Jake, Leon O. Jacobson, M.D.: The Life and Work of a Distinguished Medical Scientist

“Whywould you read a book about some doctor who didn’t win a Nobel Prize or isn’t Jack Kevorkian?” my friend wanted to know. I was telling him about Jake, Leon O. Jacobson, M.D.: The Life and Work of a Distinguished Medical Scientist, but he didn’t seem too impressed. Indeed, Leon O. Jacobson had a successful medical career, but the average person probably wouldn’t think of his life as flashy or overly exciting. Still, author and former colleague Eugene Goldwasser manages to present an absorbing and sometimes fascinating biography of Jacobson’s life. Jacobson’s love of medicine began during his years as an elementary school teacher, when he constantly had to take care of sick students. He later matriculated at the University of Chicago’s School of Medicine and ultimately became a hematologist. Jacobson’s research mainly focused on red blood cell production and the effects of radiation on red blood cells. One chapter of this book follows Jacobson’s work with erythropoietin (epo), a hormone involved in controlling the production of red blood cells. Jacobson made the important discovery that the kidney was the source of epo, and he lived to see epo become a therapeutic agent that is now used to treat patients who have certain types of anemia. Anyone with an interest in medicine will appreciate the stories of Jacobson pursuing different research questions and performing novel treatments on patients. Moreover, people who are curious about the inner workings of academia will enjoy reading about Jacobson’s stints as a University of Chicago dean and as the director of the Argonne Cancer Research Hospital. Goldwasser divulges some of the tactics that were used by certain administrators and professors to get what they wanted, which presents an interesting look at the politics of academia. Goldwasser worked with Jacobson for many years and affectionately calls him “Jake” throughout the book. However, Goldwasser doesn’t put so much bias into the book as to be overly sentimental. He presents Jacobson as an intelligent person who was kind to his friends and patients, while also possessing a clever tongue. Many of Jacobson’s witticisms are scattered throughout the book. After successfully cajoling a patient’s wife into donating $9,000: “[I] sealed it with a kiss. She’s really not good-looking and is 70 years old.” Putting an end to the over-effusive speeches that were being made about Jacobson and theArgonne Cancer Research Hospital at dinner: “There has been much said in glowing terms about our institution; now can someone please say something good about the ChicagoWhite Sox?” While Jacobson is not a world-famous doctor, he accomplished much during his career. Readers with a basic knowledge of science will be interested in the chapters about his research, and Jacobson was such remarkable person that a general reader will also enjoy this biography.