E. Morton Jellinek
E. Morton Jellinek
E. Morton Jellinek
| Birth date | 15 August 1890 |
|---|---|
| Birth place | New York City, U.S. |
| Died | Template:Death-date and age |
| Place of death | Stanford, California, U.S. |
| Known for | alcoholism research |
E. Morton Jellinek (1890–1963), also known as E. M. Jellinek, or Mortimer Jellinek, was a biostatistician, physiologist, and an alcoholism researcher, pioneer in the science of the disease of alcoholism.
Early Life and Education[edit]
Jellinek was born in New York City and attended the University of Berlin from 1908 to 1910. He then moved to Sierra Leone, where he worked as a biostatistician for the British government. In 1920, he returned to the United States and began working at Worcester State Hospital in Massachusetts.
Career[edit]
In 1941, Jellinek joined the staff of the Yale Center of Alcohol Studies, where he worked on the development of a method for classifying the effects of alcohol on the body. He also developed the Jellinek Curve, a chart that describes the progression of alcoholism from occasional use to dependency.
In 1952, Jellinek published his most famous work, The Disease Concept of Alcoholism, which argued that alcoholism should be considered a disease and treated as such. This book has been influential in shaping public policy and public perception of alcoholism.
Legacy[edit]
Jellinek's work has had a significant impact on the field of alcoholism research. His disease concept of alcoholism has been widely accepted and has influenced the development of treatment programs for alcoholism. The Jellinek Memorial Award, named in his honor, is given annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of alcoholism research.
