Alberto Barton

Infobox_Scientist
name = Alberto Barton Thompson


image_width = 100px
caption = Alberto Barton Thompson
birth_date = birth date|1870|8|12|mf=y
birth_place = Lima, Peru
death_date = death date and age|1950|10|25|1870|8|12|mf=y
death_place = Lima, Peru
residence =
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nationality = Peru
ethnicity =
field = MedicineMicrobiology
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known_for = Carrion's disease, Oroya fever, Bartonellosis, Bartonella bacilliformis
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Alberto Barton, was a Peruvian microbiologist that discovered the etiologic agent of Carrion´s disease or Oroya fever. The bacteria was named: "Bartonella bacilliformis", in honor to his name.

Youth and education

Alberto Barton Thompson was the third of nine brothers. His father was an English pharmaceutical and his mother Augusta Thompson traveled to Peru in 1870.

Alberto Barton did his primary studies in "Nuestra Señora de la O de Lima" and the high school on "Convictorio Peruano en Lima" school. He was admitted to San Marcos University and finished the medial school in 1900.

He received a grant for training in tropical diseases and bacteriology in the Tropical Medicine Institute of London and Edinburgh. He came back to Lima and was working like chief physician of medicine and laboratory section in Guadalupe Hospital. That was the place where he began his first research activities.

"Bartonella"

The discovery of "Bartonella" was made in 1905, when Barton was 33 years old of age. There was an outbreak between foreign workers that traveled to La Oroya to participate in the construction of Oroya-Lima railway. Most of the workers were transferred to Guadalupe Hospital and died victims of the rare disease characetrized by fever and severe anemia.

Fourteen patients with anemia and fever were studied by Barton. He discovered bacillus on their red blood cells. If the patients recovered of the acute phase, the bacillus changed of shape to cocoids and if the patients developed warts, the bacteria desaparied from the peripheric blood.

In October 5th 1905, during a scientific meeting, he announced his discovery.

The first manuscript was published in 1909 in the journal "Crónica Médica". In 1913, Richard Strong of Harvard University arrived to Peru with the intention to study the tropical diseases in South America. Strong confirmed Barton's discovery and named the bacteria "Bartonia" in honor of Barton; the bacterial species was subsequently named "Bartonella bacilliformis".

Barton also studied Paragonimiasis, Leishmaniasis, and Brucellosis.

Condecorations

He was condecorated with "Orden del Sol de la Nación" in Peru for his research and was elected President of tha National Academy of Medicine. Subsequently was the first Doctor Honoris Causa of San Marcos University in 1925.

He died on Octubre 25th 1950, to the age of 80 years.

References

Vizcarra Hugo. Alberto L Barton. Edit. BookXpress.2001

External links

* [http://sisbib.unmsm.edu.pe/BVrevistas/folia/Vol8_N4_dic97/bartonella.htm Alberto Barton]