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Friends,
As you sit on the edge of your narrow cot, the weight of despair presses down on you like a heavy shroud. The pain from the lesions on your skin feels like fire, and each day blends into the next, filled with isolation and longing for a life once lived freely among friends and family. The whispers of fear and stigma surround you, leaving you feeling like a ghost in your own body, a mere shadow of who you once were.
Just as you begin to lose hope, a figure appears in the doorway—Dr. Alice Augusta Ball, her presence radiating warmth and determination. With a confident smile, she holds out a vial of liquid that glimmers with promise. “I have a treatment that could change your life,” she says, and in that moment, you feel a flicker of hope ignite within you, as if the miracle you’ve been praying for has finally arrived.
In the annals of medical history, few stories resonate with the themes of innovation, perseverance, and the struggle for recognition as much as Alice Augusta Ball’s. In 1915, at just 23 years old, Ball developed a groundbreaking injectable treatment for leprosy (Hansen’s disease) that would remain the most effective remedy for nearly three decades. Despite her monumental contributions, her legacy faced significant challenges, including a colleague’s theft of credit. Today, we celebrate her achievements and the impact of her work.
A Family of Trailblazers
Alice Augusta Ball was born on 24 July 1892 in Seattle, Washington, as the second of four siblings. Her family was notable for its accomplishments and community involvement. Her father, James Presley Ball Jr., was both a newspaper editor and a lawyer, contributing to the city’s intellectual and cultural landscape. Meanwhile, her mother, Laura Louise, was a talented photographer, known for her artistic eye and ability to capture life’s moments.
Alice’s grandfather, James Presley Ball Sr., was a distinguished photographer and a pioneer among African Americans in the field, known for his innovative use of the daguerreotype process. Growing up, Alice often watched him skillfully mix chemicals in his darkroom, an experience that ignited her passion for chemistry. This early exposure to the art and science of photography laid the groundwork for her future scientific pursuits, inspiring her to explore the transformative power of chemistry.
The Challenge of Leprosy
Leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. Historically, it was the ultimate party crasher, known for causing severe skin lesions, nerve damage, and a whole lot of social isolation.
The first known documentation dates back to ancient India around 600 BC1, but it really knew how to make a splash in the Middle Ages when it became synonymous with fear and stigma. Think of it as the original “social distancing” champion—only it didn’t come with hand sanitizer or a Netflix subscription.
So, what should you look out for? Early signs include skin lesions that might not sound too bad until you realize they can lead to numbness and loss of feeling. Imagine waking up one day and realizing that your fingers are now more like limp noodles! Other symptoms include thickened skin, muscle weakness, and a charming little habit of making your nose look like it’s gone on a permanent vacation.2
File: An introduction to dermatology (1905) nodular leprosy.jpg
Back in the day, treatments were about as effective as a chocolate teapot. Options included everything from herbal remedies3 to mercury4 (yes, that mercury) and even the unholy trinity of medieval medicine: bloodletting, prayers, and a sprinkle of “good luck.”
While leprosy itself isn’t typically deadly, it can lead to serious complications if left untreated. Think of it more like a really bad roommate that you can’t get rid of—sure, it won’t kill you, but it’ll ruin your quality of life! The real danger was the stigma and social isolation, which often left patients feeling like pariahs in their own communities.
Born to Shine
Alice Ball graduated from Seattle High School in 1910, where she dazzled everyone with her exceptional scientific talent. Following her passion, she enrolled at the University of Washington, where she earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (1912) and Pharmacy (1914).
Dr. Alice A. Ball, a quote from her high-school yearbook
But Alice didn’t stop there! In 1915, she made history as the first Black woman and the first person to earn a Master’s degree in Chemistry from the College of Hawaii (now the University of Hawaii). Her academic prowess shone as she co-authored a research paper with a professor, published in the prestigious Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Alice’s achievements didn’t just end with her degrees; she also became a trailblazer in academia. She was the first woman and the first African American to teach chemistry at the College of Hawaii, paving the way for future generations of scientists.
The ‘Ball Method’: A Breakthrough Treatment
During her research in Hawaii, Ball focused on chaulmoogra oil, a traditional remedy used for leprosy. Recognizing its limitations in oral form, she sought to develop an injectable version that would enhance its efficacy.5
This groundbreaking technique, known as the “Ball Method,” involved isolating the ethyl esters of fatty acids in the oil, making the treatment easy to inject and readily absorbed by the body. It marked the first effective treatment for leprosy, successfully alleviating symptoms and halting the disease’s progression.
Alice Ball’s groundbreaking work had the potential to revolutionize the lives of thousands of patients living in leprosariums worldwide, including those at the Kalaupapa settlement on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. Established in 1866, this isolated settlement saw the Kingdom’s authorities forcibly relocate over 8,000 individuals diagnosed with leprosy, declaring them legally dead (Senthillingham).6
Equipped with little more than a shovel, a blanket, and a few livestock, the first group of exiles at Kalaupapa faced harrowing challenges. Over the initial five years after the settlement’s founding, they endured a shocking 46% mortality rate. To make matters worse, if these patients had children during their confinement, those children were forcibly taken away and placed for adoption, adding to the heartbreak of their already devastating circumstances.
A Legacy Under Siege
In 1916, just a year after her groundbreaking discovery, Alice Ball fell seriously ill. While the exact cause remains unclear, some sources suggest she may have been exposed to chlorine gas during her lab work. Tragically, she passed away at the young age of 24, before she could finalize her research and publish her findings.
Click here to read Alice A. Ball’s Thesis.
