William P. Murphy

@Scientists, Facts and Personal Life ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ William Parry Murphy was a renowned American physician who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in the year 1934 American Harvard University University Of Oregon Physicians Scientists Physicists Aquarius Celebrities William Parry Murphy was a renowned American physician who, along with George Richards Minot and George Hoyt Whipple, won the prestigious Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in the year 1934 for their combined “discoveries concerning liver therapy in cases of anaemia”. Interested in practicing medicine, he was initially unable to afford medical studies and had to take up teaching profession for a couple of years to fund his medical school tuition fees. When he failed to continue the funding, a chanced scholarship from Harvard fulfilled his dream of becoming a doctor. While practicing as a Physician at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, he began his work (in collaboration with Minot and Whipple) on pernicious anaemia and its treatment by means of a diet of uncooked liver. The treatment demonstrated a sharp increase in red blood cell count, first in animals and later in anaemic human patients. Their ground breaking discovery turned out to be a major advancement in medical science as the previously untreatable and fatal disease turned into a curable malady, thus saving thousands of lives. Their research further led to the discovery of vitamin B12 therapy. Amidst the research work, he also taught at Harvard University till 1958, after which he retired.

Personal Details

Birthday: February 6, 1892 Died on: October 9, 1987 Nationality: American Famous: Harvard University, University Of Oregon, Physicians, Scientists, Physicists Known as: William Parry Murphy, Dr. William Murphy Childrens: William P. Murphy Jr. Universities: Harvard University,University Of Oregon University of Oregon Harvard University Harvard Medical School Information Detail Birthday February 6, 1892 Died on October 9, 1987 Nationality American Famous Harvard University, University Of Oregon, Physicians, Scientists, Physicists Known as William Parry Murphy, Dr. William Murphy Childrens William P. Murphy Jr. Universities Harvard University,University Of Oregon University of Oregon Harvard University Harvard Medical School Notable Alumnis Harvard University University Of Oregon Birth Place Stoughton Gender Male Sun Sign Aquarius Born in Stoughton Famous as Physician Died at Age 95

Stoughton

William P. Murphy born at Unsplash Birth Place

William P. Murphy married Pearl Harriett Adams, a descendant of US President John Adams and the first licensed female dentist in Massachusetts, on 10 September 1919. Unsplash Personal Life

The couple’s son, William P. Murphy Jr. grew up to be a renowned physician. Their only daughter, Priscilla Adams was interested in aviation but unfortunately expired young in a plane crash in 1936. Unsplash Personal Life

He died on 9 October 1987 at Brookline, USA. Unsplash Personal Life

William P. Murphy was born on 6 February 1892, at Stoughton Wisconsin, U.S.A. to Thomas Francis Murphy and Rose Anna Parry. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

In his growing years, he attended the Wisconsin and Oregon public schools. Later in 1914, he received his A.B. degree from the University of Oregon. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

Although he was interested in medicine, William P. Murphy did not have enough funds for the medical school. Hence from 1914 to 1916, he served as a high school teacher of physics and mathematics, saving money for medical studies. Unsplash Career

With his saved funds, he finally took admission at the Medical School of the University of Oregon, at Portland. At the same time, he also acted as a laboratory assistant in the Department of Anatomy. Unfortunately, his funds ran short after only a year of study, forcing him to quit the course. Unsplash Career

From 1917 to 1918, he spent two years in the US army. As luck would have it, he chanced upon an unusual Harvard fellowship sponsored by a former student, William Stanislaus Murphy, who particularly wanted to fund “collegiate education of men of the name of Murphy.” Unsplash Career

This fund became instrumental in helping him complete his medical studies. He received the scholarship for the next three years and graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School, Boston in 1922. Unsplash Career

After becoming Doctor, Murphy spent a couple of years at Rhode Island Hospital as House Officer and then became Assistant Resident Physician at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. After one and a half year of service, he was appointed Junior Associate in Medicine at the same hospital. Unsplash Career

In 1924, his research on pernicious anaemia led to the discovery of a treatment for the disease (that was previously untreatable and fatal). The treatment involved the intake of large quantities of uncooked liver, rich in iron. Further investigation revealed vitamin B12 as a therapy for anaemia. Unsplash Major Works

Information	Detail
Birthday	February 6, 1892
Died on	October 9, 1987
Nationality	American
Famous	Harvard University, University Of Oregon, Physicians, Scientists, Physicists
Known as	William Parry Murphy, Dr. William Murphy
Childrens	William P. Murphy Jr.
Universities	Harvard University,University Of Oregon University of Oregon Harvard University Harvard Medical School
Notable Alumnis	Harvard University University Of Oregon
Birth Place	Stoughton
Gender	Male
Sun Sign	Aquarius
Born in	Stoughton
Famous as	Physician
Died at Age	95

William P. Murphy

American

Feb 6, 1892

Biography

Personal Details

Stoughton