Charles Robert Harington
Harington, Charles Robert (1897-1972) was a British chemist. He made important discoveries in biochemistry, particularly in his studies of the thyroid gland, a body organ located in the front of the neck. This gland produces and stores a hormone called thyroxine, which is essential for mental activity and physical growth. In 1927, Harington synthesized thyroxine—that is, he created a chemical form of thyroxine similar to the natural form found in the body. He wrote the book The Thyroid Gland: Its Chemistry and Physiology, published in 1933, which became a classic in endocrinology.
Harington was born on Aug. 1, 1897, at Llanerfyl, in Wales. As a child, he suffered from tuberculosis of the hip. He studied at Magdalene College, Cambridge University, and then transferred to the University of Edinburgh, where he earned a doctorate in 1922.
In 1923, Harington married Jessie McCririe Craig, a physician. They had one son and two daughters. The son and one daughter also entered the medical profession.
From 1930 to 1942, Harington was editor of the Biochemical Journal. He served as lecturer, reader, then professor of pathological chemistry at University College in London from 1923 to 1942. Harington was appointed to the Medical Research Council in 1938 and served on the Agricultural Research Council from 1941 to 1945. He was director of the National Institute for Medical Research from 1942 to 1962.
Throughout his career, Harington received many awards and honors. In 1931, he was elected a fellow, or member, of the Royal Society, the leading scientific organization in the United Kingdom. He received the society's Royal Medal in 1944. Harington was knighted in 1948. He died on Feb. 4, 1972, at Mill Hill in London.