Elmer Louis Severinghaus (1894-1980) was a biochemist who conducted clinical research in insulin therapy, treatment of goiter, and vitamin deficiency. Born in New Albany, Indiana, he was the son of a physician who practiced homeopathic medicine. He graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin, B.A. (1916) and M.A. (1918), degrees in chemistry. He went on to Harvard Medical School to earn his M.D. degree in 1921. Returning to Wisconsin in 1924, he became an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiological Chemistry. A time of rapid application of laboratory developments, Severinghaus conducted clinical study and application of insulin therapy, treatment of goiter, aspects of thyroid disease, and conditions of the endocrine glands.

President of the Association for the Study of Internal Secretions, 1939-1940, he represented the United States as first "Goodwill Ambassador" to Latin America attending the International Congress of Endocrinology at Montevideo, Uruguay. In 1946, Severinghaus began a second career as Director of Clinical Research at Hoffmann LaRoche and in 1958, started a third career as Associate Director of the Institute of Nutrition at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University of New York. For many years, he was associated with the Medical Board of the United Church Board of World Missions. Other interests include the editorship of Current Therapeutic Research. His most famous publications are Guide for Diabetes, Vitamin Therapy in General Practice, Endocrine Therapy in General Practice.

Letters of correspondence covering Severinghaus' early career at the University of Wisconsin. Includes references to his clinical work with diabetes, goiter, and vitamin deficiency. The papers: 1 box, 0.25 linear feet, Series I. Correspondence, 1920-1946.

Physical description

Ca. 100 items.

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Biophysics Note

The scientific career of Elmer Louis Severinghaus may be divided into three main phases: 1921-1945, as professor of physiological chemistry and professor of clinical medicine at the University of Wisconsin; 1945-1958, as director of research at Hoffmann-La Roche; and 1958-1965, as professor of public health and nutrition and associate director of the Institute of Nutrition Sciences at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. The third phase included extensive travel to developing countries as a teacher and consultant for international projects in nutrition. After retiring, Severinghaus was chief nutritional consultant to the Church World Service. The Severinghaus Papers cover the first phase of his career: his research program in metabolism, endocrinology, and insulin physiology at the University of Wisconsin. Although the collection is small and limited to letters written to Severinghaus, it is a helpful source on the growth of biochemistry and nutrition in an institutional context where agricultural and medical research intersected -- biochemistry, nutrition, and physiology at the University of Wisconsin developed in close cooperation with the region's food and drug industries, and the papers contain interesting correspondence on issues related to industrial research, contracts, and patents.

• Cannon, Walter B. (Walter Bradford), 1871-1945
• Carrel, Alexis, 1873-1944
• Cumming, Hugh S (Hugh Smith), 1869-1948
• Fishbein, Morris, 1889-1976
• Harrop, George Argale, 1890-1945
• Hrdlicka, Ales, 1869-1943
• Kinsey, Alfred C. (Alfred Charles), 1894-1956
• Loeb, Jacques, 1859-1924
• Menninger, Karl A. (Karl Augustus), 1893-1990
• Pincus, Gregory, 1903-1967
• Severinghaus, Elmer Louis,1894
• Shaffer, Philip Anderson, 1881-1960
• Starr, Isaac, 1895-1989
• Wetzel, Norman Carl
• Wilder, Russell M. (Russell Morse), 1885-1959

• Diabetes -- Research.
• Endocrinology.
• Medical sciences.
• Medicine -- Research -- Finance.
• Nutrition.
• Research -- Finance.