Alice Hamilton

Alice Hamilton (1869 to 1970) was an American physician and research scientist who became a leading figure in occupational health and a pioneer of industrial toxicology in the United States. Born in Manhattan, she trained in medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School and later lived and worked at Hull House in Chicago from 1897 to 1919, where contact with working-class households made her aware of the dangers people met in their jobs. Her research examined occupational illness and the harmful effects of industrial metals and chemical compounds, and she led efforts to reduce lead poisoning. In 1919 she became the first woman appointed to the faculty of Harvard University. Beyond her laboratory and field work she was a social-welfare reformer, humanitarian and peace activist, and her work led to improved safety rules and regulation.