Born on July 24, 1892, in Seattle, Washington, when women, much less African American women had no rights, she was educated, earning a double Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Washington in 1914. Offered a scholarship at the University of California (Berkeley) and the College of Hawaii (now known as University of Hawaii) for her Master's, she decided to go to Hawaii! Maybe because when she was 11 years old, her family lived in Hawaii to help her grandfather (James P. Ball, famous daguerreotype photographer) who suffered from arthritis, to alleviate symptoms in warmer climes. This must have made quite an impression since she only lived there for 2 years.
Chemistry was her passion! By having her grandfather, father, mother and aunt as photographers, working with iodine sensitized silver plate and mercury vapors to develop photos, she must have found it fascinating to see what chemistry could do!
While attending the University of Washington, she co-authored a 10 page article titled, "Benzoylations in Ether solution," with her Pharmacy instructor and it was published in the prestigious "Journal of the American Chemical Society!"
Her Master's thesis, "The Chemical Constituents of Piper Methysticum," identified the active ingredients of the KAVA root. Graduating in 1915 with her Masters of Science in Chemistry, she became the first WOMAN to get her Masters degree in Hawaii. Offered a teaching position at the University, she became the first woman and black American to be a Chemistry Professor.
Chaulmoogra oil, located in the seed, was known for centuries by Indian and Chinese practioners,to help leprosy patients, but, with limited success. Used topically, it didn't penetrate deep enough. Orally, it was quite bitter and caused stomach upset and nausea. Injected, it was extremely painful and created cysts at the injection site since oil does not mix with water!
Dr. Harry Hollman, a U.S. Public Health Officer was working at the Kalihi Hospital, where leprosy patients were seen before sending them to Kalaupapa, Molokai. He believed that the Chaulmoogra Oil could be of great help if it could become water soluble. He contacted Alice Ball to see if she could identify and isolate the active ingredients of the Chaulmoogra Oil. She isolated the chaulmoogric acid and hydrocarpic acid contained in the oil and made the first water soluble injectable treatment for leprosy at the tender age of 24!
Unfortunately, she became very ill, returned to Seattle, Washington where she died on December 31, 1916. The cause of death is a mystery, as her death certificate was altered to say she died of tuberculosis. But an article in the "Honolulu Pacific Commercial Advertiser" wrote that while instructing her class in September, she suffered from chlorine poisoning. At this time, ventilation hoods were not a mandatory safety feature in laboratories.
Though never seeing the results of her work, in 1918, 78 patients of the Kalihi Hospital were released after being treated with chaulmoogra injections. From 1919 to 1923, no new patients were sent to Molokai. Even though it wasn't a cure, her breakthrough bolstered more public funding and more research for a disease that was thought to be uncurable! Her treatment, called, "the Ball Method," was the de facto treatment for 2 decades! Finally, in 1940, a cure was developed using sulfones (sulfa antibiotics.)
In 1922, she received a posthumous attribution for her chemical discovery in a medical journal paper with little fanfare. In the 1970's, a University of Hawaii professor, Kathryn Takara and Stanley Ali, scoured the archives to remember this remarkable woman and her contributions to Hawaii and to the world! After being brought to light, the University of Hawaii planted a Chaulmoogra tree on the campus near Bachman Hall in 2000. Also, the Governer of Hawaii declared February 29th, Alice Ball day! In 2007, Alice Ball posthumusly received the "Regents Medal of Distinction," the school's highest honor and put a plaque near the foot of the Chaulmoogra tree.
On a personal note, my birthday is JULY 24th! By chance I read about her and realized the importance she played for the Hawaiian people! Only 24, and solving a problem which was centuries old. Passing away soon after discovering an injection helping all people suffering with leprosy, with no recognition and accolades, I made it my mission to go to Hawaii and find this tree, and thank her personally how grateful I am! And to make her known to as many people as I can about this brilliant young woman. Mahalo nui loa! Aloha!
