James Robert Price 1912–1999

CSIRO PUBLISHING www.publish.csiro.au/journals/hras Historical Records of Australian Science, 2004, 15, 95–120

David J. Collins1, Gregory W. Simpson2, David H. Solomon3 and Thomas H. Spurling4

1Honorary Senior Research Fellow, School of Chemistry, Monash University; Senior Fellow, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Melbourne, Vic. 3052, Australia. 2Deputy Chief, CSIRO Molecular Science, Bag 10 MDC, Clayton South, Vic. 3169, Australia. Corresponding author; email: [email protected] 3Professorial Fellow, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Melbourne, Vic. 3052, Australia. 4Director, Industrial Research Institute Swinburne, Swinburne University of Technology, PO Box 218, Hawthorn, Vic. 3122, Australia.

James Robert Price (who early in life an unfortunate accident. He spent the last became known as Jerry Price) was one of years of his life, supported by Joyce, in a Australia’s leading chemists. After a distin- local nursing home where he died on guished career at the University of 8 March 1999. Adelaide and at Oxford University, where he worked with Professor Sir Robert Family Background and Early Robinson, he returned to Australia follow- Education ing the Second World War with wife Joyce James Robert Price was born on 25 March to join the then CSIR. He was to parti- 1912 at Kadina, a small town at the top of cipate in a project initiated by the Division the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. He of Plant Industry, a search for medicinal was the eldest of three children reared by drugs in the Australian ﬂora, providing Edgar James Price (1875–1937) and Mary expertise in chemical studies; in time, he Katherine Price (née Hughes, 1883–1937); developed the project into the extra- the other children were John (b. 1915) and ordinarily productive and co-operative Mary (b. 1917). Australian Phytochemical Survey. He James Robert’s paternal grandfather, became Chief of the CSIRO Division of Benjamin James Price, after spending his Organic Chemistry, then a member and early years in Kidderminster, England, eventually Chairman of the CSIRO Execu- migrated to Australia in 1857, lured not by tive. In these roles he displayed great the gold rush but by other opportunities organizational and leadership skills. These offered by the new colony of South Aus- were particularly needed during his time as tralia. At the time of his marriage to Ellen Chairman when major changes in the Mary Carruthers in 1865, Benjamin Price structure of CSIRO were proposed by the was a Commission Agent in Adelaide; government of the day. He was able to some time later they moved to Kapunda, a preserve the structural integrity and copper mining town, where their son Edgar scientiﬁc focus of CSIRO during that James Price was born in 1875. period. He made major contributions to the James Robert’s paternal grandmother, discipline of chemistry in Australia partic- Ellen Mary Carruthers, was descended ularly through his leadership and redirec- from a Scottish family that lived on the tion of the Royal Australian Chemical coast of Solway Firth, south of Annan in Institute and his belief in the need for the shire of Dumfries. Some time in the active interaction between Australian 1840s Ellen’s father John Carruthers research institutes. He enjoyed an active (1806–1887) migrated to South Australia retirement before suffering the effects of where he established himself as a wine

Figure 1. Sir Robert Price. Picture taken in 1975. James Robert Price 1912–1999 97

