Clara Southmayd Ludlow
Encyclopedia
Dr. Clara Southmayd Ludlow, the first woman known to publish extensively on the taxonomy of mosquitoes and their occurrence in relation to the incidence of mosquito-borne diseases, forged a notable career in medical entomology
during a time when women were rare among the ranks of entomologists, and she did so in association with the military, where the presence of women was even more rare. Details of her life have been addressed in two publications, from which the following summary is drawn.
, in which her father served as Surgeon
of the 1st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, United States Army
.
In 1877, she enrolled in the New England Conservatory of Music
, from which she graduated in 1879. In 1880 she was enumerated by the federal census at the Monticello Female Seminary near Alton, Illinois
, her occupation listed as "Music [Teacher]." Her entry in the 1925 edition of the Biographical Cyclopedia of American Women states that "for many years she made music her profession, teaching and doing a certain amount of concert work." Her professional records, deposited at the National Museum of Health and Medicine
in Washington, D.C.
, begin with the year 1889, suggesting that at some point in the late 1880s, she began to turn to science as an avocation
or perhaps vocation.
) in Starkville, Mississippi
. She graduated from Mississippi A&M in 1900 with the degree of Bachelor of Science
in Agriculture. In 1901, she was awarded the Master of Arts
degree in Botany by Mississippi A&M, reportedly 31 years before a graduate program was formally offered by that institution. One of her preserved works is a folder of drawings of Viola species (the violets) in the Edward L. Greene Papers of the University of Notre Dame
Archives, perhaps obtained by Professor Greene when he worked in the Washington, D.C.
, area as a faculty member of the Botany Department of the Catholic University of America from 1885-1904, or in his capacity as an associate in botany at the Smithsonian Institution
from 1904-1909, either of which positions might have brought him into professional correspondence with Ludlow.
After graduation in 1901 with her Masters of Arts degree, Ludlow traveled to Manila
, Republic of the Philippines, to visit a brother who was stationed there as an artillery
officer in the United States Army
. Approximately one year later, she returned to the States with her brother, who had contracted an illness, but during her stay in Manila, she began an association with military medicine
that would endure for the rest of her life.
In 1904, she was Lecturer on mosquitoes and disease at the Army Medical Museum
in Washington, D.C.
By 1907, she was Demonstrator of Histology
and Embryology
at George Washington University
in Washington, D.C.
, where she received her Doctor of Philosophy
degree in 1908. Her doctoral dissertation was entitled "The Mosquitoes of the Philippine Islands: The Distribution of Certain Species and Their Occurrence in Relation to the Incidence of Certain Diseases". She remained on the faculty of George Washington University
, where in 1909 she was Instructor of Histology and Embryology.
From 1916 through 1920 she served as Anatomist at the Army Medical Museum, now the National Museum of Health and Medicine
, on the Walter Reed Army Medical Center
post in Washington, D.C. Her records at the museum, consisting of correspondence, notes, reports, logbooks, and other research materials, state that her research centered on identifying mosquitoes, including a project working with specimens sent in from military posts that resulted in the production of a Museum film, "Mosquito Eradication," in 1918. During 1920, she became the museum's Chief Entomologist, a position she held until her death.
, in Section 2, Grave No. 3843, beside her father. Her grave is located under a large oak below the Old Amphitheater adjacent to Arlington House. Her stone states only her name and date of death, and "daughter of Jacob" -- hardly an adequate memorial for this great lady.
scientist member of the society. She is included in a bibliography of biographies of entomologists published in 1945, but the cited obituary, published in the Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, states only that "[h]er work was mainly in connection with the disease prevention activities of the army" and does not mention her pioneering role as a public health entomologist. The failure of her peers to fully memorialize her remarkable achievements may be in some part due to her reportedly irascible personality; and as well, it may reflect the sexism of early twentieth century America.
A photograph of Ludlow was published in an issue of Mosquito Systematics dedicated to her in 1987 and three previously unknown photographs of her discovered in the George Washington University
Archives, Kayser Photographic Collection, in Washington, D.C.
were published in 2005 with the permission of the Gelman Library
, Special Collections Department/University Archives, Washington, D.C.
Medical entomology
The discipline of medical entomology, or public health entomology, and also veterinary entomology is focused upon insects and arthropods that impact human health. Veterinary entomology is included in this category, because many animal diseases can "jump species" and become a human health threat,...
during a time when women were rare among the ranks of entomologists, and she did so in association with the military, where the presence of women was even more rare. Details of her life have been addressed in two publications, from which the following summary is drawn.
Early life
Clara Southmayd Ludlow was born on December 26, 1852 at Easton, Pennsylvania, the eldest child of Jacob Rapalje and Anna Mary (Hunt) Ludlow. Her childhood was disrupted significantly by the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, in which her father served as Surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
of the 1st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
In 1877, she enrolled in the New England Conservatory of Music
New England Conservatory of Music
The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, is the oldest independent school of music in the United States.The conservatory is home each year to 750 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies along with 1400 more in its Preparatory School as well as the School of...
