Percy Julian and the Use of Synthetic Drugs to Treat Glaucoma and Arthritis
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Percy Julian Percy Julian was a famous chemist who discovered the use of synthetic drugs to treat glaucoma and arthritis. He is considered very influential today, but back then his race prevented him from being acknowledged. He was born in Alabama in 1899. His grandparents were former slaves. Because of his race, he could only attend school up to eighth grade, since there was no school open for blacks. Julian had to apply for college, DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, to continue his education. He had to take evening classes to receive his high school education. Even with these obstacles, he went on to graduate first in his class, with honors. He pursued a teaching career, and got his Master’s and Doctorate degrees along the way. After getting them he returned to DePauw University, he made his claim to fame. Julian, after researching for some time, found a way to treat glaucoma by synthesizing physostigmine from a calabar bean to create a drug. Even though this was a huge accomplishment, DePauw wouldn’t allow him to be a full professor, because of his ethnicity. Later, he was the first black chemist accepted into the National Academy of Sciences, and in 1990, he was elected into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for his discovery. The American Chemical Society included it in its list of the 25 top achievements in Chemist history. I think Percy Lavon Julian is not only an important person in black history, but also in American and science history. He discovered a treatment for a serious disease, and should be recognized as a hardworking, perseverant person. He had struggles in getting the education he wanted, and was constantly tormented throughout his life because of his race; he not only overcame these obstacles, but went on to be great. I learned many lessons while researching this guy and that’s why I think he is important.
Percy Julian Percy Julian was a famous chemist who discovered the use of synthetic drugs to treat glaucoma and arthritis. He is considered very influential today, but back then his race prevented him from being acknowledged. He was born in Alabama in 1899. His grandparents were former slaves. Because of his race, he could only attend school up to eighth grade, since there was no school open for blacks. Julian had to apply for college, DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, to continue his education. He had to take evening classes to receive his high school education. Even with these obstacles, he went on to graduate first in his class, with honors. He pursued a teaching career, and got his Master’s and Doctorate degrees along the way. After getting them he returned to DePauw University, he made his claim to fame. Julian, after researching for some time, found a way to treat glaucoma by synthesizing physostigmine from a calabar bean to create a drug. Even though this was a huge accomplishment, DePauw wouldn’t allow him to be a full professor, because of his ethnicity. Later, he was the first black chemist accepted into the National Academy of Sciences, and in 1990, he was elected into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for his discovery. The American Chemical Society included it in its list of the 25 top achievements in Chemist history. I think Percy Lavon Julian is not only an important person in black history, but also in American and science history. He discovered a treatment for a serious disease, and should be recognized as a hardworking, perseverant person. He had struggles in getting the education he wanted, and was constantly tormented throughout his life because of his race; he not only overcame these obstacles, but went on to be great. I learned many lessons while researching this guy and that’s why I think he is important.