22 Facts About Almroth Wright

Sir Almroth Edward Wright was a British bacteriologist and immunologist.

Almroth Wright is notable for developing a system of anti-typhoid fever inoculation, recognizing early on that antibiotics would create resistant bacteria, and being a strong advocate for preventive medicine.

Almroth Wright was the son of Reverend Charles Henry Hamilton Wright, deacon of Middleton Tyas, who later served in Belfast, Dublin, and Liverpool and managed the Protestant Reformation Society.

Almroth Wright married Jane Georgina Wilson in 1889 and had three children.

The first, Edward Robert Mackay Almroth Wright, was born in Glebe, Sydney.

Second son Leonard Almoth Wilson Almroth Wright was born in Dublin, as was daughter Doris Helena MacNaughton Almroth Wright.

In 1902, Almroth Wright started a research department at St Mary's Hospital Medical School in London.

Almroth Wright developed a system of anti-typhoid fever inoculation and brought the humoral and cellular theories of immunity together by showing the cooperation of a substance contained in the serum with the phagocytes against pathogens.

In 1919 Almroth Wright returned to St Mary's and remained there until his retirement in 1946.

Almroth Wright was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in May 1906.

Almroth Wright warned early on that antibiotics would create resistant bacteria, something that has proven an increasing danger.

Almroth Wright made his thoughts on preventive medicine influential, stressing preventive measures.

Almroth Wright argued that microorganisms are vehicles of disease but not its cause, a theory that earned him the nickname "Almroth Wrong" from his opponents.

Almroth Wright proposed that logic be introduced as a part of medical training, but his idea was never adopted.

Almroth Wright pointed out that Pasteur and Fleming, although both excellent researchers, had not actually managed to find cures for the diseases for which they had sought cures, but instead had stumbled upon cures for totally unrelated diseases.

Almroth Wright was a strong proponent of the Ptomaine theory for the cause of Scurvy.

Almroth Wright argued that women's brains were innately different from men's and were not constituted to deal with social and public issues.

Almroth Wright's arguments were most fully expounded in his book The Unexpurgated Case Against Woman Suffrage.

Almroth Wright was a friend of his fellow-Irishman George Bernard Shaw.

Almroth Wright was immortalised as Sir Colenso Ridgeon in the play The Doctor's Dilemma written in 1906, which arose from conversations between Shaw and Wright.

Almroth Wright was knighted shortly before the play was written, and Shaw was suspicious of Almroth Wright's high reputation.

Almroth Wright was nominated 14 times for the Nobel prize from 1906 to 1925.