Doing "true science": The early history of the Institutum Divi Thomae, 1935-1951

Catholic Historical Review

Volumn 88, Issue 4, 2002, Pages 702-722

  Heitmann, John A ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

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EID: 41149127835     PISSN: 00088080     EISSN: 15340708     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1353/cat.2003.0027     Document Type: Review

References (77)

1. Pope Pius XI, encyclical Ad Catholici Sacerdotii, December 20, 1935, in The Papal Encyclicals, 1903-1939, ed. Claudia Carlen, I.H.M. ([Wilmington, North Carolina], 1981), p. 508;
2. Pope Pius XI, In multis solaciis (Ex motu proprio), October 28, 1936, va Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 28 (1936), 421-424;
3. G. B. Marini-Bettòlo, The Activity of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences 1936-1986, 2nd ed. (Vatican City, 1986), p. 196.
4. Scott Appleby, "Church and Age Unite!" The Modernist Impulse in American Catholicism (Notre Dame, Indiana, 1992), pp. 13-52.
5. In searching several databases I was surprised to find so little on Catholicism and science in the United States. See also David Hollinger, "Science as a Weapon in Kulturkämpfe in the United States during and after World War II," Isis, 86 (1995), 440-454;
6. James Gilbert, Redeeming Culture: American Religion in an Age of Science (Chicago, 1997), pp. 59, 67, 142, 218;
7. Kathleen M. Joyce, "Science and the Saints: American Catholics and Health Care, 1880-1930" (unpublished dissertation, Princeton University, 1995);
8. Carl-Henry Geschwind, "Embracing Science and Research: Early Twentieth Century Jesuits and Seismology in the United States," Isis, 89 (1998), 27-49.
9. For example, see Etienne Lepicard, "Eugenics and Roman Catholicism: An Encyclical Letter in Context: 'Casti Connubii,' December 31, 1930," Science in Context, 11 (1998), 527-544;
10. Suzy Farren, "A Call to Care:" The Women Who Built Catholic Healthcare in America (St. Louis, 1996);
11. Bernadette McCauley, "Who Shall Take Care of our Sick? Roman Catholic Sisterhoods and their Hospitals, New York City, 1850-1930" (dissertation, Columbia University, 1992).
12. Daniel Kevles, The Physicists (New York, 1977), pp. 207-210, 371-372.
13. Hugh S. Taylor, "The Passport of Scholarship";
14. Karl F. Herzfeld, "Filling the Gap in Science";
15. James Arthur Reyniers, "Ways and Means of Developing Catholic Scientists."
16. See Arnold Lunn, "The Case for Truth," The Commonweal, 24 (May 15, 1936), 71;
17. William M. Agar, "Religion and Science," The Commonweal, 25 (March 19 and 26, April 9 and 16, 1937), 569-571, 599-600, 662-664, 689-692;
18. Brother Eugene A. Paulin, S.M., "Some Catholic Aspects of Science and Science Teaching," The Catholic School Journal, 37 (November, 1937), 316-318.
19. Patrick O'Brien, "Science in the Catholic Manner," The Vincentian, May, 1939, p. 126, in Sperti Scrapbook, Reel 4.
20. Sister Miriam Michael Stimson, "As a Scientist Sees It: Nature of the Spectrum, Color is Explained," The Catholic Telegraph-Register, CVII (March 11, 1938), 5.
21. George S. Sperti (ed.), Probiotics (Westport, Connecticut, 1971), p. vii.
22. Rev. James W. O'Brien and George Speri Sperti, "Supreme Intelligence and Science," Studies of the Institutum Divi Thomae [hereafter referred to as Studies], II (1938), 1-19, 15.
23. Bishop Hedley, Evolution and Faith (London, 1931), pp. 1-56;
24. On Archbishop McNicholas and his Thomism, see Steven M. Avella, "John T. McNicholas in the Age of Practical Thomism," Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, 97 (1986), 15-25. This "scholastic synthesis" was a central objective of many early twentieth-century Catholic intellectuals, and it was a response to Leo XIII's 1879 encyclical Aeterni Patris encouraging a re-examination of the thought of Thomas Aquinas, further encouraged by the 1907 papal condemnation of modernism. My thanks to my University of Dayton colleague Una Cadegan for this insight.
