C&EN: ACS NEWS - ACS HONORS ALBERT SZENT-GYÖRGYI

The Hungarian Chemical Society joined the American Chemical Society to honor the work of Albert von Szent-Györgyi, who won the 1937 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, as an International Historic Chemical Landmark. Ceremonies were held on May 11 at Szeged University in Hungary, in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Hungarian Chemical Society. About 40 people were on hand for the outdoor program, which was held, with nature's cooperation, on a sunny spring day.

ACS established the landmarks program in 1992 to commemorate seminal events in the history of chemistry and to heighten public awareness of the role chemistry has played in the history of the U.S. and around the world. So far, 40 such landmarks have been designated--not only in the U.S., but also in Canada, France, Germany, India, Mexico, and the U.K.

	Pavlath Honored

	Pavlath (left) talks with Alajos Kalman, president of the Hungarian Chemical Society.
	On Friday, May 10, as the Hungarian Chemical Society held its annual meeting in Budapest, ACS Immediate Past-President Attila E. Pavlath spoke at the open session of the society. His lecture, presented in Hungarian, was titled "The Public Image of Chemistry." In it, Pavlath argued that, in the U.S., the average chemist does not know how to promote chemistry, and the average person does not understand chemistry and does not realize the impact of chemistry on his or her life. He concluded by saying that every chemist has to be an ambassador for chemistry. About 100 people attended ceremonies where Pavlath received two diplomas. One was a Golden Diploma, marking the 50th anniversary of his degree from the Technical University of Budapest, received in July 1952. Pavlath was pleased, because when he fled Hungary in 1956 he did not take his original diploma with him. "I can now prove I graduated from the school," he said. The second presentation was a diploma for outstanding achievement, which was given to him by the Hungarian Chemical Society. He was also made an honorary member of the society.

The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of a plaque. Attendees gathered around the plaque, which now adorns the building of the chemistry department in which Szent-Györgyi, for whom the building is named, conducted research on vitamin C. The text of the plaque, which is presented in both Hungarian and English, reads:

"Albert Szent-Györgyi (1893–1986), biochemist, pioneered the study of biological oxidation mechanisms during the 1920s. Between 1930 and 1936, while a Professor at Szeged University, he proved that hexuronic acid, which he had previously isolated, is identical with vitamin C and that it could be extracted in kilogram quantities from paprika. In 1937, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 'for his discoveries in connection with the biological combustion processes, with special reference to vitamin C and the catalysis of fumaric acid.' In later years, he and his collaborators achieved world renown in the field of the biochemical mechanism of muscular contraction. From 1948 until his death, he worked in the U.S. where he was also involved in cancer research."

"As ACS president in 2001, I participated in many landmark events," Immediate Past-President Attila E. Pavlath told attendees. "But this one is a special one since I share a number of common points in life with Dr. Szent-Györgyi." Pavlath noted that "we both were born in and started our scientific careers in Hungary. The lack of freedom forced both of us to leave our home country and emigrate to the U.S. I am now a loyal citizen of the U.S. and grateful to it for providing home and opportunities to a poor refugee. But I have never forgotten the country of my birth. It is a great pleasure to be able to make this presentation in a free Hungary."

Szent-Györgyi's identification of vitamin C was vitally important medically and couldn't have been better suited to Szeged, which calls itself the "Paprika Capital of the World."

Scientists, doctors, and sailors had known for several centuries that eating citrus fruit helped prevent the serious condition known as scurvy, which caused swollen and bleeding gums, loose teeth, hemorrhaging under the skin, and slow healing of wounds. Sailors were particularly prone to developing scurvy, often dying from the conditionBy the middle of the 18th century, the British medical community recognized that scurvy resulted from a dietary deficiency. But it would take almost another two centuries before researchers could pinpoint the substance responsible for preventing scurvy, which was vitamin C.

Szent-Györgyi's life was an interdisciplinary journey that included medicine, biology, chemistry, and physics. He was born in 1893 into a family that included three generations of scientists. He was interested in science at an early age and enrolled in the University of Budapest, but World War I interrupted his studies.

After studying at various European universities, Szent-Györgyi accepted a post as professor of medical chemistry at the University of Szeged. Earlier, he had isolated a substance that he called "hexuronic acid." At Szeged, he and other researchers concluded that hexuronic acid, which they renamed ascorbic acid, was the long-sought vitamin C. In his research on ascorbic acid, Szent-Györgyi made use of the local specialty, paprika, which is rich in vitamin C.

Szent-Györgyi continued his scientific research in Hungary, but in 1947 he immigrated to the U.S. He assumed the directorship of the Institute for Muscle Research in Woods Hole, Mass., where he conducted research into cell division and the cause of cancer. He wrote numerous books, including "The Crazy Ape" in 1970, which was a passionate commentary on science and the future of the human race. He died on Oct. 22, 1986.

Pavlath said, "We hope that through Szent-Györgyi's example we can challenge Hollywood stereotypes and show the public that chemists are heroes and pioneers."