Isaac Adler (physician)

Isaac Adler, sketched around 1910

Isaac Adler (c. 1849–1918) was an American physician known for his published descriptions of lung cancer cases in the early 20th century.

Early life

Isaac Adler was born in Alzey, Grand Duchy of Hesse, in about 1849 to Henriette Frankfurter and noted rabbi Samuel Adler.[1][2] In 1857, the family emigrated to the United States.[1] Adler received an undergraduate degree from Columbia College in 1868, then his M.D. in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1871.[1]

Medical career

Beginning in 1875, Adler worked as a physician at German Hospital (now Lenox Hill Hospital) in New York City. In 1892, Adler was appointed professor of clinical psychology at the New York Polyclinic Medical School. In 1898, he was elected consulting physician at Montefiore Home.[1]

The front page of Adler's 1912 book

In 1912, Adler published the work for which he is best known, "Primary Malignant Growths of the Lungs and Bronchi". In the first review of lung cancer, previously a rare disease, Adler listed 374 known cases from various European registries.[3] Adler noted "a decided increase" in lung cancer, and speculated that tobacco or alcohol could be involved.[4] Adler suggested that lung cancer was frequently misdiagnosed as tuberculosis.[5]

Personal life

Adler married Frida Grumbacher on May 24, 1874.[2] Adler died at his New York City home on May 4, 1918.[5]

References

1. Salant, William (1906). "Adler, Isaac". The Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 8 February 2023 – via JewishEncyclopedia.com.
2. "Certificate of Marriage - State of New York". 24 May 1874. Retrieved 8 February 2023 – via Historical Vital Records NYC.
3. Kloecker, Goetz (2021). "1. History of lung cancer". In Kloecker, Goetz; Fraig, Mostafa; Arnold, Susanne M.; Perez, Cesar A. (eds.). Lung Cancer: Standards of Care. New York: McGraw Hill. pp. 3–8. ISBN 978-1-260-13620-3.
4. Proctor RN (March 2012). "The history of the discovery of the cigarette-lung cancer link: evidentiary traditions, corporate denial, global toll". Tob Control. 21 (2): 87–91. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050338. PMID 22345227.
5. "Isaac Adler, M.D. (1849-1918)". CA Cancer J Clin. 30 (5): 294. 1980. doi:10.3322/canjclin.30.5.294. PMID 6773623.