Dr. Arthur Dean, the same individual who initially sought her expertise, took it upon himself to publish her work under his name. This act is widely regarded as one of the most egregious cases of scientific credit theft in history. He refined her methods and began issuing papers on the treatment, all while neglecting to acknowledge Ball’s crucial contributions. In fact, he presented this work as his own invention, dubbing it the “Dean Method.” At the time, he was the dean of the college and later became the university president.7
For decades, Dean basked in the accolades for developing the first effective treatment for leprosy, with medical journals, textbooks, and historical accounts crediting him for a breakthrough that was, in truth, Ball’s achievement. While the scientific community celebrated Dean as a medical pioneer, Alice Ball’s name faded from history. This erasure is particularly tragic given the intersectional discrimination she faced as both an African American and a woman in the early 20th-century scientific landscape.
Restoration of Her Legacy
In 1922, Dr. Harry Hollmann, a U.S. public health officer in Hawai‘i, published an article detailing how he had sought out the young chemistry instructor to leverage her expertise in extracting the essence of the chaulmoogra tree. He referred to her innovative process as “Ball’s Method,” and his efforts helped restore Alice Augusta Ball’s rightful place in history. As Paul Wermager notes in a chapter for They Followed the Trade Winds: African Americans in Hawai‘i, Hollmann’s work “rescued Alice Augusta Ball from the charnel houses of history, giving her the credit she deserved for her remarkable achievements.”
Wermager describes the article as a crucial piece of a “giant jigsaw puzzle with pieces scattered everywhere.” For years, he has diligently researched the details of Ball’s life, emphasizing that her significance extends far beyond the Mānoa campus. “She was far ahead of her time and is likely the first African American to be published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society,” he asserts. The journal featured articles co-authored by Ball in 1914 and 1917.
Remarkably, the treatment she developed was so effective that three years after her death, 78 patients were able to recover and return home from the leper colony at Kalaupapa on Moloka‘i.
Final Thoughts
In 2007, the University of Hawaii Board of Regents posthumously awarded Alice Ball its Medal of Distinction in recognition of her exceptional achievements and significant contributions to the university, the state, and the world. This prestigious medal is proudly displayed at UH Mānoa’s Hamilton Library, alongside her portrait.
Additionally, Alice Ball Day was proclaimed in 2000, designating 29 February to honor her legacy. This date falls during Black History Month, just after Kalaupapa Month in January and before Women’s History Month in March, ensuring that her remarkable contributions are celebrated and remembered.
Alice Ball’s innovative treatment for leprosy transformed the lives of many and laid the groundwork for future advancements in medicine. As we reflect on her remarkable achievements, let us commit to ensuring that the contributions of all pioneers in science are celebrated and remembered. Alice Augusta Ball’s legacy is not just a story of medical advancement; it is a testament to resilience, innovation, and the enduring impact of those who dare to challenge the status quo.
Until next time, Keep Reading and Stay Caffeinated.
For those interested in learning more:
The Colony: The Harrowing True Story Of The Exiles Of Molokai. Beginning in 1866 and continuing for over a century, more than eight thousand people suspected of having leprosy were forcibly exiled to the Hawaiian island of Molokai — the longest and deadliest instance of medical segregation in American history.
Carville’s Cure: Leprosy, Stigma, and the Fight for Justice. The Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans curls around an old sugar plantation that long housed one of America’s most painful secrets. Locals knew it as Carville, the site of the only leprosy colony in the continental United States, where generations of afflicted Americans were isolated―often against their will and until their deaths.
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Footnotes:
- The newly-discovered skeleton was buried around 2000 B.C. in Rajasthan, India. In Hindu tradition, burial is a rarity reserved for those of high respect or those deemed unsuitable for cremation. This includes outcasts, pregnant women, children under five, victims of magic or curses, and individuals with leprosy. For lepers, their skeletons were interred within a large stone enclosure, filled with vitrified ash from burned cow dung—the most sacred and purifying substance in Vedic tradition. This practice reflects a unique blend of reverence and ritual in dealing with those marginalized by society. ↩︎
- The bacteria that cause leprosy grows very slowly. It may take up to 20 years after contact with the bacteria to develop signs of the disease. ↩︎
- Traditionally, Chaulmoogra oil was extracted from Hydnocarpus wightiana seeds and consumed internally, externally, and eternally. Unfortunately, Chaulmoogra oil may cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if taken orally due to possible cyanide poisoning. Leprosy injections caused severe pain and abscesses, while topical applications can irritate the skin. ↩︎
- During the late 15th century, mercury became a dominant treatment for syphilis in Europe.
Syphilis and leprosy had similar symptoms and often coexisted, so treatments for one disease were commonly applied to the other. ↩︎ - It was Ball’s deep understanding of organic chemistry that enabled her to overcome the challenge. She made chaulmoogra oil effective by isolating the oil’s active compounds and modifying the chemical structure to make it suitable for injection. ↩︎
- While some sources cited in search results refer to this as a specific, possibly misremembered, or phonetically cited term (such as Senthillingham), the historical practice is formally recognized as civil death due to legal exile. How Stigma Distorts Justice: the Exile and Isolation of Leprosy Patients in Hawai`i – PMC ↩︎
- Alice Augusta Ball: The unrecognized chemist behind a breakthrough leprosy treatment | EPIC Emerging & Pandemic Infections Consortium ↩︎
Sources:
Earliest Known Case of Leprosy Unearthed | Live Science
Oldest case of leprosy found in 1st century tomb | UCL News – UCL – University College London
What are the symptoms of leprosy?
Mycobacterium leprae: A historical study on the origins of leprosy and its social stigma – PMC
Leprosy: A nearly forgotten malady – Hektoen International
The Bioarchaeology of Leprosy: Learning from the Past | International Textbook of Leprosy}
Hawaii | Books, Health and History
Women Who Had their Work Stolen From Them by Men