John Eliot Howard facts for kids
John Eliot Howard was an important English chemist from the 1800s. He did amazing work with a special medicine called quinine. Quinine is used to treat malaria, a serious disease that affects many people around the world.
Early Life and Family
John Eliot Howard was born on December 11, 1807, in a place called Plaistow, in Essex, England. His father was Luke Howard, who was also a famous chemist and a meteorologist. A meteorologist studies weather. Luke Howard was known for naming different types of clouds!
The Howard family belonged to a Christian group called the Quakers. John Eliot Howard grew up in a family that was very interested in science and faith.
A Chemist's Career
John Eliot Howard worked at his family's business, Howards and Sons. This company made medicines. He was very good at his job and became a respected scientist. In June 1874, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very big honor for scientists in England, showing that he was recognized for his important discoveries.
His most famous work was with quinine. He spent many years studying this medicine, which comes from the bark of the cinchona tree. His research helped improve how quinine was made and used. This was a huge step forward in fighting malaria.
His Writings
Besides his scientific work, John Eliot Howard also loved to write. He wrote several books, including:
- The Quinology of the East Indian Plantations (1869–1876): This was a scientific book about quinine and the trees it came from.
- Religious books: He wrote about his faith, including a commentary on a book from the Bible called Hebrews.
- History books: He also wrote about history, like The Island Of The Saints, which was about big religious changes in Ireland during the Reformation in Ireland.
Family and Faith
John Eliot Howard was originally a Quaker, like his father. Later, he became involved with a different group of Christians who met at the Brooks Street Meeting House in Tottenham. His brother Robert helped start this meeting house in 1838–1839. His father, Luke Howard, even helped pay for the building!
There is a painting of John Eliot Howard and his father hanging in the National Portrait Gallery in London.
John Eliot Howard married Maria Crewdson on September 9, 1830. They had nine children together. One of their sons, Joseph Howard, became a politician. He was a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for Tottenham.
The family lived in Tottenham. John Eliot Howard passed away in Edmonton, London, when he was 76 years old. He is buried in Tottenham Cemetery. His grandson, Henry Eliot Howard, also became famous as an ornithologist, someone who studies birds.
A Lasting Legacy
John Eliot Howard's work was so important that a group of plants was named after him! The plant genus Howardia from the Rubiaceae family (which includes coffee plants) was named in his honor. This shows how much his contributions to science were valued.
