Carolyn L. Cannon-Alfred (born August 16, 1934 – August 29, 1987) was an American pharmacologist who established a medical clinic in South-central Los Angeles. She was an assistant professor of pharmacology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and a senior pharmacologist at Riker Laboratories. Cannon-Alfred co-authored the Medical Handbook for the Layman in 1971. [1]
Carolyn Cannon-Alfred | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 16, 1934 Tyler, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | August 29, 1987 (aged 53) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Education | University of Toledo Howard University |
| Alma mater | Georgetown University |
| Spouse | J. Tyrone Alfred |
| Children | 3 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Cardiac and autonomic pharmacology |
| Institutions | Riker Laboratories California Riverside Hospital Keck School of Medicine of USC |
| Thesis | The nature of Cocaine desensitization of Ephedrine Pressor responses (1961) |
Early life and education
editShe was born on August 16, 1934, in Tyler, Texas. She graduated from Emmett J. Scott High School in 1950. Cannon-Alfred was a member of the St. James Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. [2]
In 1954, she completed a bachelor's from the University of Toledo. Later, she earned a masters degree from Howard University in 1957. Her thesis was entitled Studies on the acute effects of cortisone, with special reference to the heart: influence of potassium, digitalis and N-Allyl-Nor-Morphine (Nalline). [3]
She was hired as an assistant pharmacologist and instructor of pharmacology at Howard University between 1957 and 1959.[4] She earned a Ph.D. in pharmacology from Georgetown University in 1961. Her dissertation was titled The nature of Cocaine desensitization of Ephedrine Pressor responses. [5]
Career
editCarolyn worked as a Senior Pharmacologist at Riker Laboratories, and in 1962 she took a research associate position at California Riverside Hospital. She received a two-year research grant from the National Heart Institute in 1964, and she moved to the Keck School of Medicine of USC as an assistant professor of pharmacology.Cannon-Alfred researched cardiac and autonomic pharmacology. [1] [4]
Together with her husband, J. Tyrone Alfred, wrote Medical Handbook for the Layman. The city council of Los Angeles honored the couple for the book and presented them with a council resolution in a 1971 ceremony held at city hall. She and her husband established a medical clinic in south-central Los Angeles, and Cannon-Alfred's wish was to buy an apartment complex in the area that could serve as living arrangements for senior citizens. [6] [7]
Personal life
editCannon-Alfred was married to J. Tyrone Alfred, with whom she had three daughters. Carolyn died on August 29, 1987 in a Los Angeles hospital after a sudden illness. [2]
Selected publications
editThe most relevant publication of her career were the Medical Handbook for the Layman co-authored with her husband, and the scientific paper product of her doctoral dissertation.
- Cannon, Carolyn; Cowan, F. F.; Koppanyi, T.; Maengwyn-Davies, G. D. (1961-10-13). "Explanation of Cocaine Desensitization of Blood Pressure Responses to Ephedrine". Science. 134 (3485): 1075–1077. doi:10.1126/science.134.3485.1075.b. PMID 13876233. S2CID 239862332.
- Alfred, J. Tyrone; Cannon-Alfred, Carolyn (1969). Medical handbook for the layman. Alfred and Alfred.
References
edit- ^ a b Sammons, Vivian Ovelton (1990). Blacks in Science and Medicine. New York: Hemisphere Publishing Corporation. p. 7. ISBN 0-89116-665-3.
- ^ a b "Obituary for Carolyn Cannon-Alfred". Tyler Morning Telegraph. Tyler, Texas. February 9, 1987. p. 8. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
- ^ Cannon, Carolyn (1957). Studies on the acute effects of cortisone, with special reference to the heart: influence of potassium, digitalis and N-Allyl-Nor-Morphine (Nalline) (M.S. thesis). Howard University.
- ^ a b Warren, Wini (1999). Black Women Scientists in the United States. Indiana University Press. pp. 25–26. ISBN 0-253-33603-1.
- ^ Cannon, Carolyn L. (1961). The nature of Cocaine desensitization of Ephedrine Pressor responses (Ph.D. thesis). Georgetown University. OCLC 51829573.
- ^ "Husband and wife medical team acclaimed for book that shows how most diseases can be prevented". Ebony. November 1971. p. 81. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
- ^ "Chamber's investment in South Central Medical Center 20 years ago pays off". Southern California Business. Vol. 40, no. 4. April 1994.