Dates

• Existence: [1939] - 1946 - 1980

Biography

At the outbreak of war in September 1939, following consultations with the Ministry of Health, the Sorby Research Institute embarked on a series of experiments intended to benefit humanity, making use of volunteer conscientious objectors. Following Kenneth Mellanby's initial interest in the problem of head lice, it was suggested that the endemic parasitic skin disease scabies would be an important area of research, with the aims of discovering how it was transmitted, and how it could be treated most effectively. Initially a team of 12 volunteers was formed, and the Institute acquired a large suburban house, "Fairholme", 18 Oakholme Road, Broomhill, which was adapted for the purpose. The scabies work, apart from its benefits to the population generally, also led to extensive observation and treatment of military personnel in a special hospital which Mellanby set up, and to the instruction of army medical officers at the Institute. An experiment was also carried out to establish the level of water intake necessary to maintain health, which had obvious applications to shipwreck survival, and an experiment on Vitamin C followed, under the direction of Hans Krebs.

The work of the Sorby Research Institute continued until early in 1946.

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