History of sarcoidosis

Jonathan Hutchinson is a convenient starting point for tracing the history of sarcoidosis. Hutchison was born on July 23, 1828 in Selby to a Quaker family. He was one of the most extraordinary general practitioners of all the time.

A leading authority on syphilis, leprosy, neurological disorders, ocular inflammation, and diseases of the skin, he taught medicine in Polyclinic, one of the first postgraduate schools in London.

 In January 1869, a 58 yr old coal wharf worker visited Hutchinson complaining of purple symmetrical skin plaques of his legs and hands that developed gradually over the preceding 2 years. The lesions were neither tender nor painful. The patient has suffered also from gout and finally died of renal failure.

In 1877, Hutchinson described the lesion as livid papillary psoriasis and considered that it was in some way related to the patient’s gout.

In 1936, the first significant publication about sarcoidosis appeared in America; it was a 75-page review from Johns Hopkins Hospital by Warfield Longcope.

The credit for organizing the first international conference on sarcoidosis goes to Dr. D. G James. The conference was held in London in 1958 with a handful of physician in attendance.
History of sarcoidosis