Albert Schatz (scientist)
Encyclopedia
Albert Schatz was the co-discoverer of streptomycin
, the first antibiotic
remedy used to treat tuberculosis
and a number of other diseases. Originally, the discovery of streptomycin was credited only to Schatz's supervisor, Selman Waksman
.
of Jewish-Russian and English parents and was raised on a farm. After a change of direction from farmer to pedology following a course by Dr. Jacob Joffe, Schatz began graduate school at Rutgers University
, at Selman Waksman
's laboratory, and eventually went on to earn his Ph.D. from Rutgers.
In early 1943, Schatz was discharged from the army due to problems with his back, returned to graduate school, and continued work on soil bacteria in Dr. Waksman's basement laboratory at Cook College in Rutgers University. Dr Waksman was at the last stages of purifying streptomycin, testing it at an external lab in vivo
in animals, and formulating the procedures for isolating antibiotic-producing bacteria.
According to Schatz's memoirs, he convinced Dr. Waksman to continue the research he had started at the Miami Hospital, and continued at it day and night.
According to coworker and friend Professor George Pieczenik, of Rutgers University, Schatz was known to sleep in his basement laboratory. When Schatz got married, he and his wife were forced to move a bed into the lab, which was so small that the two had to "lean it against the wall just so that it would fit".
Despite these conditions, Schatz took only 3 months to isolate two strains of Actinobacteria
capable of stopping the growth of several penicillin-resistant bacteria, on October 19, 1943.
Schatz was listed second on the patent after Waksman, first on the scientific paper, and had soon after the discovery issued his doctorate thesis on the discovery of streptomycin.
, 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.
In the 1990s, Dr. Schatz supported the research on microbes using co-creative science at the Perelandra Center for Nature Research, calling co-creative science "the most important advance in the history of science." Citing the increasing problem of drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis, he wrote, "We may win battles, but microbes will win the war unless we approach them differently."
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. He campaigned against water fluoridation
and argued for a "proteolysis-chelation theory" of tooth decay, which was criticized as "more philosophic than experimental".
In 2004, author Inge Auerbacher co-wrote the book 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 and recipient of his antibiotic. A documentary by the same name "Finding Dr. Schatz", directed by Richard Colosi from Rochester, NY was released in 2009.
Schatz died from pancreatic cancer
at his home in Philadelphia in 2005.
Albert Schatz's archives have been donated to the Temple University Library.
Streptomycin
Streptomycin is an antibiotic drug, the first of a class of drugs called aminoglycosides to be discovered, and was the first antibiotic remedy for tuberculosis. It is derived from the actinobacterium Streptomyces griseus. Streptomycin is a bactericidal antibiotic. Streptomycin cannot be given...
, the first antibiotic
Antibiotic
An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.The term is often used synonymously with the term antibiotic; today, however, with increased knowledge of the causative agents of various infectious diseases, antibiotic has come to denote a broader range of...
remedy used to treat tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and a number of other diseases. Originally, the discovery of streptomycin was credited only to Schatz's supervisor, Selman Waksman
Selman Waksman
Selman Abraham Waksman was an American biochemist and microbiologist whose research into organic substances—largely into organisms that live in soil—and their decomposition promoted the discovery of Streptomycin, and several other antibiotics...
.
Early life and education
Schatz was born in Norwich, ConnecticutNorwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
of Jewish-Russian and English parents and was raised on a farm. After a change of direction from farmer to pedology following a course by Dr. Jacob Joffe, Schatz began graduate school at Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, at Selman Waksman
Selman Waksman
Selman Abraham Waksman was an American biochemist and microbiologist whose research into organic substances—largely into organisms that live in soil—and their decomposition promoted the discovery of Streptomycin, and several other antibiotics...
's laboratory, and eventually went on to earn his Ph.D. from Rutgers.
