Oral history interview with Russell E. Marker, 1987 April 17.

  1. Resources
  2. View Resource

ArchivalResource

Oral history interview with Russell E. Marker, 1987 April 17.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/709782526

Russell Marker begins the interview by describing his childhood in a farming community in Maryland, his early schooling, and his growing interest in organic chemistry while a student at the University of Maryland. He then talks about his first jobs at the Naval Powder Factory and the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation, where he devised the octane rating system. Marker then discusses his subsequent move to the Rockefeller Institute. He elaborates on his interest in synthesizing human hormones from plants, resulting in a fellowship at Penn State and his first travels to Mexico to examine indigenous plant life. Marker then describes his laboratory work and business ventures in Mexico, including his role in forming the companies Syntex and Botanica-Mex. Marker concludes by discussing his leaving chemical research and newfound interest in silver reproduction.

Sound files ; digital, mp3 fileTranscript : (45 leaves) ; 29 cm.

Chemical Heritage Foundation, Othmer Library of Chemical History

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 8066162

Chemical Heritage Foundation, Othmer Library of Chemical History

Related Entities

There are 8 Entities related to this resource.

Chemical Heritage Foundation.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6jq5h3g (corporateBody)

Rockefeller Institute.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6hm9pnw (corporateBody)

In 1892, the physician and medical administrator Simon Flexner began research on cerebrospinal meningitis, a meningococcal disease with an untreated mortality rate between 70 and 90%. Experimenting on monkeys, Flexner developed a promising serum treatment for the disease by 1903, which he used extensively during the epidemic outbreaks of meningitis in New York City in 1904-1905 and 1907. For several years, Flexner kept his serum under his close supervision, with the result that the Rockefeller I...

Syntex Pharmaceuticals

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6rz5rf4 (corporateBody)

Sturchio, Jeffrey L. (Jeffrey Louis), 1952-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6z89mnn (person)

Pennsylvania state university

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xq0vwf (corporateBody)

The Pennsylvania Humanities Council designated the year 1985 as "The Year of the Pennsylvania Writer." The PHC funded projects in eight locations throughout the Commonwealth to gain appreciation, understanding, and recognition for past and present Pennsylvania writers. The State College/University Park location held a two-stage conference and related events by five Centre County regional organizations. From the description of The Year of the Pennsylvania writer collection, 1984-1986....

United States Naval Powder Factory

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6cz9m7w (corporateBody)

Ethyl Corporation

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6qg2phx (corporateBody)

Tredegar Iron Works, founded in 1836, produced high-quality iron products (weapons, artillery pieces, cannons, cannonballs, and shot, iron plate) during the Civil War. After the war, the company manufactured iron products for railroads and for agricultural uses. From the description of A place in history; the Tredegar Iron Works, 1989. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122608773 The Ethyl Corporation, chartered in Delaware in 1924, originated from the research effo...

Marker, Russell Earl, 1902-1995

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6hm8ttd (person)

Marker, a professor of organic chemistry, 1934-1943, at Pennsylvania State University, developed a natural source of progesterone which made possible the birth control pill. From the description of Russell Earl Marker papers, 1919-1984. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 31026229 Born in Hagerstown, Maryland on 12 March 1902. Died on 3 March 1995, Wernersville, Pennsylvania. Education: B.S., Chemistry, University of Maryland (1923), M.S., Chemistr...