African American Scientist Spotlight

Alice Augusta Ball was an African American chemist who made significant contributions to the development of a treatment for leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, in the early 20th century. She was born on July 24, 1892, in Seattle, Washington, and was the daughter of James P. Ball, Jr., the first Black person to graduate from the University of Washington.

Ball pursued her education at the University of Washington, where she earned a bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical chemistry in 1912 and a master's degree in chemistry in 1914. She was the first woman and first African American to graduate with a master's degree from the University of Hawaii, where she conducted groundbreaking research on the treatment of leprosy.

Ball's most notable achievement was the development of a more effective treatment for leprosy. She discovered a method to isolate the ethyl ester of chaulmoogra oil, which was used traditionally in treating the disease but was not easily absorbed by the body. Ball's method involved creating a water-soluble form of the oil by modifying its chemical structure. This innovation made the treatment more accessible and effective for patients suffering from leprosy.

Unfortunately, Alice Augusta Ball's promising career was cut short when she died at the young age of 24 on December 31, 1916, due to unknown causes. Despite her untimely death, her research laid the groundwork for improved treatments for leprosy and paved the way for advancements in the field of pharmaceutical chemistry.

Today, Alice Augusta Ball is recognized for her pioneering work in chemistry and her significant contribution to the treatment of leprosy. In 2020, the University of Hawaii unveiled a bronze statue of Ball on its campus to honor her legacy and contributions to science and medicine.

References:

1. "Alice Ball." National Institutes of Health: U.S. National Library of Medicine - Changing the Face of Medicine. https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_19.html

2. "Alice Augusta Ball: The Woman Who Cured Leprosy." Chemical Heritage Foundation. https://www.sciencehistory.org/historical-profile/alice-augusta-ball