merchant in Adelaide. The Carruthers choice, in due course, to be known as ‘Sir family connection is doubly strong Robert’ rather than ‘Sir James’ — the because James Robert Price’s maternal name ‘Jerry’ came to be used generally grandfather, Henry Chauntrell Hughes, and, to all those on first name terms, he married Mary Catherine Carruthers, a was ‘Jerry’ for the rest of his life. cousin of Ellen Mary Carruthers.1 Upon completion of his Leaving At the time of his marriage to Mary Honours year at St Peter’s College in 1928, Hughes, Edgar Price was employed by the Jerry wanted to enrol in the Faculty of Savings Bank of South Australia in Science at the University of Adelaide. In a Adelaide; soon after that he was appointed letter dated 12 November 1984 to Dr as the first manager of the new Branch of Rupert Best, who was collecting informa- that institution at Mount Gambier, and tion for his book on the history of the subsequently as manager of the Branch at Chemistry Department of the University,3 Kadina, where his son James Robert Price Jerry recalled the circumstances of his was born. About two years later the Bank entry into the University of Adelaide and moved Edgar Price back to the manager- the nature of his work there, both as an ship at Mount Gambier, but when they undergraduate and as a graduate student. asked him to move again, he decided to Most of the following facts about Jerry’s resign in order to establish his own work, study and research at the University accounting business; this was originally a of Adelaide have been extracted from that partnership but he later operated on his letter. own. Mount Gambier remained the family’s home town and it was here that at University of Adelaide the age of about six James Robert Price Jerry had looked forward to undertaking a began his education, first at a small Church university course in science in the usual of England school run by a Miss Warren, way. However, because of the deepening and then at Umpherston College, a Pres- economic depression, Edgar Price could byterian school in Mount Gambier; not finance his son’s enrolment and the Umpherston College was essentially a added expense of his boarding away from girls’ school, but included a minority of home. Hence, at his father’s urging, Jerry boys. In 1923 James Robert was awarded a applied for a cadetship in the Chemistry Vansittart scholarship to St Peter’s College, Department of the University. He was an élite boys’ school in Adelaide. For the interviewed by Professor A.K. Macbeth4 first two years he was a boarder in the who appointed him as a cadet at the begin- preparatory part of that school. He then ning of 1929, initially on a wage of 10/- spent four years in the Senior School per week and later 25/- per week. This where he was originally a boarder, but position gave him the right to enrol in such when the economic depression hit Aus- courses as Macbeth approved, without tralia in the late 1920s Edgar Price was payment of fees. Because of their work- unable to afford the fees, and for the last load, cadets took four years rather than the year or so of his secondary education usual three to complete a BSc degree. James Robert lived with his mother’s aunt Jerry’s duties as a cadet included the Mrs Edith Helen Turner (née Carruthers) preparation of solutions required for quali- who was ‘very helpful to me but some- tative and quantitative chemical analyses thing of a dictator’.2 in the first-year practical classes, but he It was at St Peter’s College that Price also had some contact with third-year was given the nickname ‘Jerry’ but he students doing analytical work under Dr remained ‘Bob’ to his family — hence his W.T. Cooke.5 In 1931 Macbeth transferred 98 Historical Records of Australian Science, Volume 15 Number 1

him to the job of Lecture Demonstrator, quinone derivatives, but their structures which entailed preparing and carrying out remained unknown.7 Here was a challenge, the experiments demonstrated by the Pro- and one of the first projects that Macbeth fessor in lectures to the first-year students. gave to Jerry as an Honours student was to This meant that he was now located in the measure the ultraviolet absorption spectra Prince of Wales Building where he came of a number of known hydroxynaphtha- into more contact with third-year and quinones for comparison with the spectra Honours (fourth-year) students. For an of the Drosera pigments (4).8 This enabled enthusiastic undergraduate, this regular deduction of the structures of these pig- contact with research students must have ments that Macbeth named droserone and been both enlightening and stimulating. Hydroxydroserone.9 The structure of the One of the people he met in this new latter was firmly established by synthesis environment was Gordon Kingsley (Bill) by Winzor,10 a junior and previously Hughes who, after completing his BSc unproductive member of the staff whom degree in 1929, had become a Demon- Macbeth had stimulated into action. strator in the Chemistry Department, and Macbeth was further drawn into natural who in 1934 was appointed as Assistant products chemistry by the fact that Lecturer in the Chemistry Department of P.A. Berry and T.B. Swanson, two full-time the University of Sydney. They became employees of the manufacturing company life-long friends, and their close friendship A.M. Bickford and Sons,11 came to the was to have particular significance in what Chemistry Department as evening MSc became the Australian Phytochemical students with the desire to work on compo- Survey. nents of the essential oil of Eucalyptus In 1933 Jerry began his research career cneorifolia, a product of commercial inter- as an Honours student under Macbeth’s est to Bickfords. In a reflection on ‘scien- supervision. In his letter to Best, he tific pedigree’ in his letter to Best, Jerry describes in some detail the research inter- recalled: ‘I have little doubt that Macbeth’s ests of Macbeth in the 1930s, and his own preparedness to move into that field as involvement as a research student. One presented to him by Berry and Swanson interest that Macbeth brought with him was influenced by his earlier contact with from the University of Durham was the Read’. When Macbeth was a Senior theoretical attempt to explain the rates of Lecturer at the University of St Andrews, reaction of functional groups in unsatu- prior to his Readership at the University of rated, particularly aromatic, compounds Durham, the professor there was the developed by Lapworth6 in 1920 and terpene chemist John Read who, prior to called ‘induced alternate polarity’; another that, had succeeded Robert Robinson in was the application of ultraviolet absorp- the Chair of Chemistry at the University of tion spectroscopy to organic chemical Sydney. While at Sydney, both Read and problems. In Adelaide, Macbeth soon Robinson had collaborated with became actively involved in natural prod- H.G. Smith, the terpene chemist who is ucts chemistry, in part because his prede- regarded as the father of organic chemistry cessor Professor E.H. Rennie had worked in Australia. In connection with the investi- on the constituents of several Australian gations of Berry and Swanson, Macbeth plants and had isolated two novel red pig- gave Jerry the job of making and charac- ments from the tubers of the insectivorous terising the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone of plant Drosera whittakeri that grows in the the ketone (-)-4-isopropylcyclohex-2-en-1- Adelaide Hills. Rennie had suggested that one, one of the constituents of the essential these pigments were probably naphtho- oil of Eucalyptus cneorifolia. In the course James Robert Price 1912–1999 99

