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Albert Schatz, Ph.D papers
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Held at: Temple University Libraries Special Collections Research Center [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Temple University Libraries Special Collections Research Center. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
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Dr. Albert Schatz joined the staff of the Science Education Department at Temple University’s College of Education in 1969. He was responsible for developing courses, programs and research activities for people interested in the teaching of biology.
Dr. Schatz is internationally known for his scientific research, and in 1977, he was decorated by the Government of France for meritorious service to humanity. In a study which drew worldwide interest, he showed that fluoridation of drinking water in Chile markedly increased infant mortality and the death rate of the population in general.
His most important work, and the major subject of this collection, concerns the discovery of the first effective drug against tuberculosis – the drug streptomycin – during the years 1943 and 1944. Following Dr. Schatz’s discovery, there was a lengthy legal battle over rights and ownership of the drug, with the ultimate determination that Dr. Schatz was the “legal and scientific co-discoverer” of streptomycin, with Dr. Waksman.
In 1952, however, the Nobel Prize in Medicine for the discovery of streptomycin went to Dr. Waksman, to the exclusion of Dr. Schatz, and initiated another round of public debate.
Dr. Schatz’s other major areas of study were more controversial. One area was the potential dangers of water fluoridation; as part of this research he traveled to Chile and studied the relationship between infant mortality rates and water fluoridation. The other controversial area was a "proteolysis-chelation theory" of tooth decay.
This collection documents Dr. Schatz’s work in three distinct areas of study: streptomycin, chelation in soil formation, and water fluoridation. The collection is divided into three series: “Streptomycin discovery and controversy,” “The Role of Chelation in Soil Formation,” and “Fluoridation: Harmful Effects and Paradoxical Effects.” The first series, “Streptomycin discovery and controversy,” traces Dr. Shatz’s role in the discovery of streptomycin and the subsequent lawsuit over the rights to its ownership. Included are published news reports, court papers, and correspondence with other researchers who contributed to the discovery, including the head researcher, Dr. Selman A. Waksman. The records contain the letters drawn up by Dr. Schatz’s colleagues to the Nobel Prize Committee, a private letter from Dr. Schatz to King Gustav VI of Sweden and extensive news coverage of the relevant events. There is also a small unrelated group of articles on “Twerpwyck University” which show Dr. Schatz’s less serious side in his satires of the bureaucracy of academic life.
The second series, "The Role of Chelation in Soil Formation," contains information on his work on the role of chelation in soil formation. It was from this work that he formulated his opinion on a proteolysis-chelation theory of tooth decay. The bulk of this material is articles, many of which were written by Dr. Schatz, and newspaper clippings regarding his work and the topic in general.
The third series, "Fluoridation: Harmful Effects and a Paradoxical Effects," contains information on his research in water fluoridation. Most of this material is articles, many of which were written by Dr. Schatz, and newspaper clippings regarding his work and the topic of fluoridation in general.
Inventory was compiled by Mrs. Albert Schatz in 2007.
The creation of the electronic guide for this collection was made possible through generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources’ “Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives” Project.
Finding aid entered into the Archivists' Toolkit by Garrett Boos.
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Subject
- Publisher
- Temple University Libraries Special Collections Research Center
- Finding Aid Author
- Finding aid prepared by Mrs. Albert Schatz
- Finding Aid Date
- 2010.11.09
- Sponsor
- The creation of the electronic guide for this collection was made possible through generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources’ “Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives” Project. Finding aid entered into the Archivists' Toolkit by Garrett Boos.
- Access Restrictions
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This collection is open for research use.
- Use Restrictions
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Copyright restrictions may apply. Please contact the Temple University Libraries Special Collections Research Center with requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote or reproduce the material.