Thom, Charles, 1872-1956

Charles Thom (1872-1956) worked in various capacities for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for over 40 years. In 1904, he began working for the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, where he remained as mycologist in charge of cheese investigations until 1913. By 1927 he was head of the Division of Soil Microbiology of Bureau of Chemistry and Soils. After his retirement, he carried out inspections for the War Food Administration. Throughout his career, Thom was involved in important research with two genera of mold: Aspergillus and Penicillium.

Charles Thom (1872-1956) was a mycologist and authority on the microbiology of dairy products, especially cheeses and fungi of the soil. He was the first to describe P. roqueforti and P. camemberti. He did this with the USDA Agricultural Experiment Station at Storrs, CT. During World War II he was a member of the USDA Penicillin Team in Peoria, IL which developed large scale methods, high yield penicillin production. He collaborated with Kenneth B. Raper on A Manual of the Penicillia (1949). He was Mycologist in Charge of the Microbiological Laboratory, Bureau of Chemistry (1913-1927), Head of the Division of Soil Microbiology, Bureau of Chemistry & Soils (1927-1934) and Bureau of Plant Industry (1934-1942). He was President of the Society of American Bacteriologists (1940), President of the Mycological Society of America and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He was born in Minonk, IL and educated at Lake Forest College. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Missouri. He died at Port Jefferson, NY in 1956.

Charles Thom (1872-1956) was a mycologist and authority on the microbiology of dairy products, especially cheeses and fungi of the soil. He was the first to describe P. roqueforti and P. camemberti. He did this with the USDA Agricultural Experiment Station at Storrs, CT. During World War II he was a member of the USDA Penicillin Team in Peoria, IL which developed large scale methods, high yield penicillin production. He collaborated with Kenneth B. Raper on A Manual of the Penicillia (1949). He was Mycologist in Charge of the Microbiological Laboratory, Bureau of Chemistry (1913-1927), Head of the Division of Soil Microbiology, Bureau of Chemistry & Soils (1927-1934) and Bureau of Plant Industry (1934-1942). He was President of the Society of American Bacteriologists (1940), President of the Mycological Society of America and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He was born in Minonk, IL and educated at Lake Forest College. He received his Ph. D. at the University of Missouri. He died at Port Jefferson, NY in 1956.