Albert Schatz (scientist)

Albert Schatz (2 February 1922 – 17 January 2005) was a scientist who was eventually named the discoverer of streptomycin, an antibiotic remedy used to treat tuberculosis and a number of other diseases.

Early life and education

Schatz was born in Norwich, Connecticut of Jewish-Russian and English parents and was raised on a farm [http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2002/nov/02/research.highereducation] . In 1943 Schatz returned to graduate school and took the dangerous job of looking for an antibiotic for tuberculosis, working alone in a basement laboratory at Cook College in Rutgers University. After 3 months Schatz isolated two strains of Actinobacteria, which could effectively cease the growth of several penicillin-resistant bacteria, on October 19, 1943. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Time, and the great healer. |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,823114,00.html |quote=In 1943, a young research scientist found a cure for TB. It should have been the proudest moment of Albert Schatz's life, but ever since he has watched, helpless, as another man got all the credit |publisher=The Guardian |date= |accessdate=2008-04-17 ]

Career

Originally, the discovery of streptomycin was credited only to Schatz's supervisor, Selman Waksman, who would later receive a Nobel Prize in 1952 for this work. Schatz, however, strongly contested the crediting and in 1950 brought litigation against Waksman, requesting recognition as streptomycin's co-discoverer and a portion of streptomycin royalties. Schatz's requests were eventually granted in an out-of-court settlement.

Dr. Schatz held faculty positions at Brooklyn College; the National Agricultural College in Doylestown, Pennsylvania; the University of Chile; and joined the Temple University faculty in 1969. He retired from Temple University in 1980.

Schatz was awarded the Rutgers medal in 1994 for his work on developing streptomycin.

Schatz was a socialist, an active environmentalist and was involved in local welfare, co-operatives and community recycling projects. An example of his community involvement is that until two years before his death, Schatz volunteered at the nearby Weavers Way (co-op) sharpening knives.

In 2004, author [http://www.IngeAuerbacher.com Inge Auerbacher] co-wrote the book [http://www.ingeauerbacher.com/books.htm#Finding%20Dr.%20Schatz Finding Dr. Schatz: The Discovery of Streptomycin and a Life It Saved] with Schatz. The book chronicled his discovery of streptomycin and meeting Auerbacher, a holocaust survivor who was one of the first recipients of his vaccine.

Schatz died from pancreatic cancer at his home in Philadelphia in 2005.

Albert Schatz's archives have been donated to the Temple University Library.

External links

* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,823114,00.html The Guardian article on Albert Schatz]
* [http://oralhistory.rutgers.edu/Docs/memoirs/schatz_albert/schatz_albert_memoir.html Memoirs at Rutgers Oral History Archives]
* [http://www.fluoridation.com/schatz.htm Schatz on fluoridation]
* [http://www.weaversway.coop/shuttle%202005-03.html#Albert%20Schatz,%20Discoverer%20of%20Streptomycin Weavers Way Co-op] .
* [http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050208/news_1m8schatz.html San Diego Union-Tribune obituary]
* [http://ur.rutgers.edu/focus/article/Albert+Schatz,+co-discoverer+of+streptomycin,+dies+at+84/1504/ Rutgers Focus obituary]
* [http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_the_history_of_medicine_and_allied_sciences/v059/59.3kingston.html Streptomycin, Schatz v. Waksman, and the Balance of Credit for Discovery]
* [http://www.albertschatzphd.com The Official Website for Albert Schatz, Ph. D.]

References