Clara Southmayd Ludlow

Clara Southmayd Ludlow (18521924) was an American entomologist, the first woman known to publish extensively on the taxonomy of mosquitoes and their occurrence in relation to the incidence of mosquito-borne diseases. She made important contributions to the field of medical entomology and served as head of the Department of Entomology at the Army Medical Museum from 1920 until her death.

Early life Clara Southmayd Ludlow was born on December 26, 1852, in Easton, Pennsylvania, the eldest child of Jacob Rapalje and Anna Mary (Hunt) Ludlow. During the American Civil War, her father served as Surgeon of the 1st Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, United States Army, and the family briefly lived in Knoxville, Tennessee after the war. near Alton, Illinois, her occupation listed as "Music [Teacher]." According to the 1924 Biographical Cyclopedia of American Women, "for many years she made music her profession, teaching and doing a certain amount of concert work." However, she reported experiencing familial strain and depression during that period that contributed to her change in profession. During 1920, she became the museum's Chief Entomologist, a position she held until her death.