1048 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: MOSES SWICK AND THE DISCOVERY OF INTRAVENOUS UROGRAPHY

Abstract

You have accessJournal of UrologyHistory of Urology Forum1 Apr 20111048 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: MOSES SWICK AND THE DISCOVERY OF INTRAVENOUS UROGRAPHY Khurshid Ghani, Uday Patel, and Ken Anson Khurshid GhaniKhurshid Ghani London, United Kingdom More articles by this author , Uday PatelUday Patel London, United Kingdom More articles by this author , and Ken AnsonKen Anson London, United Kingdom More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2011.02.1084AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Moses Swick was an important member of the team in Berlin that produced Uroselectan, the first non-toxic intravenous contrast medium. Never initially credited for his role in its discovery, he was prevented from presenting his findings to fellow compatriots at the AUA annual meeting in 1930. We studied the life of this unique urologist. METHODS We reviewed original publications and historical records pertaining to Dr Swick found in the archives of the Royal Society of Medicine library, Wellcome Trust History of Medicine library and British Library in London. A Medline search using the terms “Swick”, “Berlin”, “excretory urography” and “contrast medium” was also performed. RESULTS As a Jewish American doctor finding it difficult to obtain postgraduate medical education in the USA, Dr Swick went to Germany at the age of 24. Working with Professor von Lichtenburg in Berlin, he devised and conducted the first animal and human studies using the intravenous contrast material uroselectan in 1929. He was unable to present his breakthrough at the 1930 AUA meeting; the rules stated that an intern could not present a paper. Despite his urgent pleas the honour went to Professor von Lichtenberg who was accepted as the sole originator whilst Swick became to be regarded as a plagiarist. On return to the States in 1931, he worked tirelessly to improve the performance of contrast media. He produced Hippuran, the forerunner to Renograffin. He continued to be shunned by the national and international community until Professor VF Marshall's investigation led to Swick being awarded the Valentine Medal of the New York Academy of Medicine in 1966 after “30 unkind years of heartache and oblivion”. CONCLUSIONS The American Congressional Record regards Swick's work as “one of the five major contributions of an individual to medicine”. His life is a testament to the struggle for scientific integrity and fight against prejudice. © 2011 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 185Issue 4SApril 2011Page: e421-e422 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2011 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Khurshid Ghani London, United Kingdom More articles by this author Uday Patel London, United Kingdom More articles by this author Ken Anson London, United Kingdom More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement Loading ...