Herman Bernhard Lundborg
Encyclopedia
Herman Bernhard Lundborg (April 7, 1868, Väse
- 1943) was a Swedish physician
. He graduated in medicine
at the Karolinska Institutet
in 1895, and received his doctorate at the Uppsala University
in 1903. He also habilitated
there that year for psychiatry
and neurology
, and in 1915 for racial biology.
For his doctoral dissertation, Lundborg researched a form of genetic progressive myoclonic epilepsy
first described by Heinrich Unverricht
in 1891. Besides of given an account of the disease, he traced an affected family back to the 18th century, an analysis unique for that time. He concluded that the family had genetically degenerated because of "unwise marriages". The study has been described as "of considerable historic interest in human genetics
". Over the years, the form of epilepsy became known as the Unverricht-Lundborg disease
.
Lundborg was extremely negative towards the Jewish people, and strongly involved with the ideology of racial hygiene
. In the beginning of the 20th century, the idea that eugenics
could somehow improve society in general strongly evolved. In 1922, Sweden
became the first country in the world to establish a eugenic governmental agency, the State Institute of Racial Biology
, of which Lundborg was appointed as the head. Under his leadership, the institute began gathering copious statistics and photographs to map the racial make-up of about 100,000 Swedish people. This research later became one of the foundations under a eugenic program of the Swedish government, which consisted of both voluntary and involuntary sterilization of persons with negative genetic characteristics. The program was started in 1935 and would last until 1975.
Väse
Väse is a locality situated in Karlstad Municipality, Värmland County, Sweden with 517 inhabitants in 2005....
- 1943) was a Swedish physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. He graduated in medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at the Karolinska Institutet
Karolinska Institutet
Karolinska institutet is a medical university in Solna within the Stockholm urban area, Sweden, and one of Europe's largest medical universities...
in 1895, and received his doctorate at the Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
in 1903. He also habilitated
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
there that year for psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
and neurology
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
, and in 1915 for racial biology.
For his doctoral dissertation, Lundborg researched a form of genetic progressive myoclonic epilepsy
Progressive myoclonic epilepsy
Progressive myoclonic epilepsy is a rare epilepsy syndrome caused by a variety of genetic disorders. It consists of both myoclonic seizures and tonic-clonic seizures together with progressive neurological decline....
first described by Heinrich Unverricht
Heinrich Unverricht
Heinrich Unverricht was a German internist who was a native of Breslau. In 1877 he obtained his doctorate from the University of Breslau, where he was a student of Michael Anton Biermer...
in 1891. Besides of given an account of the disease, he traced an affected family back to the 18th century, an analysis unique for that time. He concluded that the family had genetically degenerated because of "unwise marriages". The study has been described as "of considerable historic interest in human genetics
Human genetics
Human genetics describes the study of inheritance as it occurs in human beings. Human genetics encompasses a variety of overlapping fields including: classical genetics, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, biochemical genetics, genomics, population genetics, developmental genetics, clinical genetics,...
". Over the years, the form of epilepsy became known as the Unverricht-Lundborg disease
Unverricht-Lundborg disease
Unverricht-Lundborg disease is the most common form of an uncommon group of genetic epilepsy disorders called progressive myoclonic epilepsy. It is caused due to a mutation in the cystatin B gene...
.
Lundborg was extremely negative towards the Jewish people, and strongly involved with the ideology of racial hygiene
Racial hygiene
Racial hygiene was a set of early twentieth century state sanctioned policies by which certain groups of individuals were allowed to procreate and others not, with the expressed purpose of promoting certain characteristics deemed to be particularly desirable...
. In the beginning of the 20th century, the idea that eugenics
Eugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
could somehow improve society in general strongly evolved. In 1922, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
became the first country in the world to establish a eugenic governmental agency, the State Institute of Racial Biology
Statens institut för rasbiologi
Statens institut för rasbiologi was a Swedish governmental research institute founded in 1922 with the stated purpose of studying eugenics and human genetics. It was located in Uppsala and as a governmental agency, it was the world’s first of its kind...
, of which Lundborg was appointed as the head. Under his leadership, the institute began gathering copious statistics and photographs to map the racial make-up of about 100,000 Swedish people. This research later became one of the foundations under a eugenic program of the Swedish government, which consisted of both voluntary and involuntary sterilization of persons with negative genetic characteristics. The program was started in 1935 and would last until 1975.