of this work Jerry observed that the Demonstrator in the First Year Chemistry reagent 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (which Laboratory: he escorted her to the Science had only been developed in 1931) was Ball later that year. From about mid-1934 broken down by alkali, and on his own Jerry was President of the University initiative he began studying the products. Science Association and when he left for He recalled: England in 1935 Joyce succeeded him as Macbeth, rather than suggest that this was the first female President of that body. She an unnecessary diversion from the main graduated BSc (Hons, first class) in botany objective, encouraged me to pursue this in 1936 and then worked at the Waite study and further, when one of the products Agricultural Research Institute in of the reaction was established as a 1,2,3- benztriazole [sic; 1-hydroxy-5-nitro-1H Adelaide, doing research that gained her 1,2,3-benzotriazole (2)], he suggested an the degree of MSc in 1939, just before she ultraviolet spectroscopic study of 1,2,3- set out for England to join Jerry. benztriazoles, which was carried out. Jerry’s ‘apprenticeship’ in research at Jerry graduated BSc (Hons, first class) the University of Adelaide was very suc- in December 1934, and MSc in July 1935 cessful, and set the course of his career: with a thesis entitled ‘Properties of Nitro- ‘my future career was the result of Mac- phenylhydrazines and Absorption Spectra beth’s interest in natural product chemis- of Dimethyl-cyclohexanediones and 1:2:3- try’. On 5 September 1935 he boarded the Benzotriazoles’. He was very industrious Blue Funnel Line steamer ‘Nestor’ with a and efficient — he was a co-author of four free passage to England, a privilege then papers (1–4) published in the Journal of accorded to 1851 Exhibition and Rhodes the Chemical Society (London) in 1934/35, Scholarship holders by the Blue Funnel all of them having been received by the Line. Editor between April and December 1934. He was co-author of three more papers Oxford, the John Innes Horticultural (5–7) with Macbeth between 1935 and Institution, and War 1937. Jerry had high praise for his former For two years Jerry lived at Magdalen supervisor: ‘Macbeth was a very good College, Oxford while working at the research supervisor — he presented Dyson Perrins Chemical Laboratory. His research problems to those moving into supervisor, Professor Sir Robert Robinson, research, he encouraged them to ‘do their was pre-eminent in the chemistry and bio- own thing’ but he also kept a light rein on genesis of plant natural products, and also their movements’. The regard was obvi- in the synthesis of natural products.12 One ously mutual — Jerry’s initiative, skill and of Robinson’s interests at that time was the industry were rewarded. In 1935, follow- chemistry of plant pigments, including ing Macbeth’s strong recommendation, anthocyanins and their aglycones, the Jerry was one of two Australians awarded anthocyanidins. Jerry worked on the an 1851 Exhibition Science Research anthocyanidins in Bougainvillaea glabra Scholarship for that year. He accepted this and graduated DPhil in 1937 with a thesis to work as a DPhil student under Professor entitled ‘Colouring Matter of Bougain- Sir Robert Robinson at Oxford. villaea glabra’. In 1933, his Honours year, Jerry met his Upon completion of the work for his wife-to-be, Joyce Ethel Brooke, daughter DPhil at Oxford, and with Robinson’s of Roy Brooke and Myrtle Victoria Brooke recommendation, Jerry was appointed as (née Lackington). Joyce was in her first Head of the Chemistry Section at the John year as a science undergraduate at the Innes Horticultural Institution at Merton University of Adelaide, and Jerry was her Park in South West London, near 100 Historical Records of Australian Science, Volume 15 Number 1

