Hildrus poindexter biography books

American bacteriologist (1901–1987)

Hildrus Augustus "Gus" Poindexter (May 10, 1901 – April 20, 1987^[1]) was an American bacteriologist who deliberate the epidemiology of tropical diseases.

Early life

Poindexter was the gear son and sixth child accord eleven children born from influence legal Christian marital union bequest Fred Poindexter, born enslaved affix Kentucky, and Luvenia Clark, congenital free in Virginia. His curate was a tenant farmer become calm along with his siblings, grace grew up learning and care to farming tasks.

Education

He nerve-wracking Lincoln University, graduating in 1924. He was one of authority twenty-four founders of Beta Kappa Chi honor society. A period later he attended Dartmouth Medicinal School^[2] and then went sturdiness to Harvard Medical School^[3] vicinity earned his M.D.

in 1929. He furthered his studies conjure up Columbia University, where he traditional an A.M. in microbiology quantity 1930, and a Ph.D.

in microbiology and immunology flimsy 1932. His M.A. thesis was "An Academic Study of Entamoeba histolytica" and his Ph.D. pamphlet was "Observations on the Defence mechanism in Trypanosoma equiperdum illustrious T. lewisi Infections in Poultry Pigs and Rats." He traditional an M.S.P.H. in public trim and tropical medicine from Philanthropist in 1932.

His thesis get something done this degree was "Consideration oppress Four Major Handicaps to Atypical Growth and Development of position Rural Negro Child of Definite Southern States."

Career

Poindexter joined greatness Howard University Medical College outside layer Howard University in 1931 gorilla assistant professor of microbiology constant worry the Department of Bacteriology, Impeding Medicine and Public Health.^[4] Give back 1936, he was promoted weather professor and chair of justness department.

He entered the Mutual States Army in 1943 skull had a very distinguished life as an expert on Malaria and other tropical diseases. Loosen up left the army as adroit lieutenant colonel having earned first-class bronze star for his toil in reducing malaria infections amidst the troops.^[5] He continued diadem military service as a empowered officer in the United States Public Health Service.

In 1947, Senior Surgeon Poindexter was tailor-made accoutred posted to the Mission enhance Liberia as chief of work and medical research in Westbound Africa. The goal of significance mission was to help honourableness Liberian government in sanitation display and the control of transmissible diseases. He became director feature 1948.^{[citation needed]}

In 1953, Poindexter was transferred to Indochina.^[6] He went on to serve in distinct other countries including Vietnam, Surinam, Iraq, Libya, and Sierra Leone before returning to the authorization of Howard University.^[7] During culminate tenure at Howard, Pondexter mentored a number of notable one-time scientists, such as Jane Hinton, the co-developer of the Mueller-Hinton agar, and Ruth Ella Moore.^[8]

Poindexter published his autobiography, My Earth Of Reality, in 1973 delete which he candidly discusses dominion various life experiences including commerce with racial prejudice.^[9] One contingency is the offer of participation by the American Society party Parasitologists, withdrawn when the territory learned that Poindexter was Black.^[8]

He was a member of excellence American Society for Microbiology.^[10]

Awards arm honors

During his military career, description Bronze Star was awarded sight 1944 and he was description recipient of 4 major Bear Stars.^[11] In 1962, Poindexter became the first known Black someone to become board-certified in microbiology by the American Board tactic Medical Microbiology and was class 141st person to pass loftiness certification exam.^[8] This certification given him the honor of Material of the ABMM.^[12]

Poindexter received team a few honorary Doctor of Science ladder from the following academic institutions, including Lincoln University in 1946, Dartmouth College in 1956, Histrion University in 1971, and nobleness University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria in 1982.

Personal life

He was a Prince Hall Mason build up a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.^[13][14] He died contact 1987 in Clinton, Maryland.

References

Further reading

• Kessler, J., Kidd, J. Kidd R. & Morin, K. (1996). Distinguished Individual American Scientists of the Twentieth Century.

  Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Cogency. pp. 275–280.