| RefNo | EC/1974/02 |
| Previous numbers | Cert XIX, 113 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Boon, William Robert: certificate of election to the Royal Society |
| Description | Citation typed |
| Citation | Dr. W. R. Boon is distinguished as a pioneer in applying the skills of the dyestuffs industry to chemotherapy and crop protection. He played a major part in the first stage of the wartime antimalarial programme following the loss of quinine sources to the Japanese; in the science, technology and manufacture of penicillin; and in early work on drugs for the central nervous system, culminating in "Mysoline" for the control of epilepsy. Since about 1950 he has directed ICI's rapidly growing work on crop protection, covering acaricides, herbicides, systemic fungicides, and insecticides. The greatest success has been that of the non-persistent bipyridyl herbicides, which have set difficult problems in process chemistry and application technology, and whose study provides useful evidence on photosynthesis. By his critical, constructive and perceptive attitude to basic science leading to an early vision of potential success, he has generated and sustained the enthusiasm and continuing financial support needed to overcome the many obstacles to social and commercial acceptance. His strong connection with the academic world has included an appointment as Visiting Professor at Reading University. |
| AccessStatus | Closed |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA2123 | Boon; William Robert (1911 - 1994) | 1911 - 1994 |