George W. Corner facts for kids
George Washington Corner (born in 1889) was an important American scientist. He was an expert in the study of how living things develop before birth, which is called embryology. He also studied the history of medicine.
Dr. Corner played a key role in discovering progesterone. This is a very important hormone in the body. He received many special awards from universities. These are called honorary degrees. He was also known as a kind and wise person.
One student named Mary Calderone was very thankful to Dr. Corner. He helped her get into medical school at the University of Rochester. Two medical terms are named after him and his colleague, Willard Myron Allen. These are the Corner-Allen Test and the Corner-Allen Unit. They are used to measure the activity of progesterone.
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Life and Education
George Washington Corner was born in Baltimore, USA, on December 12, 1889. His father, George Washington Corner II, was a local merchant. His mother was Florence Evans. George went to Baltimore Boys Latin School.
He then studied at Johns Hopkins University. He earned his first degree in 1909. He later got his medical degree in 1913. After finishing his studies, he became a teacher.
Early Career and Research
From 1915 to 1919, Dr. Corner was a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. He then returned to Johns Hopkins University. He taught there from 1919 to 1923.
In 1923, he was chosen for a big new job. He became the first professor of medicine at the University of Rochester. This new medical school was supported by George Eastman and the Rockefeller Foundation. Before starting in Rochester in 1924, he worked in England. He studied in the lab of a famous scientist named Ernest Starling. At Rochester, he was the director of the anatomy department.
In 1940, Dr. Corner moved to the Carnegie Embryological Laboratory in Baltimore. He worked there until 1954.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Corner was given the Dwight H. Terry Lectureship in 1943-44. This was for his book called Ourselves Unborn. A lectureship is a special honor where a person is invited to give important talks.
He was also recognized by important scientific groups. He became an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1951. In 1955, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. These are very high honors for scientists.
Dr. Corner passed away on September 28, 1981. He died at his son's home in Huntsville, Alabama. He was so respected that his death was reported in the New York Times newspaper. He is buried in Tioga Point Cemetery in Pennsylvania.
Family Life
George Corner met Betsy Lyon Copping while they were helping at a medical mission. This was in Battle Harbor, Labrador. They got married in 1915.
Other Important Roles
Dr. Corner was a member of several important groups. These included:
- The United States National Academy of Sciences
- The American Philosophical Society
- The American Academy of Arts and Sciences
He also served as an important leader for the American Philosophical Society. He was their Executive Officer from 1960 to 1977.