25. O'Brien, "Science in the Catholic Manner," p. 127; see also George Sperti, "Why Should a Scientist Believe in God," The Catholic Women's News, February, 1936, Sperti Scrapbook, Reel 4.
26. On Sperti, see Anne Tansey, "G-Man of Science," The Holy Name Journal, 1946?;
27. Myron Stearns, "New Progress in Cancer Research," Redbook, August, 1946;
28. Vic Taranto, "Dr. George Sperti," ItalaAmerican (New York), December, 1962, all in Sperti Scrapbook, Reel 3.
29. More recently, Mary Phillip Trauth, "Sperti, George Speri," American National Biography (1999).
30. On Schneider's program, see David F. Noble, America by Design (New York, 1977), pp. 183, 185-189.
31. Herman Schneider and George Sperti, The Quantum Theory in Biology (Cincinnati, 1926).
32. For example, see George Sperti, "Industrial Aspects of Agricultural Production," Report submitted to the Honorable Henry A. Wallace, January 31, 1935, typescript.
33. Rev. Timothy J. McNicholas, "Archbishop McNicholas and Institutum Divi Thomae," September 18, 1992, Archives of the Chancery, Cincinnati, Ohio. "Educational Notes," The Catholic Educational Review, 33 (June, 1935), 375.
34. Despite the large number of IDT staff scientific publications on cancer and the vast publicity that Sperti and his organization garnered, the historical scholarship on the topic of cancer contains no mention whatsoever of the director or the Institute. Perhaps an additional chapter should be added to the highly acclaimed Robert N. Proctor, Cancer Wars: How Politics Shapes What we Know and Don't Know About Cancer (New York, 1995).
35. See also James S. Olson, The History of Cancer: An Annotated Bibliography (Westport, Connecticut, 1989);
36. James Patterson, The Dread Disease: Cancer and Modern Culture (Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1987);
37. Jean-Paul Gaudelliere, "Cancer and Science: the Hundred Year War," Journal of the History of Biology, 31 (1998), 279-288;
38. Ilana Lowy, "Experimental Systems and Clinical Practices: Tumor Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy, 1895-1980," Journal of the History of Biology, 27 (1994), 403-435;
39. Nancy Carol Erdey, "Armor of Patience: The National Cancer Institute and the Development of Medical Research Policy in the United States, 1937-1971" (dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 1995).
40. For example, see Frank Smith, "Science and Religion March Hand in Hand at Cincinnati's Institutum Divi Thomae," Chicago Times, March 13, March 20, March 27, April 3, 1938;
41. "Researches at Institutum Divi Thomae," The Science Counselor (Duquesne University), June, 1938;
42. Ernie Pyle, "Science Outweighs Money," July 5, 1938;
43. Ernie Pyle, "Dr. Sperti Seeks Cure for Cancer," Pittsburgh Press, July 13, 1938;
44. "Cause of Cancer Believed Traced, Sperti Reports: Believe Irritation from Slightly Injured Cells Produces Growth Factor That Causes Disease," Cincinnati Post, 1938;
45. "Columnist Finds Catholic Cancer Expert True Genius," Indiana Catholic, July 15, 1938;
46. "'Definite Progress' in Cancer Battle Reported," Cincinnati Times Star, October 25, 1938;
47. John J. O'Neil, "Body Produces Cells Able to Resist Poisons," October 27, 1938;
48. On Cook, see "Cook, Elton Strauss," American Men and Women of Science (1976), I, 822.
49. "Institutum Graduate Longed to Wear 'Beard of Science,'" Cincinnati Times-Star, June 6, 1939, Sperti Scrapbook, Reel 4.
50. See the following articles, all in a series in The Catholic Telegraph-Register entitled "As a Scientist Sees It": Elton Cook, "Science has Led to Medicine's Advance," CVII (February 18, 1938), 5;
51. John Fardon, "Eye is Indication of the Existence of God," CVII (February 18, 1938), 2;
52. Brother William Beck, "Faith in Christ is Reasonable," CVII (January 21, 1938);