Wimbledon. Sir Robert Robinson had a help with the additional expense. Joyce close association with the Institution and journeyed by train from Adelaide to collaborative research continued with Sydney via Melbourne to catch the Price’s appointment there. At the time of Sunderland flying boat that left from Rose his appointment Jerry was the only Bay, Sydney. The flight from Sydney to 1 chemist on the staff — his colleagues were Poole in England usually took 10 /2 days. all eminent geneticists, and all of them Joyce’s flight made overnight stops at were Fellows of the Royal Society. Darwin, Sourabaya, Singapore, Rangoon, The research carried out by Jerry at the Calcutta, Karachi, Basra, Athens, Corfu (a John Innes Horticultural Institution was on replacement for the scheduled stop at plant pigments — mainly on isolating the Naples due to bad weather over the anthocyanins and investigating their role in Appenines) and Marseilles; bad weather the genetic variation of flower colour. over the English Channel caused another Some of this work was done in collabora- stop-over at St Nazaire before the flying 1 tion with Sir Robert Robinson: of eleven boat reached Poole, 11 /2 days after papers Jerry published from the John Innes leaving Sydney! Horticultural Institution (12–22), six were Jerry met Joyce at Poole after a separa- jointly with Robinson. The collaborative tion of five years and they made plans to research included the identity of the yellow get married as soon as possible. On pigment of Dahlia variabilis, undertaken Tuesday 19 March 1940 they arrived in to facilitate a study of the inheritance of London and proceeded to Wimbledon, flower colour in Dahlia species; also, a where Jerry was living because of its prox- study of the yellow Papaver nudicaule imity to the Horticultural Institution at (Iceland poppy) from which was isolated a Merton Park. Temporary accommodation nitrogenous diglucoside. Another collabo- was arranged for Joyce nearby, and the rative study was on the orange-red pigment Vicar of Wimbledon married them on dunnione from Streptocarpus dunnii; Easter Saturday, 23 March 1940. In the dunnione was shown to be a furano-1,2- rushed wartime wedding, away from naphthoquinone — at that time a new class home, there were no relatives present: the of natural product. only attendants were Bill Hughes and his In 1939 Jerry was awarded a Rocke- wife Jean, and Jerry’s former landlady Mrs feller Scholarship, and with this he Lacey. Hughes had recently arrived in planned to go to the USA, after travelling England to spend a year at Oxford with first to Australia so that he and Joyce Robinson. Joyce recalls that it was joked at Brooke could get married. The outbreak of the time that Bill Hughes was the best man the Second World War in September 1939, and also gave her away, Jean Hughes was however, enforced drastic changes, both the congregation, and Mrs Lacey wore professional and personal. Because of the black and wept because Joyce could not war, Rockefeller (Travelling) Scholarships have any family present. The wedding were cancelled, and Jerry decided to stay in breakfast was a pie in Lyons Corner the United Kingdom to help in whatever House! They had a two-week walking professional wartime service might be honeymoon in the country near Oxford, required. He asked Joyce to come to Eng- and on one evening were entertained to tea land. This was no easy matter, since much by Sir Robert and Lady Robinson. commercial shipping was being sunk by Back at Wimbledon, the newly wed the German air and naval forces. Mrs couple rented a flat on the top of a two- Brooke insisted that her daughter Joyce storey building near the railway line. This should fly, and gave financial assistance to location was far from ideal — on moonlit James Robert Price 1912–1999 101

