Alice Hamilton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | February 27, 1869 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | September 22, 1970 (aged 101) Hadlyme, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Miss Porter's School (1888)[1] University of Michigan (1893) University of Leipzig, University of Munich, and University of Frankfurt (1895) Johns Hopkins University (1897) University of Chicago (1899–1901)[2] |
| Awards | Albert Lasker Public Service Award (1947) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Occupational health, industrial toxicology |
| Institutions | Hull House Woman's Medical School of Northwestern University Memorial Institute for Infectious Diseases Harvard Medical School |
| Doctoral advisor | Cara Lener |
| Other academic advisors | Simon Flexner |
Alice Hamilton (February 27, 1869[3] – September 22, 1970) was an American physician, research scientist, and author. She was a leading expert in the field of occupational health, laid the foundation for health and safety protections, and a pioneer in the field of industrial toxicology.
Hamilton trained at the University of Michigan Medical School. Her residency at Hull House in Chicago from 1887 to 1919 put her in contact with an extensive demographic of working-class households, and the work-life dangers they faced. She also became a professor of pathology at the Woman's Medical School of Northwestern University in 1897. In 1919, she became the first woman appointed to the faculty of Harvard University.[4]
Her scientific research focused on the study of occupational illnesses and the dangerous effects of industrial metals and chemical compounds. In addition to her scientific work, Hamilton was a social-welfare reformer, humanitarian, and peace activist. She received numerous honors and awards, including the Albert Lasker Public Service Award. Her work led to improvements in safety and regulation, and is sometimes credited with leading to the founding of the United States' Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
- ^ Sicherman, Barbara (1984). Alice Hamilton, A Life in Letters. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 15. ISBN 0-674-01553-3.
- ^ Cattell, James McKeen, ed. (1906). American Men of Science: A Biographical Dictionary. New York: The Science Press. p. 134.
- ^ Corn, Jacqueline Karnell (2000). Hamilton, Alice (1869-1970), physician. doi:10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.1200366. ISBN 978-0-19-860669-7.
- ^ "Alice Hamilton". Science History Institute. Retrieved November 6, 2023.