Paul Gelmo

December 17, 1879 (age 81)

Vienna, Austria

From 1904 to 1909 Gelmo was an assistant to Wilhelm Suida at the Technische Hochschule. From 1910 to 1938 he was chief chemist for the Austrian State Printing Office. In 1929 he became lecturer, and in 1954 professor of chemistry and technology of cellulose and paper at the Technische Hochschule. Gelmo made his only noteworthy contribution to science while serving as assistant to Suida. Engaged in research with azo compounds and their usefulness as synthetic dyes, he prepared several new sulfonamides. One of his syntheses was sulfonanilamide. After his work was published in 1908, I. G. Farbenindustrie used the new compound as a constituent in azosulfonamide dyes, but no one suspected that sulfonanilamide had curative powers. In 1932 Gerhard Domagk demonstrated the effectiveness of prontosil, a dye containing a sulfonamide group, in controlling streptococcal infections, which discovery led to the development of the sulfonamides as medicinals. Gelmo’s sulfonanilamide came to be the most widely used of the sulfa drugs, and its commercial manufacture was accomplished essentially by his method.

Paul Josef Jakob Gelmo

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chemist educator writer

Background

Paul Gelmo was born on December 17, 1879, in Vienna, Austria.

Education

Gelmo attended the Technische Hochschule (now Technische Universität Wien) in Vienna from 1898, obtaining an engineering diploma in 1903 and a doctorate in 1906.

$Education period of Paul Gelmo in Technische Universit\u00E4t Wien$

Career

From 1904 to 1909 Gelmo was an assistant to Wilhelm Suida at the Technische Hochschule. From 1910 to 1938 he was chief chemist for the Austrian State Printing Office. In 1929 he became lecturer, and in 1954 professor of chemistry and technology of cellulose and paper at the Technische Hochschule.

Gelmo made his only noteworthy contribution to science while serving as assistant to Suida. Engaged in research with azo compounds and their usefulness as synthetic dyes, he prepared several new sulfonamides. One of his syntheses was sulfonanilamide. After his work was published in 1908, I. G. Farbenindustrie used the new compound as a constituent in azosulfonamide dyes, but no one suspected that sulfonanilamide had curative powers. In 1932 Gerhard Domagk demonstrated the effectiveness of prontosil, a dye containing a sulfonamide group, in controlling streptococcal infections, which discovery led to the development of the sulfonamides as medicinals. Gelmo’s sulfonanilamide came to be the most widely used of the sulfa drugs, and its commercial manufacture was accomplished essentially by his method.

Achievements

Paul Gelmo was a noted chemist of his time. He is known for preparing the sulfonanilamide, which became one of the most widely used sulfa drugs.

Connections

colleague:: Gerhard Domagk

References

Dictionary of Scientific Biography

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College/University

Gallery of Paul Gelmo

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Other Photos

Other photo of Paul Gelmo

Connections

colleague: Gerhard Domagk

Connections

Paul Josef Jakob Gelmo

Background

Education

Career

Achievements

Connections

References

Born

Died

Resting place

Nationality

Education

1898 - 1903

1903 - 1906

Career

1904 - 1909

1910 - 1938

1929 - 1954

1954 - 1961

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