nights the Germans bombed along railway there was a Mr Lumsden, father of Harry lines. Rather than go to the huge air raid C. Lumsden whom Jerry had met in his shelters, Jerry and Joyce slept in their flat, first year at Oxford. At that time Harry had fully dressed, under a solid dining room taken Jerry to his home in Scotland for a table bought for £2. holiday, so arising from this happy coinci- While awaiting professional assign- dence the Lumsdens became, as Lady ment in war service, Jerry served in the Price recalls, ‘our family in Scotland’. Home Guard (‘Dad’s Army’) and Joyce After leaving Ardeer, Jerry became worked in first aid stations. In September Chemist-in-Charge at the Powfoot Out- 1941 Jerry was directed into the Chemical station, and later was in charge of the Inspection Department, Ministry of Dumfries area.13 He and Joyce lived close Supply, to supervise work in a group of by in the Royal Borough of Annan, and five ICI factories in southwest Scotland in later in the rural area of Glen Stuart, both the manufacture of explosives and muni- places only a bicycle ride from Powfoot. tions. Initially they had six months in Life there was much safer than in fre- Ardrossan while Jerry familiarized quently-bombed Wimbledon. Jerry super- himself with the production of munitions vised work on propellants and explosives, at Ardeer, the central ICI factory for the but no details are available as he left no manufacture of explosives. The manager written records of this period of his career.

Figure 2. Wedding photo taken in the untidy back yard (barbed wire entanglement for war-time security) of the house in Wimbledon rented by Jerry Price, ‘Horry’ Barber, and Perc Thomas, all from the John Innes Horticultural Institution. Left to right: G.K. (Bill) Hughes, Jerry Price, Joyce Price, Jean Hughes. After the War ‘Horry’ Barber came to Australia through his association with Jerry, initially to a position at the University of Sydney; he later became Professor of Botany at the University of Tasmania. 102 Historical Records of Australian Science, Volume 15 Number 1

During the Second World War Australia paper on what became known as the Aus- had to become self-sufficient in the supply tralian Phytochemical Survey (72). The of certain drugs. One of these was the anti- key points may be summarized as follows: seasickness drug hyoscine, very important CSIR’s first involvement in Australia’s for naval operations. In late 1940, through efforts to become self-sufficient in some the enterprise of Russell (later Sir Russell) key drugs during the Second World War Grimwade and his company Felton was in mid-1940. Dr C. Barnard, Chief of Grimwade and Duerdins, a part of Drug the CSIR Division of Plant Industry, Houses of Australia, seven ounces of organized extensive field cultivation of hyoscine were quickly extracted from some exotic drug plants: extraction of 108 pounds of leaves of the Australian alkaloids and other active constituents native tree Duboisia myoporoides picked from these plants was carried out by Dr near Grafton, New South Wales. Produc- H. Finnemore, Head of the Department of tion was soon scaled up and hyoscine was Pharmacy, University of Sydney. His produced during the war in quantities suffi- limited resources meant that he was unable cient to supply British and American as to cope with the ballooning demand and well as Australian needs.14 At the same early in 1941 Professor R.D. (later time, CSIR became involved in a search Sir Douglas) Wright of the Department of for other drugs from Australian plants and Physiology, University of Melbourne, in 1945, in anticipation of the end of the became involved. In his department some war, CSIR advertised a position of native Australian plants that were regarded Research Officer for an organic chemist to as potentially interesting were extracted, work in the then Division of Industrial and bioassays carried out by the pharma- Chemistry on a survey of Australian native cologist Dr F.H. Shaw and his colleagues. plants for sources of potentially useful A very important development was alkaloids. Jerry Price was the successful Barnard’s appointment in June 1944 of Dr applicant, and he and Joyce embarked on L.J. Webb as a ‘peripatetic botanist’ to the first civilian passenger ship to make the boost the rate of collection of native plant trip between England and Australia since species for chemical examination. Webb’s the war began; by coincidence, this was the intimate knowledge of the flora of Queens- ‘Nestor’, the ship on which Jerry had land and his keen interest in poisonous travelled to England in 1935. They plants and bush medicines,16 together with embarked at Liverpool in early July 1945 his great drive and enthusiasm for the with their two children born in Scotland — project, led him to provide important Margaret Ann (b. March 1944) and Donald stimulation in communications with Carruthers (b. May 1945). They arrived in Jerry’s CSIR(O) group and collaborators Melbourne in the first week of September, from the Chemistry Departments of ten years to the day since Jerry had left, several Universities.17 having heard of the Japanese surrender Soon after Webb’s appointment it during the voyage. Their third child, Janet became apparent that there was a need Elizabeth, was born in Melbourne in within CSIR for an organic chemist who October 1946.15 could give undivided attention to the isolation and characterization of alkaloids and CSIR/CSIRO other secondary metabolites, and who The circumstances leading to the appoint- could determine the structures of previ- ment of Jerry Price as a Research Officer ously unknown compounds that were iso- in the CSIR Division of Industrial Chemis- lated. In September 1944, Barnard gained try have been described in some detail in a the enthusiastic support of Dr I.W. (later James Robert Price 1912–1999 103

