- Clodomiro Picado Twight
-
Clodomiro Picado 
Born April 17, 1887
San Marcos, NicaraguaDied May 16, 1944
San José, Costa RicaNationality Costa Rican Alma mater La Sorbonne, Paris Clodomiro Picado Twight (April 17, 1887 - May 16, 1944), also known as "Clorito Picado", was a Nicaraguan-born scientist, citizen of Costa Rica, who was recognized for his research and discoveries. He was pioneer in the researching snakes and serpent venoms; his internationally recognized achievement was the development of various anti-venom serums. He was one of the precursors of the discovery of penicillin, which he used to treat patients a couple of years before the formal discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming.[1] He wrote over 115 works, mainly books and monographs.
Contents
Biography
Early life
Picado was born on April 1887 in San Marcos in Nicaragua to his parents, Clodomiro Picado Lara and Carlota Twight Umaña, who both had Costa Rican citizenship. In 1890, Picado, at the age of 3, and his parents, moved to Cartago, Costa Rica. He attended Colegio San Luis Gonzaga, where he received his bachelor's degree in 1906. Due to his excellent qualifications he was granted a scholarship to study in France, where he later studied at the University of the Sorbonne and received his diploma in Zoology in 1909. In 1910 he returned to Costa Rica, but left shortly after to continue his studies. He received his diploma with superior studies in Botany. Picado received the academic rank of Doctor in science in 1913, that same year he was admitted to the Pasteur Institute and the Colonial Institute of Paris. In 1915 he published "Anales del Hospital de San José", a quarterly medical publication in Costa Rica.[2]
Death
In 1944, after an ailment Picado died.[3] Dr. Picado was declared "Meritorious of the Motherland" (Spanish: Benemérito de la Patria) by the Costa Rican Congress, by means of decree no. 34 of 21 of December 1943.[4]
Investigation and findings
The scientific work of Dr. Picado was prolific and very extensive; it is calculated that he wrote about 115 research papers in his lifetime, delving into nearly all aspects of his environment: soil, flora, fauna, human tissues,water, and others.[5] Among them are included books and monographs. His work covered topics of zoology, botany of bromeliads, ophidism, physiology, phytopathology, industrial microbiology, medical microbiology, and immunology.
In March 2000, doctors from the San Juan de Dios Hospital in San José, the capital of Costa Rica, published his manuscripts, in which he explains his experiences between 1915 and 1927 with the inhibiting action of fungi of the "Penicillin sp" genre in the growth of staphylococci and streptococci (bacteria that cause a series of infections). In 1927, he demonstrated the inhibitory action of the bacillus genus penicillium sp on the proliferation of the bacteria staphylococcus and streptococcus. Although, the discovery of penicillin has been attributed to Alexander Fleming, Picados' old laboratory notebooks from 1923 show records of the antibiosis of penicillium sp.[5]
For this reason he is renowned as one of the precursors of the penicillin antibiotic, discovered by the Scottish biologist and pharmacologist, Alexander Fleming, in 1928. The report with the results of the treatments performed with penicillin by Dr. Picado were published by the Biology Society of Paris in 1927.[6]
Honors and recognition
Statuette awarded to the winners of the Costa Rican National Award of Science and Technology "Clodomiro Picado Twight"
In memory of Dr. Picado's outstanding scientific work, since 1977 the Costa Rican Ministry of Science and Technology (MICIT), together with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCJD) grant annually the National Award of Science and Technology "Clodomiro Picado Twight", as stimulus and recognition for the prominent scientific and technological work of Costa Rican citizens.[7] The prize was modified in June 2000, and divided into the following two categories a year later:
- National Award of Science "Clodomiro Picado Twight"
- National Award of Technology "Clodomiro Picado Twight"
Both prizes are awarded annually. The winners become creditors of a commemorative statuette of Dr. Picado, a parchment and a prize in cash.
Picado is featured on the 2,000 colón banknote of Costa Rica.
2,000 colón banknote of Costa Rica featuring Picado's image.In 2000, Picado’s daughter-in-law, Lolita González Picado, accepted the Gold Medal awarded posthumously to Picado by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).[5]
There are several institutions and places in Costa Rica named after Picado's memory:
- Clodomiro Picado Research Institute[8] in Dulce Nombre, Coronado, San José. Established in 1970, the institute is a research unit of the Universidad de Costa Rica, responsible for the production of snake antiophidic serums and scientific research on serpents and their venoms, as well as educational and extension programs in rural areas and hospitals.
- Clodomiro Picado Twight High School (known also as I.E.T.), in Turrialba, Cartago.
- Clodomiro Picado Medical Clinic, in Cinco Esquinas, Tibás, San José.
References
- ^ La Nación Digital. "El legado de Clorito". http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/ESPECIALES/tiempo2000/figuras2.html. Retrieved 2008-02-25.
- ^ Dr. Clodomiro Picado Twight: Biografía
- ^ "Biografía del Dr. Clodomiro Picado Twigth" (in Spanish). Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología. Archived from the original on 2007-12-14. http://web.archive.org/web/20071214004559/http://www.micit.go.cr/programas/premio_biografia.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
- ^ "Clodomiro Picado Twight" (in Spanish). Asamblea Legislativa de Costa Rica. http://196.40.23.180/galeria/beneme/picado_t.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-27.[dead link]
- ^ a b c "Dr. Clodomiro Picado Twight Honored with WIPO medal" (PDF). WIPO Magazine: pp. 11. http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/pdf/2000/wipo_pub_121_2000_07-08.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
- ^ Tovar, Enrique. "El legado de Clorito" (in Spanish). Nacion. http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/ESPECIALES/tiempo2000/figuras2.html. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
- ^ "Premio Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología “Clodomiro Picado" (in Spanish) (PDF). Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología. http://www.micit.go.cr/docs/gal_lomonte.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-02.[dead link]
- ^ Instituto de Investigación Clodomiro Picado
External links
Categories:- 1887 births
- 1944 deaths
- People from Carazo Department
- Costa Rican people of Nicaraguan descent
- Costa Ricans of British descent
- Costa Rican scientists
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