Arthur Robertson Cushny
Encyclopedia
Physician Arthur Robertson Cushny (March 6, 1866 in Fochabers
, Moray
, Scotland
- February 25, 1926 in Edinburgh
, Scotland
), attended a local rural school until he enrolled at the University of Aberdeen
and received an M.A.
in 1866. Then in 1889 he graduated from medical studies at Marischal College
, Aberdeen
, receiving C.M., M.B. and M.D.
degrees in 1892.
Aroused by interests of physiological drug interaction, he traveled to the European continent and spent a year of associated study under Oswald Schmiedeberg at Strassburg
, Austria
and six months in Berne
under Hugo Kronecker
, from whom he learned elements of physiological technique.
Then in 1893, at age 27, he accepted the chairmanship of pharmacology
at the University of Michigan
, replacing the newly resigned Professor J. J. Abel. While there he taught, conducted research and wrote his Text-Book of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, an unrivaled book for thirty years with a posthumous edition published in 1928.
Cushny's contributions to the field of pharmacology were considerable. He performed, with the most modern techniques of the time, the first experimental analysis of the action of digitalis
on warm-blooded animals and explained its effects, thereby increasing the drug's therapeutic use and value. He was the first to understand the similarity between clinical and experimental auricular fibrillation
.
He was also interested for several years in the physiological action of optical isomers
and, in c.
1900, the mechanisms of kidney secretion, providing three advanced papers on the subject between 1901 and 1904 in the Journal of Physiology. In 1917 he presented the paper,The Secretion of Urine, an advancement of the "modern theory" of kidney secretion, and also wrote a second edition of it released posthumously. Here he laid aside the theories of the inexplicable vital activities of the kidneys. He claimed that their primary structures, the Glomeruli
, simply filter out harmful bodily waste products while useful nutrients are reabsorbed into the body.
In 1905 he accepted the chair of pharmacology at University College London
(UCL), and then in 1918, replaced the chair vacated by Sir Thomas Fraser in Edinburgh, where remained until his death.
While in Edinburgh, he bought an historic manor house, the "Dumbiedykes" of the Heart of Midlothian, that he retired to while entertaining international medical students and physicians. He was an avid horticulturalist
, spending more and more time in his garden. He married the English Sarah Firbank in 1896, but died suddenly of apoplectic stroke at his home.
Fochabers
Fochabers is a village in the Parish of Bellie, in Moray, Scotland, not far from the cathedral city of Elgin and located on the east bank of the River Spey. Around 2,000 people live in the village, which enjoys a rich musical and cultural history...
, Moray
Moray
Moray is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.- History :...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
- February 25, 1926 in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
), attended a local rural school until he enrolled at the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
and received an M.A.
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
in 1866. Then in 1889 he graduated from medical studies at Marischal College
Marischal College
Marischal College is a building and former university in the centre of the city of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland. The building is owned by the University of Aberdeen and used for ceremonial events...
, Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, receiving C.M., M.B. and M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
degrees in 1892.
Aroused by interests of physiological drug interaction, he traveled to the European continent and spent a year of associated study under Oswald Schmiedeberg at Strassburg
Straßburg, Austria
Straßburg is a town in the district of Sankt Veit an der Glan in Carinthia, Austria.-Location:The municipality lies in Northern Carinthia in the Gurk Valley among the Nock Mountains and the Gurk.-Municipal arrangement:...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and six months in Berne
Berne
The city of Bern or Berne is the Bundesstadt of Switzerland, and, with a population of , the fourth most populous city in Switzerland. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 43 municipalities, has a population of 349,000. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000...
under Hugo Kronecker
Hugo Kronecker
Karl Hugo Kronecker was a German physiologist from Liegnitz, Prussian Silesia. He was the brother of Leopold Kronecker....
, from whom he learned elements of physiological technique.
Then in 1893, at age 27, he accepted the chairmanship of pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, replacing the newly resigned Professor J. J. Abel. While there he taught, conducted research and wrote his Text-Book of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, an unrivaled book for thirty years with a posthumous edition published in 1928.
Cushny's contributions to the field of pharmacology were considerable. He performed, with the most modern techniques of the time, the first experimental analysis of the action of digitalis
Digoxin
Digoxin INN , also known as digitalis, is a purified cardiac glycoside and extracted from the foxglove plant, Digitalis lanata. Its corresponding aglycone is digoxigenin, and its acetyl derivative is acetyldigoxin...
on warm-blooded animals and explained its effects, thereby increasing the drug's therapeutic use and value. He was the first to understand the similarity between clinical and experimental auricular fibrillation
Fibrillation
Fibrillation is the rapid, irregular, and unsynchronized contraction of muscle fibers. An important occurrence is with regards to the heart.-Cardiology:There are two major classes of cardiac fibrillation: atrial fibrillation and ventricular fibrillation....
.
He was also interested for several years in the physiological action of optical isomers
Chirality (chemistry)
A chiral molecule is a type of molecule that lacks an internal plane of symmetry and thus has a non-superimposable mirror image. The feature that is most often the cause of chirality in molecules is the presence of an asymmetric carbon atom....
and, in c.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1900, the mechanisms of kidney secretion, providing three advanced papers on the subject between 1901 and 1904 in the Journal of Physiology. In 1917 he presented the paper,The Secretion of Urine, an advancement of the "modern theory" of kidney secretion, and also wrote a second edition of it released posthumously. Here he laid aside the theories of the inexplicable vital activities of the kidneys. He claimed that their primary structures, the Glomeruli
Glomerulus
A glomerulus is a capillary tuft that is involved in the first step of filtering blood to form urine.A glomerulus is surrounded by Bowman's capsule, the beginning component of nephrons in the vertebrate kidney. A glomerulus receives its blood supply from an afferent arteriole of the renal...
, simply filter out harmful bodily waste products while useful nutrients are reabsorbed into the body.
In 1905 he accepted the chair of pharmacology at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
(UCL), and then in 1918, replaced the chair vacated by Sir Thomas Fraser in Edinburgh, where remained until his death.
While in Edinburgh, he bought an historic manor house, the "Dumbiedykes" of the Heart of Midlothian, that he retired to while entertaining international medical students and physicians. He was an avid horticulturalist
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, spending more and more time in his garden. He married the English Sarah Firbank in 1896, but died suddenly of apoplectic stroke at his home.
Notable Monographic Works
- The Action and Uses in Medicine of Digitalis and Its Allies (1925)
- The Biological Relation of Optically Isometric Substances (1926)
- The Secretion of Urine (1917)