Brown, Rachel Fuller (1898–1980)

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Brown, Rachel Fuller (1898–1980)

American scientist. Born Rachel Fuller Brown, Nov 23, 1898, in Springfield, Massachusetts; died Jan 14, 1980, in Albany, New York; dau. of George Hamilton Brown and Annie (Fuller) Brown; Mount Holyoke, AB in chemistry and history, 1920; University of Chicago, MS and PhD; lived with Dorothy Wakerley; never married; no children.

Following work at University of Chicago, became a chemist at Division of Laboratories and Research in Albany, NY; developed simple tests for standardizing antisera used in treatment of pneumonia, vaccines and purification of antigens (1926–48); improved precipitation tests used to diagnose syphilis; paired with mycologist, Elizabeth Lee Hazen, to find antifungal agents (1948); with Hazen, discovered nystatin (1950), the 1st highly active antifungal agent to be found safe and effective for use in humans; assigned rights and royalties of nystatin to establish the Brown-Hazen Fund (1951); with Hazen, discovered the antibacterial agents, phalamycin (1953) and capacidin (1959). Received Squibb Award in Chemotherapy (1955); elected fellow of New York Academy of Science (1957); received Rhoda Benham Award of Medical Mycology Society of the Americas (1972) and Chemical Pioneer Award (1975).

See also Richard S. Baldwin, The Fungus Fighters (Cornell U. Press, 1981); and Women in World History.

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Brown, Rachel Fuller (1898–1980)

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