George Nuttall
Encyclopedia
George Henry Falkiner Nuttall FRS
(5 July 1862–16 December 1937) was an American
-British
bacteriologist who contributed much to the knowledge of parasites
and of insect carriers of diseases. He made significant, innovative discoveries in immunology
, about life under aseptic conditions, in blood chemistry, and about diseases transmitted by arthropods, especially ticks. He carried out investigations into the distribution of Anopheline
mosquitoes in England in relation to the previous prevalence of malaria
there. With William Welch
he identified Clostridium perfringens
, the organism responsible for causing gangrene
. He also demonstrated the importance of intestinal bacteria in digestion and investigated the bactericidal properties of blood.
He was born in San Francisco
to a British father, who was a doctor, and an American mother from California, and was the brother of Zelia Nuttall
. He acquired British citizenship in 1900. He gained an M.D. from the University of California
in 1884 and a Ph.D. from the University of Göttingen in 1890. In 1899 he moved to England, where he stayed for the rest of his life, and became associated with Cambridge University. In 1906 he was elected the first Quick Professor of Biology
at Cambridge (emeritus 1931).
He founded the Molteno Institute Biology and Parasitology at the University of Cambridge
and directed it from 1921. Nuttall established and edited the Journal of Hygiene in 1901 and also founded and edited Parasitology in 1908.
His writings include some 150 articles in professional journals.New International Encyclopedia
He published:
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(5 July 1862–16 December 1937) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
bacteriologist who contributed much to the knowledge of parasites
Parasitism
Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred to organisms with lifestages that needed more than one host . These are now called macroparasites...
and of insect carriers of diseases. He made significant, innovative discoveries in immunology
Immunology
Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
, about life under aseptic conditions, in blood chemistry, and about diseases transmitted by arthropods, especially ticks. He carried out investigations into the distribution of Anopheline
Anopheles
Anopheles is a genus of mosquito. There are approximately 460 recognized species: while over 100 can transmit human malaria, only 30–40 commonly transmit parasites of the genus Plasmodium, which cause malaria in humans in endemic areas...
mosquitoes in England in relation to the previous prevalence of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
there. With William Welch
William Welch
William C. Welch is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name The Messiah.-Professional wrestling career:...
he identified Clostridium perfringens
Clostridium perfringens
Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium of the genus Clostridium. C. perfringens is ever present in nature and can be found as a normal component of decaying vegetation, marine sediment, the intestinal tract of humans and other vertebrates,...
, the organism responsible for causing gangrene
Gangrene
Gangrene is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that arises when a considerable mass of body tissue dies . This may occur after an injury or infection, or in people suffering from any chronic health problem affecting blood circulation. The primary cause of gangrene is reduced blood...
. He also demonstrated the importance of intestinal bacteria in digestion and investigated the bactericidal properties of blood.
He was born in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
to a British father, who was a doctor, and an American mother from California, and was the brother of Zelia Nuttall
Zelia Nuttall
-References:-External links:* by Alfred M. Tozzer on American Ethnography....
. He acquired British citizenship in 1900. He gained an M.D. from the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
in 1884 and a Ph.D. from the University of Göttingen in 1890. In 1899 he moved to England, where he stayed for the rest of his life, and became associated with Cambridge University. In 1906 he was elected the first Quick Professor of Biology
Quick Professor of Biology
The Quick Professorship of Biology is one of the senior professorships in biology at the University of Cambridge.Frederick James Quick was a wealthy coffee merchant who was employed in the London law-firm Quick, Reek and James at the time of his death...
at Cambridge (emeritus 1931).
He founded the Molteno Institute Biology and Parasitology at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and directed it from 1921. Nuttall established and edited the Journal of Hygiene in 1901 and also founded and edited Parasitology in 1908.
His writings include some 150 articles in professional journals.New International Encyclopedia
New International Encyclopedia
The New International Encyclopedia was an American encyclopedia first published in 1902 by Dodd, Mead and Company. It descended from the International Cyclopaedia and was updated in 1906, 1914 and 1926.-History:...
He published:
- Hygienic Measures in Relation to Infectious Diseases (1903)
- Blood Immunity and Blood Relationship (1904), establishing the identification of different kinds of bloodBlood typeA blood type is a classification of blood based on the presence or absence of inherited antigenic substances on the surface of red blood cells . These antigens may be proteins, carbohydrates, glycoproteins, or glycolipids, depending on the blood group system...
- The Bacteriology of Diphtheria (1908), with Graham Smith and others
- Ticks (1908 et. seq.), with C. Warburton and others
- The Drug Treatment of Canine Piroplasmosis (1910)
- Russian Ixosoidea (1912)
- The Training and Status of Public Health Officers in the United Kingdom (1913)
Parasites named for him
- Nuttallia — Small protozoan parasites found in the red blood corpuscles of horses and dogs.
- N. equi, a species causing hemoglobinuric fever of horses in South Africa. It is probably transmitted by the tickTickTicks are small arachnids in the order Ixodida, along with mites, constitute the subclass Acarina. Ticks are ectoparasites , living by hematophagy on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians...
Rhipicephalux everti. Called also Babesia equi and B. caballi. - N. gibso'ni is found in dogs.
Further reading
- Dorland's Medical Dictionary (1938)