Clifford Dobell facts for kids
Clifford Dobell was a famous British scientist who studied tiny living things called protozoa and amoebae. These are microscopic organisms, so small you need a microscope to see them! He was also an expert on the history of studying these tiny creatures.
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Who Was Clifford Dobell?
Clifford Dobell was born in Birkenhead, England, on February 22, 1886. He grew up to become a biologist, which is a scientist who studies living things. His special area was protozoology, the study of protozoa. He was particularly interested in the amoebae that live inside people's bodies and also in tiny plants called algae.
From 1910 to 1919, he worked as a professor at the Imperial College London. He taught about protozoa and cytology, which is the study of cells.
Helping During Wartime
During 1915, Clifford Dobell helped with important war work. He worked with military doctors to find better ways to prevent and treat illnesses caused by tiny germs in the intestines of soldiers.
He was one of the first scientists to show that some people could carry a specific type of amoeba, called Entamoeba histolytica, without feeling sick. Even though they felt fine, they could still spread the amoeba to others. He thought about 10% of people in Great Britain might be carriers. This discovery was very important for understanding how diseases spread.
Becoming a Royal Society Fellow
In 1918, when he was 32 years old, Clifford Dobell was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the United Kingdom. It means he was recognized for his amazing work and discoveries.
His nomination mentioned his wide range of studies on Protista, which is a group of diverse microscopic organisms. It also highlighted his skill in studying their structure and life cycles. He researched many different tiny organisms, including some that live in frogs and toads. He also looked into the nature of bacteria and other tiny life forms.
Important Books and Research
In 1919, Clifford Dobell published an important book called The Amoebae Living in Man. This book shared his knowledge about the amoebae that live inside humans.
Later, in 1932, he wrote a very important book about another famous scientist named Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. Leeuwenhoek was a Dutch scientist who lived hundreds of years ago and was one of the first people to see and describe microscopic life. Dobell's book, titled "Antony van Leeuwenhoek and his 'Little Animals'", is still considered a key book about Leeuwenhoek's life and discoveries. It was reprinted in 1960.
Clifford Dobell passed away in London on December 23, 1949. His work greatly advanced our understanding of the tiny world of protozoa and their impact on human health.
ISBN: 0-486-60594-9
