Hubert Ralph Catchpole died peacefully at home on March
25, 2006, just seven weeks short of his 100th birthday. It could not
be said that he ever retired, his last paper having been published 6
months earlier. Catchpole's life spanned two centuries--figuratively
almost three, considering the remoteness and the 19th century culture
that marked his early years. He was born in London on May 13, 1906 and
was raised by foster parents in the small rural village of Witlingham,
just outside of Norwich. Since his family had less than modest means
his education would have finished at age 14. However, his unusual
abilities were recognized and he went to secondary school ("public
school") on scholarships and grants. Then in 1925 he was awarded an
agricultural scholarship to Cambridge University. Hubert told about his
interview with the Minister of Agriculture--he knew that he had
succeeded when, toward the end of their conversation the minister
inquired if he had a dinner jacket. (The scholarship included
gentleman's clothes and living expenses)
At Cambridge Catchpole majored in chemistry, physiology,
and botany. He took a "first" in biochemistry in 1928 under F.G.Hopkins.
He then went on to graduate studies in animal calorimetry but lost
interest and was invited by F.H.A. Marshall to work in the field of
reproductive endocrinology. During this period he also met R.A. Fisher
(statistical theory ) who provided animals for his work.
In 1930 Marshall sent Catchpole on a fellowship to study
with Herbert Evans at the University of California. Here he
concentrated on the endocrinology of equine reproduction, much of the
work being done at the Kellogg ranch in Southern California. He
published on the gonadotrophic hormone of pregnant mares (isolation,
assay, source); also on all aspects of the separation of pituitary
prolactin, on the source of estrogen and gonadotrophin of pregnancy,
pregnancy diagnosis and the physiological properties of equine
gonadotrophin. He qualified for a Ph D. in comparative physiology in
1935.He decided to remain in the United States for professional and
personal reasons: He enjoyed the great space and social mobilty.
Catchpole was invited to join the Physiology department at
the Medical school at Yale in 1936. Those were halcyon years there and
he enjoyed many scientific and social encounters with John Fulton
(department head), Gertrude Van Wagenen, Ted Ruch and Harvey Cushing.
As a member of the Rockefeller Adolescence Study Group he was involved
with somatic and
endocrine studies of pubertal and adolescent boys and girls.
Publications included work on pituitary glycoprotein hormones and
urinary gonadotrophins and estrogens. Hubert developed a longtime
friendship with Dr. Gertrude Van Wagenen who had established one of the
first primate colonies. This led to a collaboration with many
publications for over 40 years.
When the United States entered WWII Catchpole who was
still a British subject enlisted in the Navy. He was assigned to the
Naval Medical Institute- and then became a U. S. citizen through an act
of Congress! Shortly afterward Catchpole became a commissioned officer.
At the Institute he met Isidore Gersh with whom he collaborated in a
study of decompression illness, a serious problem for aviators and
divers.
When the war ended, Gersh and Catchpole were invited by
Granville Bennett to join the department of Pathology at the University
of Illinois Medical School. Here Hubert became known, fondly, to his
colleagues for decades as "Catch". Supported by the Commonwealth Fund,
they initiated the early biochemical and histochemical studies of
nucleic acids in tumor growth. Other work led to the publication of a
classic paper on the plasticity and lability of the ground substance and
extracellular matrix of connective tissues. The laboratory attracted an
international coterie ofscientists and graduate students from medicine
and dentistry. Subsequently Catchpole established a graduate program in
the Pathology department, also offering a course in Experimental
Pathology, the Physiologic basis of pathology and Histochemistry.
He guided many students from Medicine and Dentistry and
allied sciences toward M.S. and Ph. D. degrees with a light touch,
ready and kind assistance--all in a stimulating ambience. His own
research was devoted to connective tissue lability in response to
hormones and other factors and how this was reflected in serum and
tissue glycoproteins. Also he contributed to studies on experimental
amyloidosis.
From around 1950 until the end of his life "Catch" enjoyed
a unique collaboration with N.R. Joseph (deceased earlier) and M. B.
Engel. The research centered on the histochemistry and physico-chemical
properties of cells and tissues in resting and excited states, in
response to hormones, and in aging. Principles of thermodynamics were
applied to explain effects on macromolecules , on the state of water,
and on the distribution of electrolytes.
Catchpole retired as Research Professor of Pathology
(Emeritus) in 1977. However he continued to teach Histology in the
department of Oral Biology in the College of Dentistry. Also he was
visiting Professor of Humanities at Rush University Medical School. It
was at Illinois that Catchpole met and married Robin Miller whose degree
was in Medicine. They collaborated as she continued in graduate
study.Later Hubert and Robin traveled widely in Europe, Central Asia,and
the Middle East. In addition"Catch" enjoyed sabbaticals in Ireland,
Norway and Israel (Weizmann Institute). Tragically,Hubert's beloved
wife
predeceased him in1996.
An account of Dr. Catchpole's achievement in science does
not adequately define him. He was a rare amalgam of the two cultures
described by the British author-scientist C. P. Snow. He loved studying
history, geography, art and languages, and he wrote on these and other
topics in essays for the Chicago Literary Club and the Journal of the
AMA. He enjoyed classical
music and he read widely and had a large library which included
antiquarian books on anatomy, geology, and literature and many other
subjects. Beyond his professional accomplishments Hubert Ralph
Catchpole was a warm and sympathetic human being. His students and
colleagues enjoyed his company and hospitality. Reflecting on his long
life and accomplishments, "Catch" once said with a smile, "all in all
not bad for a farm boy from Whitlingham." Not bad indeed! His friends
mourn one who was an admired and beloved figure in their lives.
