Guest guest Posted August 10, 2001 Report Share Posted August 10, 2001 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lee Hazen Born August 24, 1885 - Died June 24, 1975 Fuller Brown Born November 23, 1898 - Died January 14, 1980 Nystatin and Method of Producing It Patent No. 2,797, 183 Inducted 1994 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The world's first useful antifungal antibiotic, nystatin, was developed through a long-distance scientific collaboration. Working as researchers for the New York State Department of Health, Lee Hazen in New York City and Fuller Brown in Albany shared tests and samples through the U.S. mail. To Hazen's single-minded pursuit of an antifungal antibiotic, Brown added the skills needed to identify, characterize, and purify the various substances produced by culturing bacteria found in hundreds of soil samples. The antibiotic they developed, named 'nystatin' for the New York State Department of Health, was first introduced in practical form in 1954 following Food and Drug Administration approval. Not only did it cure many disfiguring and disabling fungal infections of the skin, mouth, throat, and intestinal tract, but it could be combined with antibacterial drugs to balance their effects. Uses for nystatin have been as varied as treating Dutch elm disease to rescuing water-damaged works of art from molds. Brown and Hazen donated all nystatin royalties-more than $13 million by the time the patent expired-to academic science through the nonprofit Research Corporation. Born in rural Mississippi, Hazen was orphaned at the age of three and raised by relatives. She earned a B.S. at the Mississippi State College for Women then taught school and served as an Army diagnostic laboratory technician during World War I. After the war she won an advanced degree in bacteriology from Columbia University, becoming one of its first women doctoral candidates. Brown was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. She received her undergraduate education at Mount Holyoke College and later earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry from the University of Chicago. She became a pioneer in encouraging women to study science. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more on women inventors and scientist: Women Inventor Museum Contributions of 20th Century Women in Physics -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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