Charles Wardell Stiles
Encyclopedia
Charles Wardell Stiles was an American parasitologist
born in Spring Valley, New York
.
(1885-86), Collège de France
(1886-87), the University of Berlin (1887-89) and the University of Leipzig
(1889-90). In 1891 he continued his education at the zoological station in Trieste
and at the Institut Pasteur in Paris
. He obtained his doctorate in Leipzig
under the direction of Rudolf Leuckart
(1822-1898).
He taught classes in medical zoology
at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
and at Georgetown University
. He also worked as a zoologist for the U.S. government at the Bureau of Animal Industry in the Department of Agriculture (1891-1902), and was later chief zoologist at the Hygienic Laboratory of the US Public Health and Marine Hospital Service (1902-1931). In addition, he helped establish the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission for the Eradication of Hookworm Disease. In 1921 Stiles was awarded the Public Welfare Medal
from the National Academy of Sciences
.
Stiles is remembered for his work involving parasitic diseases such as trichinosis
and hookworm
. While working at the Department of Agriculture, he identified a new species of hookworm called Necator americanus
. In the early part of the 20th century he was scientific advisor to the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission. Here he worked on a campaign to eradicate hookworm, especially in the American South. He also dealt with health and sanitation issues concerning mining and cotton mill
workers. Stiles was secretary of the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature, a group involved in setting standards regarding zoological classifications.
Parasitology
Parasitology is the study of parasites, their hosts, and the relationship between them. As a biological discipline, the scope of parasitology is not determined by the organism or environment in question, but by their way of life...
born in Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village spanning the Town of Ramapo and Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack...
.
Biography
He studied at Wesleyan University in ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
(1885-86), Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
(1886-87), the University of Berlin (1887-89) and the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
(1889-90). In 1891 he continued his education at the zoological station in Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
and at the Institut Pasteur in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He obtained his doctorate in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
under the direction of Rudolf Leuckart
Rudolf Leuckart
Karl Georg Friedrich Rudolf Leuckart was a German zoologist who was born in Helmstedt. He was a nephew to naturalist Friedrich Sigismund Leuckart ....
(1822-1898).
He taught classes in medical zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
and at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. He also worked as a zoologist for the U.S. government at the Bureau of Animal Industry in the Department of Agriculture (1891-1902), and was later chief zoologist at the Hygienic Laboratory of the US Public Health and Marine Hospital Service (1902-1931). In addition, he helped establish the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission for the Eradication of Hookworm Disease. In 1921 Stiles was awarded the Public Welfare Medal
Public Welfare Medal
The Public Welfare Medal is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences "in recognition of distinguished contributions in the application of science to the public welfare." It is the most prestigious honor conferred by the Academy...
from the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
.
Stiles is remembered for his work involving parasitic diseases such as trichinosis
Trichinosis
Trichinosis, also called trichinellosis, or trichiniasis, is a parasitic disease caused by eating raw or undercooked pork or wild game infected with the larvae of a species of roundworm Trichinella spiralis, commonly called the trichina worm. There are eight Trichinella species; five are...
and hookworm
Hookworm
The hookworm is a parasitic nematode that lives in the small intestine of its host, which may be a mammal such as a dog, cat, or human. Two species of hookworms commonly infect humans, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus. A. duodenale predominates in the Middle East, North Africa, India...
. While working at the Department of Agriculture, he identified a new species of hookworm called Necator americanus
Necator americanus
Necator americanus is a species of Necator. It is a class within the phylum Nematodes and commonly known as New World hookworm. It is a parasitic nematode worm that lives in the small intestine of hosts such as humans, dogs and cats. It is responsible for Necatoriasis...
. In the early part of the 20th century he was scientific advisor to the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission. Here he worked on a campaign to eradicate hookworm, especially in the American South. He also dealt with health and sanitation issues concerning mining and cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
workers. Stiles was secretary of the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature, a group involved in setting standards regarding zoological classifications.
Selected writings
- "Trichinosis in Germany", 1901
- "Index-Catalog of Medical and Veterinary Zoology", (1902–20)
- "Report upon the prevalence and geographic distribution of hookworm disease (uncinariasis or anchylostomiasis) in the United States", 1903
- "A zoological investigation into the cause, transmission, and source of Rocky Mountain "spotted feverRocky Mountain spotted feverRocky Mountain spotted fever is the most lethal and most frequently reported rickettsial illness in the United States. It has been diagnosed throughout the Americas. Some synonyms for Rocky Mountain spotted fever in other countries include “tick typhus,” “Tobia fever” , “São Paulo fever” or “febre...
", 1905 - "A statistical study of the prevalence of intestinal worms in man", 1906
- "The Sanitary Privy: Its Purpose and Construction", 1910
- "Key-catalogue of the ProtozoaProtozoaProtozoa are a diverse group of single-cells eukaryotic organisms, many of which are motile. Throughout history, protozoa have been defined as single-cell protists with animal-like behavior, e.g., movement...
reported for man", 1925 - "Key-catalogue of the worms reported for man", 1926
External links
- U.S. National Animal Parasite Collection Records (Contains historical information on parasitology research at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center from 1886 through the 1980s.)