Henry Drysdale Dakin

Henry Drysdale Dakin (12 March 1880 – 10 February 1952) was a British-American biochemist, known for the development of the Dakin's solution, an antiseptic solution for the treatment of infected wounds. He was born in Trent, England and died in New York City, USA.

Early Life and Education

Dakin was born in Trent, England, on 12 March 1880. He attended the University of London, where he studied chemistry and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1901. He then went on to earn his Doctor of Science degree from the University of Leeds in 1906.

Career

After completing his education, Dakin moved to the United States and began working at the Rockefeller Institute in New York City. Here, he conducted research on the chemistry of enzymes and made significant contributions to the understanding of their function and structure.

In 1914, during the outbreak of World War I, Dakin developed an antiseptic solution, now known as Dakin's solution, to treat infected wounds. This solution was widely used in the war and significantly reduced the mortality rate from infected wounds.

After the war, Dakin returned to the Rockefeller Institute and continued his research on enzymes. He published numerous papers on the subject and was recognized for his contributions to the field of biochemistry.

Legacy

Dakin's solution is still used today in the treatment of infected wounds. His work on enzymes has also had a lasting impact on the field of biochemistry.

See Also

• Dakin's solution
• Biochemistry
• Rockefeller Institute

References

• Henry Drysdale Dakin
  Henry Drysdale Dakin
• 
  Rockefeller Hospital, New York City