American Heroes~Rachel Fuller Brown (1898-1980)~by rldubour

Knowing your American Heroes

 

Rachel Fuller Brown (1898-1980)

 

 

Born in Springfield,Massachusetts

In November of ninety-eight.

Her father an insurance agent

Was also in real estate.

Mother was Annie Fuller

Dad was George Hamilton Brown.

Moved to Webster Groves, Missouri

In nineteen-twelve dad had let them down.

With Mother and her younger brother

Returned to Springfield,Mass.

Working as a secretary supporting

Her family was now her task.

A wealthy family friend

Was impressed with her determination.

Paid tuition to Mount Holyoke College

For Rachel’s further education.

She decided to double major

In history and chemistry.

In nineteen hundred and twenty

Rachel earned a B.A. Degree.

Received her Masters and her Doctor

At the University of Chicago.

Taught chemistry and physics

At Frances Shimer School the records show.

Took a job as assistant chemist

For the Health Department in Albany.

They are famous for identifying

Agents for causing human disease.

On a project with her associate

Elizabeth Hazen another authority.

Discovered an antibiotic in helping

To fight infectious disease.

Together they developed the first

Antibiotic against fungal disease in human.

Most important since penicillin

A biomedical breakthrough for both man and woman.

They made thirteen million dollars

From all their royalties.

Both dedicated all their money

For scholarships and research in disease.