Axel Holst

Axel Holst ( born September 6, 1860 in Christiania, † April 26, 1931 in Oslo) was a Norwegian professor of hygiene and bacteriology at the University of Oslo. He gained worldwide fame through his contributions to beriberi and scurvy.

Life and work

Holst earned a medical degree in 1884 and received in 1892 the license to practice medicine. In 1893 he was appointed professor at the Royal Frederick University, where he taught and conducted research until 1921. Together with the pediatrician Theodor Frølich examined Holst a disease which occurred in the Norwegian fishing fleet. Inspired by the research findings of Christiaan Eijkman and Gerrit Grijns suspected Holst a nutritional deficiency. He called the disease then ship beriberi.

In animal studies with guinea pigs Holst and Frølich then discovered that the animals developed in certain grains diets scurvy. Furthermore, they found that a dietary supplement of fresh cabbage or lemon juice, the disease could be prevented.

The results published in 1907 by Holst and Frølich were not accepted by the experts. It should take a few more years, until the theory of vitamins prevailed and Holst was recognized with its investigations.

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