Clodomiro Picado Twight

  Born in 1887, Costa Rican Scientist Dr. Clodomiro Picado Twight, also known as Clorito Picado, was a Latin American pioneer in toxicology.

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He published some 115 research papers in his lifetime, delving into nearly all aspects of his environment: soil, flora, fauna, human tissues, water, plant pathology and others. He obtained diplomas in zoology and botany, as well as a doctorate degree from La Sorbonne in 1913. His doctoral dissertation was a series of 3 papers on Costa Rican bromeliads.

Dr. Picado’s research contributed to the development and innovation of biological sciences. In 1927 he published the results of research which demonstrated the inhibitory action of the fungal genus Penicillium sp. on the proliferation of the bacteria Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, which led to the development of penicillin. Although, the discovery of penicillin has been attributed to Alexander Fleming, Clorito's old laboratory notebooks from 1923, show records of the antibiosis of penicillium sp.

His greatest internationally recognized achievements were for his studies of venomous snakes and his contribution to the development of various antivenom serums.

Other significant scientific contributions came from his research on bacterial diseases affecting beans and those causing coffee fermentation, as well as his studies demonstrating the beneficial effects of iodine. Dr. Picado died in 1944.

In Costa Rica, he is considered as a national hero, leading to the use of his name in a research center and a scientific award.

See also

• Discovery of penicillin