Ebbe Curtis Hoff (August 12, 1906 in Rexford, Kansas – February 17, 1985 in

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

) was chairman of the Department of Neurological Science at the

Medical College of Virginia The VCU Medical Center is Virginia Commonwealth University's medical campus located in downtown Richmond, Virginia, in the Court End neighborhood. VCU Medical Center used to be known as the Medical College of Virginia (MCV), which merged with the ...

, founding Dean, School of Graduate Studies and founding director of the Virginia Division of Substance Abuse. He earned a bachelor's degree in Zoology summa cum laude at the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seat ...

in 1928 and a

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

physiology Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemic ...

from

St Catherine's College, Oxford St Catherine's College (colloquially called St Catz or Catz) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford and is the newest college admitting both undergraduate and graduate students. Tracing its roots back to 1868 (although t ...

in 1932 where he studied

neurophysiology Neurophysiology is a branch of physiology and neuroscience that studies nervous system function rather than nervous system architecture. This area aids in the diagnosis and monitoring of neurological diseases. Historically, it has been dominated b ...

, writing his thesis on the theory of the

synapse In the nervous system, a synapse is a structure that permits a neuron (or nerve cell) to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another neuron or to the target effector cell. Synapses are essential to the transmission of nervous impulses fr ...

under

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfre ...

laureate

Sir Charles Sherrington Sir Charles Scott Sherrington (27 November 1857 – 4 March 1952) was an eminent English neurophysiologist. His experimental research established many aspects of contemporary neuroscience, including the concept of the spinal reflex as a system ...

. From 1932 to 1936 he held the Alexander Browne Coxe research fellowship in the School of Medicine at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

, where he taught and conducted neurophysiologic research. He also taught at

Sarah Lawrence College Sarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in Yonkers, New York. The college models its approach to education after the Oxford/Cambridge system of one-on-one student-faculty tutorials. Sarah Lawrence scholarship, particularly i ...

. Returning to

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the Un ...

he attended medical school (United Kingdom) earning his

Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...

Doctor of Medicine Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degre ...

and

Master of Surgery The Master of Surgery (Latin: Magister Chirurgiae) is an advanced qualification in surgery. Depending upon the degree, it may be abbreviated ChM, MCh, MChir or MS. At a typical medical school the program lasts between two and three years. The p ...

degrees and the

London Hospital Medical College Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, commonly known as Barts or BL, is a medical and dental school in London, England. The school is part of Queen Mary University of London, a constituent college of the federal University of ...

, finishing in 1940. Narrowly avoiding

the Blitz The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'. The Germa ...

, he did higher risk home deliveries with midwives. Once again at Yale, he was part of the Yale Aeromedical Research Unit under

John Farquhar Fulton John Farquhar Fulton (November 1, 1899 – May 29, 1960) was an American neurophysiologist and historian of science. He received numerous degrees from Oxford University and Harvard University. He taught at Magdalen College School of Medicine at ...

, Chair of Physiology, coauthoring publications on aviation medicine. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, he was commissioned Lt. Commander in the Medical Corps of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

as a

flight surgeon A flight surgeon is a military medical officer practicing in the clinical field of aviation medicine. Although the term "flight surgery" is considered improper by purists, it may occasionally be encountered. Flight surgeons are physicians (MD ...

and became a leading authority on diving hazards and precautions, as well as submarine and

aviation medicine Aviation medicine, also called flight medicine or aerospace medicine, is a preventive or occupational medicine in which the patients/subjects are pilots, aircrews, or astronauts. The specialty strives to treat or prevent conditions to which aircr ...

. He authored the first comprehensive text on compressed air diving and submarine medicine. He participated in developing the modified G-Suit design adopted for US Navy pilots. He took part in unsuccessful attempts to develop a

shark repellent A shark repellent is any method of driving sharks away from an area. Shark repellents are a category of animal repellents. Shark repellent technologies include magnetic shark repellent, electropositive shark repellents, electrical repellents, ...

. He also served as a Naval

Attaché In diplomacy, an attaché is a person who is assigned ("to be attached") to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency. Although a loanword from French, in English the word is not modified accord ...

at the American Embassy, London. Because he was fluent in German, after the victory in Europe he spent time in Berlin recruiting scientist. He left active military service with the rank of

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain ...

in 1946 but remained in the Naval Reserve. After the war, he began teaching as Professor of Physiology at the

in 1946. He was the first director of the Division of Alcohol Studies and Rehabilitation of the Virginia Health Department, founded in 1948. He continued teaching, research, administration and clinical work at the alcoholic treatment clinic housed at MCV. In collaboration with his wife Phebe Hoff, he edited a multi-volume history of ''Preventive Medicine in World War II'', which formed a part of the official history of the Medical Department of the United States Army in World War II published by the Historical Unit, U.S. Army Medical Department. In 1977, he was granted emeritus professor status. Dr. Hoff was a member of

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal a ...

national scholastic honor society,

Sigma Xi Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society () is a highly prestigious, non-profit honor society for scientists and engineers. Sigma Xi was founded at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a small group of graduate students in 1886 ...

science honorary society, the

American Physiological Society The American Physiological Society is a non-profit professional society for physiologists. It has nearly 10,000 members, most of whom hold doctoral degrees in medicine, physiology or other health professions. Its mission is to support research an ...

and the Medical Society of Virginia. He was a member of the Torch Club of Richmond, the Richmond Astronomical Society and St Mary's Episcopal Church, Goochland County, Virginia where he served as director of the Sunday School, senior warden and vestryman. He was also a member of

The Baker Street Irregulars The Baker Street Irregulars is an organization of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts founded in 1934 by Christopher Morley. The nonprofit organization currently numbers some 300 individuals worldwide. The group has published '' The Baker Street Journa ...

, a club of Sherlock Holmes devotees. He held

amateur radio Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency communi ...

license WA4CBM. He spent many summer holidays tenting in

Westmore, Vermont Westmore is a town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 357 at the 2020 census, making it the least populated and least densely populated town in the county. The town contains one unincorporated village clustered aroun ...

Lake Willoughby Lake Willoughby is a lake in the town of Westmore in Orleans County in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, United States. The lake's southern end is surrounded by the Willoughby State Forest. This state forest includes Mount Pisgah, Mount Hor ...

. He was also a member of the British Astronomical Association from 1957-1957.

Selected publications

* ''Alcoholism: The Hidden Addiction'' (New York: Seabury Press, 1974) * A bibliographical sourcebook of compressed air diving and submarine medicine (Washington, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy Dept., 1948–1954) * A bibliography of aviation medicine (Springfield, Ill., Baltimore, Md., C.C. Thomas, 1942) * United States Army Medical Service. Preventive Medicine in World War II - a multi-volume series which he edited with his wife Phebe Margaret Hoff (Washington, DC: Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the Army) including *
Volume II. Environmental Hygiene
**

*
Volume IV. Communicable Diseases Transmitted Chiefly through Respiratory and Alimentary Tracts
*

*
Volume VII. Communicable Diseases: Arthropodborne Diseases Other than Milaria
*
Volume IX. Special Fields
* A New Holmesian Treasure Trove (The Problem of Biffley Vicarage), Novella, Baker Street Journal 14,#3-4,09-12/1964(with Phebe M. Hoff)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoff, Ebbe Curtis 1906 births 1985 deaths American physiologists Amateur radio people Alumni of the London Hospital Medical College Alumni of St Catherine's College, Oxford People from Thomas County, Kansas Yale University faculty United States Navy personnel of World War II Scientists from Kansas United States Navy officers