Streptomycin Discovery and War over Nobel Prize
With a meager stipend, Schatz lived in a small room in a greenhouse at the university. In early 1942, he was drafted into the Army and served as a laboratory aide at Miami Hospital, where he saw young soldiers die from infections resistant to penicillin. This led him to look for soil bacteria capable of inhibiting the growth of penicilin-resistant microbes. He sent some promising strains to Dr. Waksman for further testing.In early 1943, Schatz was discharged from the army due to problems with his back, returned to graduate school, and continued work on soil bacteria in Dr. Waksman's basement laboratory at Cook College in Rutgers University. Dr Waksman was at the last stages of purifying streptomycin, testing it at an external lab in vivo
In vivo
In vivo is experimentation using a whole, living organism as opposed to a partial or dead organism, or an in vitro controlled environment. Animal testing and clinical trials are two forms of in vivo research...
in animals, and formulating the procedures for isolating antibiotic-producing bacteria.
According to Schatz's memoirs, he convinced Dr. Waksman to continue the research he had started at the Miami Hospital, and continued at it day and night.
According to coworker and friend Professor George Pieczenik, of Rutgers University, Schatz was known to sleep in his basement laboratory. When Schatz got married, he and his wife were forced to move a bed into the lab, which was so small that the two had to "lean it against the wall just so that it would fit".
Despite these conditions, Schatz took only 3 months to isolate two strains of Actinobacteria
Actinobacteria
Actinobacteria are a group of Gram-positive bacteria with high guanine and cytosine content. They can be terrestrial or aquatic. Actinobacteria is one of the dominant phyla of the bacteria....
capable of stopping the growth of several penicillin-resistant bacteria, on October 19, 1943.
Schatz was listed second on the patent after Waksman, first on the scientific paper, and had soon after the discovery issued his doctorate thesis on the discovery of streptomycin.
Career
Originally, the discovery of streptomycin was credited only to Schatz's supervisor, Selman WaksmanSelman Waksman
Selman Abraham Waksman was an American biochemist and microbiologist whose research into organic substances—largely into organisms that live in soil—and their decomposition promoted the discovery of Streptomycin, and several other antibiotics...
, 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
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
; the National Agricultural College in Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Doylestown is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 8,380. The borough is the county seat of Bucks County.- History :...
; the University of Chile; and joined the Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
faculty in 1969. He retired from Temple University in 1980.
Schatz was awarded the Rutgers medal in 1994 for his work on developing streptomycin.
In the 1990s, Dr. Schatz supported the research on microbes using co-creative science at the Perelandra Center for Nature Research, calling co-creative science "the most important advance in the history of science." Citing the increasing problem of drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis, he wrote, "We may win battles, but microbes will win the war unless we approach them differently."
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. He campaigned against water fluoridation
Water fluoridation
Water fluoridation is the controlled addition of fluoride to a public water supply to reduce tooth decay. Fluoridated water has fluoride at a level that is effective for preventing cavities; this can occur naturally or by adding fluoride...
and argued for a "proteolysis-chelation theory" of tooth decay, which was criticized as "more philosophic than experimental".
In 2004, author Inge Auerbacher co-wrote the book 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 and recipient of his antibiotic. A documentary by the same name "Finding Dr. Schatz", directed by Richard Colosi from Rochester, NY was released in 2009.
Schatz died from pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
at his home in Philadelphia in 2005.
Albert Schatz's archives have been donated to the Temple University Library.
External links
- November 2, 2002 Guardian article on Albert Schatz and the Discovery of Steptomycin
- No Nobel for You - Top 10 Nobel Snubs (Dr. Schatz is number 4), Scientific AmericanScientific AmericanScientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...
- Memoirs at Rutgers Oral History Archives
- Schatz on fluoridation
- Weavers Way Co-op.
- San Diego Union-Tribune obituary
- Rutgers Focus obituary
- Streptomycin, Schatz v. Waksman, and the Balance of Credit for Discovery
- Private website about Dr. Schatz containing scanned newspaper clippings from the time of the discovery of Streptomycin