Progress in Hormone Research, Volume II" documenting 1946 conference proceedings 8
Inside the 1948 Volume: Mapping the Hormonal Landscape
A Focus on Metabolism
Volume II of "Recent Progress in Hormone Research" was organized into five parts, with a significant focus on hormone metabolism—the intricate processes by which hormones are created, used, and broken down by the body 8 . Understanding these processes was essential for developing effective hormone therapies. The volume also covered testis physiology, hormones in human reproduction, and the role of hormones in conditions like hypertension 5 .
One contemporary review in the journal Nature particularly praised how the editors handled the discussion sections, noting they had "obviously gone to great trouble to cut out the monosyllabic inanities that so frequently disfigure this type of discussion" 8 . This careful editing transformed the proceedings from mere transcripts into compelling scientific discourse.
Volume II Details
- Editor: Gregory Pincus
- Publisher: Academic Press
- Year: 1948
- Pages: 428
- Price: $8.00
Key Concepts: The Chemical Messengers
For the researchers in this volume, hormones represented the body's chemical messaging system. These molecules, produced by various glands (such as the pituitary, thyroid, and adrenals), travel through the bloodstream to target organs and tissues, where they trigger specific responses. The 1948 research explored several fundamental concepts:
Hormone Specificity
How each hormone produces distinct effects on particular target tissues 5
Metabolic Pathways
How hormones are synthesized, activated, and broken down in the body 8
Feedback Systems
How hormone production is regulated through complex feedback loops between different glands 5
Hormone Interactions
How different hormones work together—or sometimes in opposition—to maintain the body's balance 5
The Cortisone Breakthrough: A Case Study in Discovery
The Historical Context
While the 1948 volume documented many important findings, one hormonal discovery was unfolding at that very moment that would perfectly illustrate the field's transformative potential: the isolation and therapeutic use of cortisone (initially called "Compound E") .
The quest for cortisone began much earlier at the Mayo Clinic, where chemist Edward C. Kendall had been working since 1930 to identify and isolate hormones from the adrenal cortex . By 1934, his team had isolated five crystalline compounds from adrenal glands, naming them simply Compounds "A" through "E" in the order they were identified . The last of these, Compound E, would prove to be biologically extraordinary .
Laboratory equipment similar to what researchers used in the 1940s to isolate hormones
The Experimental Journey
The path to cortisone was marked by extraordinary persistence and resourcefulness:
Pounds of hog thyroid glands
Required for initial isolation of thyroid hormones, setting precedent for scale
Tons of adrenal glands
Processed by Kendall's lab from 1934-1949
Milligrams of Compound E
Synthesized by 1948 for clinical trials
Nobel Prize
Awarded to Kendall, Hench, and Reichstein
A Medical Miracle Unfolds
The results were so dramatic that the clinicians filmed them, believing nobody would otherwise believe what they were witnessing . The footage showed a woman who had been crippled by arthritis walking normally just days after treatment . The handwritten notes from her doctors recorded seemingly miraculous improvements: she "rolled over and turned off the radio with ease for the first time in weeks" and exhibited "no more trembling of knees when moving" .
This single case, later earning Kendall, Hench, and Tadeus Reichstein the 1950 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, demonstrated the incredible therapeutic power of hormones and validated the work of countless researchers exploring this new frontier .
Documented Effects of Early Cortisone Treatment
| Symptom Domain | Before Treatment | After 3 Days |
|---|---|---|
| Mobility | Crippled, difficulty standing | Walking normally |
| Fine Motor Control | Unable to perform simple tasks | Turning off radio with ease |
| Lower Body Strength | Knees trembling when moving | No more trembling |
| Pain & Inflammation | Severe, debilitating | Dramatically reduced |
Physiological Effects of Corticosteroids
| Effect Type | Key Hormones | Bodily Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-inflammatory | Cortisone (Compound E) | Reduces swelling, pain, and tissue damage |
| Metabolic Regulation | Adrenal cortical hormones | Influences sugar, protein, and fat metabolism |
| Stress Response | Multiple adrenal hormones | Modulates body's adaptation to stressors |
| Electrolyte Balance | Aldosterone and others | Regulates sodium, potassium, and water balance |
Nobel Recognition
The 1950 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded jointly to Edward C. Kendall, Tadeus Reichstein, and Philip S. Hench "for their discoveries relating to the hormones of the adrenal cortex, their structure and biological effects." This recognition highlighted the profound impact of hormone research on medical science.
The Scientist's Toolkit: Essential Materials for Hormone Research
The pioneering work featured in "Recent Progress in Hormone Research" relied on specialized materials and methods that were cutting-edge for their time.
| Research Reagent | Primary Function in Hormone Research | Example from 1948 Research |
|---|---|---|
| Radioiodine (I-131) | Tracing hormone uptake and metabolism | Studying iodine metabolism in the thyroid gland 6 |
| Steroid Precursors | Investigating hormone synthesis pathways | Studying the metabolism of estrogens and androgens 6 |
| Tissue Extracts | Isolating natural hormones from glands | Preparing adrenal cortical extracts from bovine glands |
| Animal Glands | Source material for hormone isolation | Using bovine adrenals and hog thyroids for extraction |
| Chromatography Materials | Separating and purifying hormone compounds | Isolating Compounds A-E from adrenal cortex |
Industrial Collaboration
From 1934 to 1949, Kendall's lab struck deals with pharmaceutical companies to process hundreds of pounds of bovine adrenal glands weekly. His laboratory eventually processed over 150 tons of adrenal glands—an effort that generated millions of dollars in research funding .
Wartime Priority
During World War II, the U.S. National Research Council made synthesizing adrenal cortex hormones a national priority, recognizing their potential military value for helping pilots and soldiers withstand extreme physical stress .
Conclusion: The Legacy of a Pivotal Year
The 1948 volume of "Recent Progress in Hormone Research" captured a field at a turning point. The same year this volume was published, a methodological revolution was underway in clinical research—the first randomized controlled trials were being conducted, establishing new standards for evidence that would eventually transform how hormone therapies were evaluated 4 .
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies were capitalizing on the growing understanding of hormones, sometimes with exaggerated claims, as seen with the Swedish fertility drug Gonadex 3 7 .
Birth Control Pill
Pincus would later co-invent the oral contraceptive, revolutionizing reproductive health 9
Corticosteroids
Revolutionized treatment of inflammatory diseases like arthritis
Hormone Therapies
Improved countless lives through replacement and regulatory treatments
These hormone hunters of the 1940s, working with primitive tools by today's standards, nonetheless mapped the contours of our inner universe, revealing the invisible chemical forces that shape our health, our development, and our very experience of life.
References
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