Leasure Kline Darbaker

Leasure K. Darbaker (January 13, 1879, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-February 6, 1949) was a bacteriologist and Professor of Pharmacognosy and Bacteriology at the Pittsburgh College of Pharmacy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. as President of the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Pharmaceutical Association and President of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science from 1937 to 1938. Known for his work as an educator, his published books include A manual of microscopy, A manual of histological pharmacognosy and bacteriology (1921), and works on the medical uses of Western Pennsylvania plants. In his will, he established the Darbaker Prizes through the Pennsylvania Academy of Science He attended public schools in McKeesport and Emlenton, Pennsylvania. He attended university at Grove City College and Ohio Northern University, receiving a degree in pharmacy from Ohio Northern in 1900. and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD) in 1909. He did post doctorate work in England and Germany in 1909.

As a pharmacognosist Darbaker studied medical and poisonous substances derived from natural sources, particularly the plants of Western Pennsylvania, for their potential pharmaceutical use. In December 1927, Darbaker proposed the development of a medicinal plant garden which was subsequently created in Schenley Park. As of 1947, the garden became the responsibility of the Hilltop Garden Club of Pittsburgh.

Darbaker was active in a variety of scientific associations, including the American Association for Advancement of Science, American Pharmaceutical Association, American Public Health Association, American Society of Bacteriologists, American Society of Plant Physiologists, the American Microscopical Society, and the Botanical Society of Western Pennsylvania. He served as Chairman of the Plant Science Seminar (later the American Society of Pharmacognosy) in 1937; President of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science from 1937 to 1938; As President, Barbaker encouraged the expansion of the association and the recognition of pharmacy as a profession. In 1920, the Pittsburgh chapter formally stated that it was "opposed to any regulation or legislation which does not give the same full recognition to Pharmacy that is accorded to any other necessary profession or technical branch or division of the United States army."

Contributions to education In addition to early 40 years of teaching, Darbaker served as Chair of Bacteriology of the Pittsburgh College of Pharmacy. to make instruction "interesting, instructive and enjoyable". Described as an "inveterate collector", Darbaker used displays of plant and animal specimens from his own collections for classes and presentations. and in presentations to scholarly societies.

Darbaker wrote several texts and other books including A manual of microscopy (1920) and A manual of histological pharmacognosy and bacteriology (1921). Following the death of Henry Kraemer in 1924, Darbaker became a co-editor of the 1928 edition of Kraemer's Scientific and Applied Pharmacognosy, reviewed as "a credit to the American leaders in pharmacognosy".