Charles Thom Papers

Collection

Identifier: MS0170

Staff Only

Content Description

The Charles Thom Papers cover materials from Thom's college years to biographical memoirs published after his death. The collection includes correspondence, notes, notebooks, essays, lectures, speeches, diaries, journals, and lantern slides from professional trips. There are also published items, including monographs, journal articles, and newspaper clippings. The majority of the collection focuses on soil microbiology, mycology, food spoilage, food poisoning, and penicillin.

Dates

Creation: 1891-1968

Conditions Governing Access

Contact Special Collections for access.

Biographical Sketch

Charles Thom (1872-1956) worked in various capacities for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for over 40 years. In 1904, he began working for the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, where he served as a mycologist in charge of cheese investigations until 1913. By 1927, he was head of the Division of Soil Microbiology of the Bureau of Chemistry and Soils. After his retirement, he carried out inspections for the War Food Administration. Throughout his career, Thom was involved in important research with two genera of molds, Aspergillus and Penicillium.