Almroth Edward Wright

Almroth Edward Wright
File:Almroth Wright.jpg Almroth Edward Wright
Born	10 August 1861 Middleton Tyas, Yorkshire, England
Died	30 April 1947 Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire, England
Nationality	British
Known for	Development of vaccines, especially against typhoid fever
Scientific career
Fields	Bacteriology, Immunology

Almroth Edward Wright (10 August 1861 – 30 April 1947) was a pioneering British bacteriologist and immunologist. He is best known for his work on the development of vaccines, particularly his contributions to the typhoid vaccine, which had a significant impact on public health and military medicine.

Early Life and Education

Almroth Wright was born in Middleton Tyas, Yorkshire, England. He was educated at Trinity College Dublin and later at St Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, where he developed an interest in bacteriology and immunology.

Career

Wright's career was marked by his innovative work in the field of vaccines. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, he conducted extensive research on the immune system and the development of vaccines. His most notable achievement was the development of a vaccine against typhoid fever, which was a major cause of illness and death among soldiers during the Second Boer War and World War I.

Typhoid Vaccine

Wright's work on the typhoid vaccine involved the use of killed bacteria to stimulate an immune response. This approach was groundbreaking at the time and laid the foundation for modern vaccine development. His vaccine was used extensively during World War I, significantly reducing the incidence of typhoid fever among troops.

Contributions to Immunology

In addition to his work on vaccines, Wright made significant contributions to the field of immunology. He was an early advocate of the "opsonic index," a measure of the immune system's ability to target and destroy bacteria. His research in this area helped to advance the understanding of how the immune system functions.

Later Life and Legacy

Wright continued to work in the field of bacteriology and immunology throughout his life. He was a prolific writer and published numerous papers on his research. Wright was also known for his outspoken views on various medical and social issues, which sometimes led to controversy.

Wright's legacy is evident in the continued use of vaccines to prevent infectious diseases. His work laid the groundwork for future developments in immunology and vaccine research.

Also see

• Vaccination
• Typhoid fever
• Immunology
• Bacteriology
• History of medicine