, from which she graduated in 1879. In 1880 she was enumerated by the federal census at the Monticello Female Seminary near Alton, Illinois
Alton, Illinois
Alton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
, her occupation listed as "Music [Teacher]." Her entry in the 1925 edition of the Biographical Cyclopedia of American Women states that "for many years she made music her profession, teaching and doing a certain amount of concert work." Her professional records, deposited at the National Museum of Health and Medicine
National Museum of Health and Medicine
The National Museum of Health and Medicine is a museum in Silver Spring, Maryland, near Washington, D.C., USA. An element of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the NMHM is a member of the National Health Sciences Consortium....
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, begin with the year 1889, suggesting that at some point in the late 1880s, she began to turn to science as an avocation
Avocation
An avocation is an activity that one engages in as a hobby outside one's main occupation. There are many examples of people whose professions were the ways that they made their livings, but for whom their activities outside of their workplaces were their true passions in life...
or perhaps vocation.
Education and career as a scientist
By 1897, she was a student at Mississippi Agricultural & Mechanical College (now Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
) in Starkville, Mississippi
Starkville, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
. She graduated from Mississippi A&M in 1900 with the degree of Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Agriculture. In 1901, she was awarded the Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in Botany by Mississippi A&M, reportedly 31 years before a graduate program was formally offered by that institution. One of her preserved works is a folder of drawings of Viola species (the violets) in the Edward L. Greene Papers of the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
Archives, perhaps obtained by Professor Greene when he worked in the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, area as a faculty member of the Botany Department of the Catholic University of America from 1885-1904, or in his capacity as an associate in botany at the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
from 1904-1909, either of which positions might have brought him into professional correspondence with Ludlow.
After graduation in 1901 with her Masters of Arts degree, Ludlow traveled to Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Republic of the Philippines, to visit a brother who was stationed there as an artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
officer in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. Approximately one year later, she returned to the States with her brother, who had contracted an illness, but during her stay in Manila, she began an association with military medicine
Military medicine
The term military medicine has a number of potential connotations. It may mean:*A medical specialty, specifically a branch of occupational medicine attending to the medical risks and needs of soldiers, sailors and other service members...
that would endure for the rest of her life.
In 1904, she was Lecturer on mosquitoes and disease at the Army Medical Museum
Army Medical Museum
Army Medical Museum:*National Museum of Health and Medicine -United States*Army Medical Museum...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
By 1907, she was Demonstrator of Histology
Histology
Histology is the study of the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues of plants and animals. It is performed by examining cells and tissues commonly by sectioning and staining; followed by examination under a light microscope or electron microscope...
and Embryology
Embryology
Embryology is a science which is about the development of an embryo from the fertilization of the ovum to the fetus stage...
at George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where she received her Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree in 1908. Her doctoral dissertation was entitled "The Mosquitoes of the Philippine Islands: The Distribution of Certain Species and Their Occurrence in Relation to the Incidence of Certain Diseases". She remained on the faculty of George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
, where in 1909 she was Instructor of Histology and Embryology.
From 1916 through 1920 she served as Anatomist at the Army Medical Museum, now the National Museum of Health and Medicine
National Museum of Health and Medicine
The National Museum of Health and Medicine is a museum in Silver Spring, Maryland, near Washington, D.C., USA. An element of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the NMHM is a member of the National Health Sciences Consortium....
, on the Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
The Walter Reed Army Medical Center was the United States Army's flagship medical center until 2011. Located on 113 acres in Washington, D.C., it served more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military...
post in Washington, D.C. Her records at the museum, consisting of correspondence, notes, reports, logbooks, and other research materials, state that her research centered on identifying mosquitoes, including a project working with specimens sent in from military posts that resulted in the production of a Museum film, "Mosquito Eradication," in 1918. During 1920, she became the museum's Chief Entomologist, a position she held until her death.
Death and interment
Ludlow died on September 28, 1924 in Washington, D.C. and is interred in Arlington National CemeteryArlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
, in Section 2, Grave No. 3843, beside her father. Her grave is located under a large oak below the Old Amphitheater adjacent to Arlington House. Her stone states only her name and date of death, and "daughter of Jacob" -- hardly an adequate memorial for this great lady.
Honors
In 1908 Ludlow was elected to active membership in the American Society of Tropical Medicine, the first woman and the first non-physicianPhysician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
scientist member of the society. She is included in a bibliography of biographies of entomologists published in 1945, but the cited obituary, published in the Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, states only that "[h]er work was mainly in connection with the disease prevention activities of the army" and does not mention her pioneering role as a public health entomologist. The failure of her peers to fully memorialize her remarkable achievements may be in some part due to her reportedly irascible personality; and as well, it may reflect the sexism of early twentieth century America.
A photograph of Ludlow was published in an issue of Mosquito Systematics dedicated to her in 1987 and three previously unknown photographs of her discovered in the George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
Archives, Kayser Photographic Collection, in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
were published in 2005 with the permission of the Gelman Library
Gelman Library
The Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library is the main library of The George Washington University, located on its Foggy Bottom campus. The Gelman Library, The Eckles Library on the Mount Vernon campus and the Virginia Science and Technology Campus Library in Ashburn comprise the trio known as the...
, Special Collections Department/University Archives, Washington, D.C.