Gladys Rowena Henry Dick
Personal Information
Born: 1881
Died: 1963
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: White
Education
University of Nebraska-Lincoln BS Zoology 1900; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine MD 1907; 1 yr of post-graduate work at University of Berlin
Professional Life
Field of Study: Microbiology; Medical doctor
Institution/Corporation: Children s Memorial Hospital; University of Chicago
Degrees & Memberships: Honorary Degrees: Northwestern University, University of Cinncinati (1925)
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 1933, Cameron Prize for Therapuetics, University of Edinburgh (with husband, George F. Dick); 1926, Charles Mickle Fellowship Award, University of Toronto (with George F. Dick)
Achievements: with husband, George F. Dick, identified the cause of Scarlet Fever & developed the Dick Test for susceptibility for the disease & an antitoxin & vaccine; researched childhood infectious diseases; was an advocate for polio research; 1918, founded The Cradle, the 1st profesional adoption association in the U.S. & was a member of the Board from 1918-1953; devised the Dick Antiseptic Nursery Technique to prevent cross infection among infants
1911, contracted scarlet fever while working at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago; began studying the disease after recovering
1923, she & her husband George F. Dick, discovered the cause & developed a skin test for scarlet fever
Patented the toxin & antitoxin production methods in 1924 & 1926, which produced criticism in the medical field but they argued the patents helped them maintain quality control
Was also active in polio research
Was an advocate for adoption & founded the Cradle Society in Evanston, IL
Devised the Dick Aseptic Nursing Technique to prevent cross-infection among infants with strict sterilization & aseptic procedures Held 3 patents