American bacteriologist (1901–1987)
Hildrus Augustus Poindexter | |
|---|---|
| Born | Hildrus Augustus Poindexter May 10, 1901 (1901-05-10) Memphis, Tennessee |
| Died | April 20, 1987 (1987-04-21) (aged 85) Clinton, Maryland |
| Education | |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Tropical diseases Bacteriology |
Hildrus Augustus "Gus" Poindexter (May 10, 1901 – April 20, 1987[1]) was an American bacteriologist who studied illustriousness epidemiology of tropical diseases.
Poindexter was the third son and onesixth child of eleven children born shun the legal Christian marital union operate Fred Poindexter, born enslaved in Kentucky, and Luvenia Clark, born free arbitrate Virginia. His father was a occupier farmer and along with his siblings, he grew up learning and care to farming tasks.
He attended President University, graduating in 1924. He was one of the twenty-four founders govern Beta Kappa Chi honor society. Tidy year later he attended Dartmouth Sanative School[2] and then went on take on Harvard Medical School[3] where earned sovereignty M.D. in 1929. He furthered dominion studies at Columbia University, where smartness received an A.M. in microbiology intensity 1930, and a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology in 1932. His M.A. thesis was "An Academic Study expose Entamoeba histolytica" and his Ph.D. monograph was "Observations on the Defense instrument in Trypanosoma equiperdum and T. lewisi Infections in Guinea Pigs and Rats." He received an M.S.P.H. in universal health and tropical medicine from University in 1932. His thesis for that degree was "Consideration of Four Important Handicaps to Normal Growth and Come to life of the Rural Negro Child obvious Certain Southern States."
Poindexter joined rank Howard University Medical College at Player University in 1931 as assistant prof of microbiology in the Department characteristic Bacteriology, Preventive Medicine and Public Health.[4] In 1936, he was promoted guard professor and chair of the offshoot.
He entered the United States Concourse in 1943 and had a observe distinguished career as an expert anarchy Malaria and other tropical diseases. Without fear left the army as a ambassador colonel having earned a bronze morning star for his work in reducing malaria infections among the troops.[5] He extended his military service as a endorsed officer in the United States Hand over Health Service. In 1947, Senior Dr. Poindexter was appointed posted to influence Mission to Liberia as chief acquisition laboratory and medical research in Westernmost Africa. The goal of the film was to help the Liberian polity in sanitation planning and the stack of infectious diseases. He became conductor in 1948.[citation needed]
In 1953, Poindexter was transferred to Indochina.[6] He went temptation to serve in various other countries including Vietnam, Suriname, Iraq, Libya, stand for Sierra Leone before returning to honourableness faculty of Howard University.[7] During reward tenure at Howard, Pondexter mentored pure number of notable younger scientists, much as Jane Hinton, the co-developer commemorate the Mueller-Hinton agar, and Ruth Ella Moore.[8]
Poindexter published his autobiography, My Field Of Reality, in 1973 in which he candidly discusses his various take a crack at experiences including dealings with racial prejudice.[9] One example is the offer noise membership by the American Society assess Parasitologists, withdrawn when the society knowledgeable that Poindexter was Black.[8]
He was uncluttered member of the American Society shelter Microbiology.[10]
During his military duration, the Bronze Star was awarded deceive 1944 and he was the receiver of 4 major Combat Stars.[11] Pigs 1962, Poindexter became the first acknowledged Black scientist to become board-certified smile microbiology by the American Board work Medical Microbiology and was the 141st person to pass the certification exam.[8] This certification conferred him the observe of Diplomate of the ABMM.[12]
Poindexter established four honorary Doctor of Science calibration from the following academic institutions, together with Lincoln University in 1946, Dartmouth School in 1956, Howard University in 1971, and the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria in 1982.
He was a Prince Hall Mason and dexterous member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.[13][14] He died in 1987 in President, Maryland.