The Resume

(November 19, 1887-August 12, 1955)
Born in Canton, Massachusetts
Biochemist
Isolated and crystallized the enzyme urease (1926)
Demonstrated that urease was a protein
Was first scientist to isolate an enzyme and first to provide experiment evidence that enzymes were proteins
Co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1946)
Descendant of Senator Charles Sumner

Why he might be annoying:

He originally majored in electrical engineering, but after a few weeks decided he could not handle the math.
He was married three times, divorced twice.
His first wife had been his student.
It was widely thought that enzymes could not be crystallized, so it took years for his results to be widely accepted.

Why he might not be annoying:

When he was 17, he was shot in a hunting accident and his left arm had to be amputated below the elbow.
He had been left-handed before the accident.
Despite missing an arm, he excelled at tennis (including winning the championship at Cornell University's Faculty Tennis Club), billiards and clay pigeon shooting.
He was fluent in French, German and Swedish, and taught his springer spaniel to respond to commands in both Swedish and English.
His first wife, author Cid Ricketts Sumner, was later murdered by their grandson (1970).
He said, 'A number of persons advised me that my attempt to isolate an enzyme was foolish, but this advice made me feel all the more certain that, if successful, the quest would be worthwhile.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• 20th Century Scientists
• Amputees
• Breeders [Have 5 or More Kids] (Ranked: 7)
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 59]
• Guggenheim Fellowship Grant Recipients
• I Attended Harvard
• I Died in 1955 (Ranked: 67)
• I Earned a Doctorate
• I Took a Bullet
• I Was Hot For My Student
• Male Pipe Smokers
• My Spouse Was Murdered
• Nobel Prize for Chemistry (Ranked: 1946)
• Profiles 37001-37250 (Ranked: 37236)
• Scientists
• We Died on the Same Day (Ranked: 19550812)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 7 Votes: 14.29% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 72.73% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying