by The problem of gender inequality in scientific fields was a problem that originally stemmed from Aristotle’s legacy. Aristotle defined the male as a complete being and females as incomplete males, while also stating that females’ mental capabilities were inferior. These claims are completely false, as we now know, and influenced generations of inequality and discrimination against women’s knowledge production and scientific pursuits. Now, in 2020, we recognize the endless contributions women have made to different fields of science for generations, as it is impossible to discredit their significance. Out of the endless women who contributed to science in breakthrough ways, I believe that the work of Alice Ball is particularly worth highlighting.
Alice Ball was an African American woman born into a middle class family in Seattle in 1982. She excelled in school and ended up pursuing a chemistry degree from the University of Hawaii (College of Hawaii at the time). Upon her graduation Ball became both the first African American and first women to graduate from the college with a masters degree, as
she completed her M.S. in chemistry. At the age of 23 she had already graduated and set milestones for both women and black scientists, and she continued to make strides in her career. After graduation Ball was offered a job as a chemistry professor at the university, and became the first female chemistry professor at University of Hawaii. It was under this position where Ball was able to research and solidified her foot in scientific history.
Leprosy had been one of the most devastating diseases until Alice Ball was able to make a breakthrough remedy. The disease with little chance of recovery would cause people to isolate from their family and friends, and has horrible social connotations around it. Previously to Ball’s work the only treatment for leprosy was chaulmoogra oil, from the chaulmoogra tree. This would be ingested or used on top of the skin, as it was way too thick to be injected. Ball was able to discover a method of isolating the components of the chaulmoogra oil which allowed it to be mixed into a water soluble form. This allowed Ball to create a version of the oil which could be injected and absorbed by the body. This breakthrough became known as the Ball Method and served as the primary treatment for leprosy until the 1940’s, helping improve conditions for patients more so than any prior remedy.
Unfortunately Alice Ball became sick while researching and teaching at the university and eventually died at the young age of 24. Her life had tragically been cut too short and even more upsetting is how the President of theUniversity of Hawaii, also a chemist, Dr. Arthur Dean carried out Ball’s research. Ball had died before being able to finish and publish her findings, so Dr. Dean did this himself and coined the method the “Dean Method”. Dr. Dean was credited with the breakthrough for decades and shamefully gave another example in history of men stealing women’s scientific work. It wasn’t until the turn of the century that Alice Ball finally gained the recognition she deserved.
In 2000 the University of Hawaii finally recognized that it was Alice Ball who had discovered the methods leading to the injectable chaulmoogra oil. They placed a plaque in her memory on the lone chaulmoogra tree on campus, and the governor of Hawaii also recognized her significance by making February 29th Alice Ball day. These dedications highlight the impressive achievements Ball was able to make before the age of 25, and how her legacy will live on in Hawaiian culture forever. Ball’s story shows yet another example of women’s work being stolen by men, and how her contributions in the fields of science would’ve been endless had she not tragically died so young.
Works Cited:
https://www.biography.com/scientist/alice-ball
https://scientificwomen.net/women/ball-alice-121
Photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Ball#/media/File:Alicia_Augusta_Ball.jpg