Sir Ian) Wark, Chief of the CSIR Division quantities of leaf, bark and wood of several of Industrial Chemistry, for the appoint- selected species of rainforest trees belong- ment of a Research Officer for the Organic ing to the plant family Rutaceae for extrac- Chemistry Section of the Division. The tion and detailed chemical examination. position advertised was ‘for work on alka- He very quickly impressed Dr Wark, loids from Australian native plants and who wrote, as part of a reclassification trees’. The successful applicant, Jerry case on 18 February 1946: Price, was eminently qualified for the posi- Price is an excellent organic chemist and tion; 16 of his 21 pre-1945 research publi- within a few weeks of his arrival in Mel- cations were on the chemistry of plant bourne was already obtaining results of extractives. importance in the alkaloid project. An 1851 Scholar, Price has a fine personality, is It is of interest to note that, while Jerry enthusiastic, and is a skilled experimental- included a testimonial from Sir Robert ist. He is quite capable of taking over the Robinson in his letter of application, Guy whole responsibility for the chemical side Gresford, the Australian Scientific of the alkaloid investigation now being carried on in conjunction with the Division of Research Liaison Officer in London, still Plant Industry and the Physiology Depart- wrote directly to Sir Robert for a reference. ment of the University of Melbourne. It is Sir Robert’s reply18 was succinct: recommended that he be reclassified as Senior Research Officer on 1/1/47, with a Dear Gresford salary of £650 p.a., which is little enough In connexion with the appointment to the for a man of his attainments who is almost staff of C.S.I.R. I can strongly support 34 years of age. J.R. Price who is an applicant. It was already apparent to Jerry that to The Minister in Charge of Scientific make significant impact in carrying out and Industrial Research, J.J. Dedman, thorough chemical studies on the large approved Jerry’s appointment to CSIR on body of Australian flora already known to 15 March 1945 and he commenced duty on give alkaloid-positive tests, many research 24 September 1945. chemists would be needed. He therefore Jerry’s initial scientific objectives were: sought help from staff in the Chemistry to discover new sources of alkaloids departments of the Australian universities. already of value for medicinal purposes or This was a remarkable achievement in as insecticides; to discover new alkaloids university/CSIR(O) co-operation, brought which may replace or supplement those about with a minimum of bureaucratic already in use, and; to work out satis- involvement. Probably one of the first uni- factory methods of isolating and purifying versity chemists whom he contacted was the alkaloids found and to increase our his good friend Bill Hughes at the Chemis- systematic knowledge of the nature and try Department, University of Sydney. For chemistry of the alkaloids elaborated by some years, Hughes and his colleague plants.19 Ern Ritchie (later Professor) had been By the time Jerry arrived in Melbourne studying anthocyanin pigments in Austra- in 1945, Len Webb’s screening tests (some lian plants: they now enthusiastically took on freshly collected leaves and bark and up the study of alkaloid-containing plants some on herbarium specimens) had and many research students working for already identified a large number of BSc Honours and MSc degrees cut their alkaloid-containing plants. In October research teeth on the isolation and struc- 1945, one month after taking up his posi- ture-determination of alkaloids. The other tion in CSIR, Jerry joined Webb at Innis- university chemist who collaborated with fail, North Queensland, to collect bulk Jerry from the very beginning was 104 Historical Records of Australian Science, Volume 15 Number 1

