Alice Augusta Ball: The Forgotten Pioneer of Leprosy Treatment

Throughout history, millions of people have been afflicted by frightening diseases with no cure. In the early 20th century, a 23-year-old Black woman developed the first effective treatment for one such disease. Yet, you've probably never heard of her.

Let me introduce you to Alice Augusta Ball.

A Trailblazer in Science

Alice Ball was an American chemist who not only broke medical barriers but also shattered social ones. Born in 1892 in Seattle, Washington, she was raised in a family of professional photographers. It was in her grandfather's darkroom that she first discovered the wonders of chemistry.

After earning bachelor’s degrees in pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmacy at the University of Washington, Alice moved to Hawaii to pursue her master’s in chemistry in 1915. She became the first woman and the first African American to graduate from the University of Hawaii. But she didn't stop there—at just 23 years old, she became the university’s first Black professor and first female chemistry professor.

Fighting One of Humanity’s Most Feared Diseases

Alice’s true claim to fame was using chemistry to combat leprosy, also known as Hansen’s Disease. Records of leprosy date back thousands of years. While 95% of people are naturally immune, those who contracted the disease suffered from disfiguring skin lesions and nerve damage. In many societies, leprosy patients were forcibly quarantined, often sent to remote colonies where they lived in isolation for the rest of their lives.

During Alice’s time, the only known treatment was chaulmoogra oil, extracted from a tree native to India and Sri Lanka. However, its application was highly problematic:

Rubbing it on the skin had little effect.
Injecting it caused painful boils.
Swallowing it often resulted in severe nausea.

Alice, who had previously researched medicinal plants like kava root, decided to find a way to make chaulmoogra oil an effective treatment.

The Ball Method: A Breakthrough in Medicine

By day, Alice taught chemistry classes. By night, she worked tirelessly in the lab, determined to solve the problem. After a year of experiments, she cracked the code.

Alice developed a technique to isolate the ethyl ester compounds from chaulmoogra oil, making it water-soluble and injectable. This new formulation allowed the medicine to be absorbed safely into the bloodstream, revolutionizing leprosy treatment. Her process became the primary treatment for thousands of leprosy patients, offering hope where there had previously been none.

Stolen Credit and the Fight for Recognition

Tragically, before Alice could publish her findings, she fell ill. She returned home to Seattle, where she passed away at the age of 24.

After her death, her graduate adviser, Arthur Dean, continued her research. However, instead of crediting Alice, he published her results under his own name, calling it “The Dean Method.” A more fitting name would have been "The Stealing Method."

Fortunately, Dr. Harry T. Hollmann, a physician who had worked with Alice, fought to reveal the truth. He referred to her discovery by its rightful name: “The Ball Method.”

For decades, Alice’s contributions were largely ignored. It wasn’t until 1977 that Dr. Katherine Waddell Takara and Stanley Ali rediscovered Alice’s records in the University of Hawaii archives. Their efforts helped restore Alice Ball to her rightful place in history.

A Legacy of Inspiration

In her short life, Alice Augusta Ball changed the world through science. Today, her legacy stands as a testament to the power of determination, intellect, and resilience.

Her story should inspire young women, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, to pursue their passions in science and beyond. And to those who seek to erase or steal history—the truth always finds a way.

Alice Augusta Ball: The Forgotten Pioneer of Leprosy Treatment