Dercum's Disease - also known as Adiposis Dolorosa - was first discovered by prominent American Neurologist, Francis Xavier Dercum, in 1888 when Dercum was serving as the President of the American Neurological Association, the very forum where he first presented his findings on Adiposis Dolorosa. He then published a report about the disease in the University Medical Magazine later that same year.
Dr. Dercum graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1877, and soon became associate professor of histology at the same university in 1878. He was a highly respected and popular teacher and in1892 he became Professor of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College when he was only 36 years old. Apart from his specialty in Neurology, he also had a great many other interests, which included neuropathology, natural history, philosophy, debate, and the study of mental illness. He frequently lectured in practical biology, demonstrating in various fungi, protozoa, algae, and bacteria. His research and experience provided him a solid understanding of what would later come to be called Bacteriology.
In recognition of his profound contributions to medical science, he received the Legion of Honour from the French government in 1922. His other impressive credentials include tenures as President of both The Philadelphia Neurological Society, and The American Philosophical Society, of which he was a member for 35 years. It was there during a meeting of the APS, sitting in the famous "ladder library chair" made by APS founder, Benjamin Franklin, that Dr. Dercum died from a heart attack on April 23, 1931, at the age of 74.
Sadly even over a century since its discovery, there is still much that needs to be learned about Dercum's Disease. Although it has yet to be extensively studied, a few doctors have attempted to research it as much as they can. The most successful of these studies was performed at The University of Malmö & The University of Lund in Sweden by Dr. Håkan Brorson and Dr. Birger Fagher. Through their work, they have estimated that at least 10,000 people are currently suffering from this debilitating disease in Sweden alone.
Dr. Brorson, who has graciously provided guidance and advice throughout the creation of The Dercum Society's website, personally operated on 53 patients who suffer from Dercum's Disease. Unfortunately, the research being conducted by Dr. Brorson and Dr. Fagher was cut short due to lack of funding. However, the data they collected led to their extensive article, 'Dercum's Disease: Fatty tissue rheumatism caused by immune defense reaction?' which was published by The Journal of the Swedish Medical Association on April 10, 1996, and is available on this website. The additional data from their studies and the operations they performed is still being analyzed by students at the University of Malmö. Although their study was cut short, they have provided invaluable information for doctors all over the world, more than has ever been available in the past. Their work is the current benchmark and source for information about Dercum's Disease, its effects, diagnosis, and treatment.
For further information on Dr. Dercum and Dr. Brorson & Dr. Fagher's research into Dercum's Disease, please see their article published in The Journal of the Swedish Medical Association, which has been reprinted on this website with their kind permission. Click here to view the article.
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