Just days before moving into the library, the gal-pals gather together to record this month’s episodes – that’s right we record them all at once! The gals reflect on their favorite episodes recorded in Leah’s front room before Bonnie tells us her 1 cool science thing is Alice Ball and her cure for leprosy.
YouTube Version
Show Notes & Extras:
- Last recording at Leah’s house.
- What is your favorite episode we’ve recorded at Leah’s house? Zelda & Douche Canoes, Florence Harding, Grace Hopper
- The library is open!
- The gal-pals this month are Dr. Leah Leah, Bonnie Fillenwarth, Katie Harris and Lisa Meece
- Bonnie’s 1 Cool Science Thing is Alice Ball
- “If you love science but hate leprosy…”
- “I Vote For Syphillis” is from our Alla Nazimova episode also we have a sticker of it.
- Early life of Alice Ball (Born in 1892)
- Washington State & Hawaii
- First African-American to get a masters degree from the University of Hawaii
- First female African-American chemistry professor at the University of Hawaii
- 1914 published her first paper
- What drove her to be a pioneer?
- What is leprosy?
- Savannah history
- Bonnie really doesn’t want shingles
- Hawaii Leprosy colony started in 1866
- Treatment with an oil didn’t work
- At age 23, Alice developed a cure for leprosy by isolating the oil in an injectable form
- “The Ball Method” was the main cure used for over 30 years
- Alice died at age 24
- Her death certificate was altered
- Didn’t get credit for her work until 1922
- Heads up to Wikipedia! They don’t mention Alice Ball on their Leprosy page, um.
- Awards
- February 29th is Alice Ball Day – thanks to it being a leap year we can celebrate every 4 years. This is not her birthday or death date.
- The Ball Method short film (Massive Science interview with Director Dag Abebe)
- Books: Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science, Wonder Women: 25 Innovators Inventors and Trailblazers (funny one Bonnie mentioned), and Women in Science
- Rachel Ignotofsky’s books
- Alice curing leprosy was a side hustle!!
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What if you could only share 1 cool thing about a topic? Would it be about ancient history? Would it be breaking news? Would it be safe for work? A group of gals gathers to present to you one cool thing on topics like painting, gaming, movies, music and more.
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