Eduardo Cruz-Coke Lassabe, Chilean biochemist (Valparaiso 22 April 1899 – Santiago 18 March 1974)
From French mother and English grandfather
ACHIEVEMENTS
Developed the idea that molecular fluctuations exert a major influence on cells rather than that exerted by thermodynamics anticipating J. Monod
Las transformaciones de la energia en los organismos vivos. Rev. La Clinica 4:517-30, 1927
Discovered tyrosine molecule in angiotensin
Identified a factor of “energy yield” in oxidation reactions
Factores componentes del metabolismo. Rev. Med. Chile 68:159-62, 1940
With J. Mardones & M. Plaza de los Reyes proposed a scheme of a number of biochemical reactions in renal hypertension mechanism
METHODS
Developed chemical methods for inactivating angiotensin (1946)
With L. Lapicque. Nouvelle methode de dialyse chloroformique. Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. Paris 96:946-8, 1927
Sur une reaction chimique de la vitamine antirachitique. Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. Paris 105, 1930
A colour reaction of vitamine E with vitamine K and cysteine. Nature 181(4601):49, 1958
Papers in top journals
With F. Gonzalez & W. Hulsen. The use of ionic exchange resins for the purification of penicillin and hypertensin. Science 101 (2622), 1945 (A simple method of purifying penicillin by means of synthetic resins)
Inactivation of hypertensin. Science 104 (2691):86, 1946
Mechanism of renal hypertension. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 3:32-60, 1946
HONORS
Doctor Honoris Causa, Université de Paris
Life Member, New York Academy of Sciences
Honorary Member, United States Surgeons Association
Vice-president, First International Congress of Biochemistry, Cambridge (1949)
His son, Ricardo Cruz-Coke Madrid, Chilean physician (Santiago de Chile 13 August 1925 – Santiago de Chile 26 October 2016)
Authored about 300 publications about medicine, genetics, ethics and history
Described a nomogram to estimate the chance of consanguinity for specific autosomal recessive diseases
Nomogram for estimating specific consanguinity risks. J. Med. Genet. 19(3):216-7, 1982
Sexagesimal scale for mapping human genome. Rev. Chil. Hist. Nat. 74(1):91-7, 2001
A general diagram of human genome. J. Med. Genet. 27:388-9, 1990
With J.C. Silva. Medical genetic study by computer of a universal sample of livebirths. I. Introduction to the methods. Rev. Med. Chile 97(5):320-31, 1969
With J. Mardones. Detection of the segment of the population vulnerable to alcoholism, by means of a genetic marker Bol. Oficina Sanit. Panam. 71(3):187-93, 1971
Papers / Letters in Lancet
Genetic diagram of the human family. Lancet 304 (7872):109, 1974
Genetic theory and the alcoholic phenotype. Lancet 302 (7840):276, 1973
With G.J. Gorrell & H.C. Thuline. Inheritance of alcoholism. Lancet 289 (7484):274-5, 1967
With A. Varela. Inheritance of alcoholism. Its association with colour-blindness. Lancet 2 (7476):1282-4, 1966
With A. Varela. Colour-blindness and alcohol addiction. Lancet 2 (7426):1348, 1965
Colour-blindness and cirrhosis of the liver. Lancet 1 (7396):1131-3, 1965
With R. Etcheverry & R. Nagel. Influence of migration on blood pressure of Easter Islanders. Lancet 1 (7335):697-9, 1964
Absence of essential hypertension. Lancet 278 (7214):1255, 1961
Environmental influences and arterial blood pressure. Lancet 2 (7156):885-6, 1960
The nature of hypertension. Lancet 275 (7134):1128, 1960
The nature of essential hypertension. Lancet 274 (7107):853, 1959
Diastolic pressure and malignant hypertension. Lancet 272 (7049):752-3, 1958
With M. Plaza de los Reyes, R. Orozco, I. Matus & A. Cristofanini. Influenzal pneumonia treated with cortisone and antibiotics. Lancet 270:7000-5, 1957