53. Cornelius Jansen, "Amazing Facts Seen in Familiar Things," CVII (April 15, 1938), 6.
54. "Plant Mysteries Revealed," Cincinnati Times-Star, January 9, 1940, Sperti Scrapbook, Reel 4.
55. Rev. Timothy McNicholas, "Archbishop McNicholas and Institutum Divi Thomae."
56. A complete discussion of IDT scientific research is in preparation but beyond the scope of this paper. See George Speri Sperti, "Cancer Research," and "Report of Cancer Research to the National Cancer Council," November, 1937, Typescript, Archives of the Chancery, Cincinnati.
57. Myron Stearns, "New Progress in Cancer Research."
58. E. S. Cook, M. J. Hart, and R. A. Joly, "Effect of Respiratory Stimulating Factors on Endogenous Respiration of Yeast," Proceedings of the Society of Experimental Biological Medicine, 38 (1938), 169-170.
59. E. S. Cook and C. W. Kreke, "Respiratory Activity of a Steam Distillate from Yeast," Studies, 2 (1939), 215-225;
60. "Malt Combings as a Source of Respiratory Factors for Yeast and Skin," Studies, 2 (1939), 173-178.
61. V. Ruddy, "The Specific Action of Two Stimulating Factors Upon the Respiration of Yeast and Liver Cells," Archives of Experimental Zellforschung, 22 (1939), 599-606.
62. Elton S. Cook and Elsie Walter, "Preparation and Respiratory-Stimulating Activities of Some Fractions from Beef Spleen," Studies, 3 (1941), 39-52;
63. John C. Fardon, Rev. Gustave C. Brotzge, and Sister M. Kenneth Loeffler, O.P., "Depressed Respiration Preceding Tumor Formation," Studies, 3 (1941), 53-80;
64. Elton S. Cook and Elsie M. Walter, "Effect of pH on Adsorption by Charcoal of Factors Increasing the Respiration of Yeast and Liver," Studies, 3 (1941), 139-145;
65. "Biodynes: Intercellular Hormones," American Professional Pharmacist, 8 (1942), 157-162.
66. Kurt Stern and Robert Wilhelm, The Biochemistry of Malignant Tumors (Brooklyn, 1943), pp. 461-525.
67. "Palm Beach Now Workshop for Scientists Studying Cancer," 1941, Sperti Scrapbook, Reel 4;
68. Ethel K. Ehlen, "Palm Beach Profiles," Palm Beach Pictorial, April 1, 1955, Sperti Scrapbook, Reel 3.
69. On the Florida orange juice venture, see "Foundation Places Big Orange Order," Miami Herald, 1952;
70. Bob Considine, "Cancer Research Gives Boost to Citrus Industry," 1955;
71. Bob Considine, "Dr. Sperti's New Citrus Wonder," Cincinnati Enquirer, February 23, 1955;
72. Sperti's enterprises were threefold: (1) the IDT; (2) Sperti Inc., a commercial corporation with a number of subsidiaries; and (3) the IDT Foundation, the entity which controlled assets of and royalties to the IDT, and held controlling interest in Sperti Inc. and its subsidiaries. "Notes on Leblond Case," n.d., Archives of the Chancery, Cincinnati. On matters related to Sperti's business activities, see Ralph Lostro, "New Ultraviolet Process Arrests Spoilage" Super Market Merchandising, June, 1938;
73. "Sunlight Bulb Wins a Patent," New York Times, April 14, 1940;
74. "A New Burn Cure," Time, October 5, 1942, p. 94;
75. Anne Tansley, "Vitamins to the Rescue," The Missionary, July, 1946, pp. 211-214;
76. The 1951 reorganization of the Athenaeum and the indefinite suspension of the Athenaeum's responsibility for IDT operations is discussed in Francis J. Miller, "A History of the Athenaeum of Ohio, 1829-1960" (dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 1964), pp. 354, 362-364.
77. According to Fortune, "Cancer: The Great Darkness," 15 (March, 1937), 112-114, 162, there were only two foundations in 1937 that had expenditures of more than $1 million per year dedicated to cancer research. While federal government support was limited, it increased from $34,000 in 1930 to $140,000 in 1937. The Fortune essay also discusses the state of knowledge on cancer, and claims that irritation studies aimed at understanding the genesis of malignancy - precisely one approach that Sperti and his IDT staff were then undertaking - were visionary and promising.