F.N. (Norm) Lahey, a senior lecturer in the after having completed his BSc (Hons) Chemistry Department of the University of degree at the University of Sydney with Melbourne for the period 1943–194920 Hughes, who initiated him into the tech- before he took up a Research Professor- niques of isolation and characterization of ship in Organic Chemistry at the Univer- alkaloids.24 sity of Queensland.21 Jerry’s collaboration The three rainforest tree species that with Lahey was facilitated and perhaps featured in the 1948 note to Nature by stimulated by the fact that the CSIR chem- Hughes, Lahey, Price and Webb gave the istry laboratories at Fishermans Bend were alkaloid survey a flying start. In addition to yet to be completed22 and Price was the five papers by Price and Crow on Mel- provided with laboratory space and facili- icope (now Medicosma) fareana, Lahey ties in the Chemistry Department of the and his co-workers published four papers University of Melbourne through the on the alkaloids of Acronychia baueri cooperation and generosity of Professor (now Sarcomelicope simplicifolia) in E.J. Hartung. Although parts of the Fisher- 1949–1950;25 and from 1949 to 1952 mans Bend laboratories were completed Hughes and Ritchie and their collaborators and occupied much earlier, it was 1954 published four papers on the alkaloids of before Jerry and his group of phyto- Evodia (now Euodia) xanthoxyloides. 26 At chemists could move there. the same time a number of other alkaloid- Three of the six tree species collected containing species were being examined by by Price and Webb from the rainforest near Jerry and his co-workers and by Hughes Innisfail were Melicope (now Medicosma) and Ritchie and their research students at fareana, Evodia (now Euodia) xantho- the University of Sydney. The programme xyloides and Acronychia baueri (now of chemical studies that Jerry initiated in Sarcomelicope simplicifolia): the detailed 1945 had rapidly gathered momentum. study of the constituent alkaloids of these After the early work on Melicope fareana, three species was undertaken respectively the Price CSIR(O)27 group examined many by Price, Hughes and Lahey. All three other alkaloid-containing species while still species proved to be very rich in alkaloids, working in their temporary accommodation some of which were common to all three of at the University of Melbourne; those that the above Rutaceous plants. In 1948 featured in publications included Glycos- Hughes, Lahey, Price and Webb published mis pentaphylla, Pentaceras australis (now a note in Nature entitled ‘Alkaloids of the australe), Gyrocarpus americanus, Medi- Australian Rutaceae’ (23). This first com- cosma cunninghamii, Heliotropium euro- munication heralded what became a very paeum; and Flindersia bourjotiana in large and very successful survey of Aus- collaboration with Hughes, Ritchie and tralian plants for alkaloids and other con- Cannon28 at the University of Sydney. stituents of chemical and/or biological In 1946 the Chemistry Department of interest. The full details of Jerry’s work on the University of Melbourne had a large Melicope fareana were set out in a series increase in the numbers of students doing of papers in the Australian Journal of organic chemistry in the second year and it Scientific Research (24–27).23 Parts II and became necessary to divide the class: Pro- V of this series were in collaboration with fessor Hartung obtained permission to W.D. (Bill) Crow and Part III was by Crow appoint Jerry Price as a temporary part- alone. Crow was the first organic chemist time lecturer to give one lecture per week appointed by CSIR to assist Jerry; he for the whole academic year; he was paid joined him in the laboratory at the Univer- an honorarium of £100.29 There were 200 sity of Melbourne at the beginning of 1947 students and the class was divided, Lahey James Robert Price 1912–1999 105

taking one group and Jerry the other. This was a consequence of Jerry’s 1946 was a convenient arrangement with Jerry appointment as temporary part-time lec- working in the Chemistry Department turer and his physical location in the laboratories: it appears to have been opera- Chemistry Department. The CSIR records tive only for the year 1946, but when show that Jerry was granted permission by Lahey moved to his new position at the CSIR to deliver a series of 25 lectures on University of Queensland in late 1949, Organic Chemistry to second-year students Jerry became co-supervisor of some of his in 1946 but they do not indicate that he was research students. One of these was appointed as a temporary part-time Eva R. Klein (later Mrs Nelson); in her lecturer. In 1947 Jerry was invited by PhD thesis she acknowledged that ‘Part I Professor Trikojus to deliver three lectures of this work was carried out under the on plant pigments to advanced students of direction of Dr J.R. Price and Part II under the Biochemistry Department, University the direction of Dr F.N. Lahey.30 Part I of of Melbourne. These are the only refer- her thesis was ‘An Investigation of the ences to his involvement with the Univer- Sulfur-Containing Alkaloid from the bark sity in the CSIR(O) files. of Pentaceras australis Hook F.’ This The next organic chemist to join Jerry’s project yielded three papers published in alkaloid group after Crow (1947) was 1952 (31–33). Another PhD student super- L.J. Drummond (1948); then followed vised jointly by Price and Lahey was Dr N.V. (Noel) Riggs (1949) and John A. Lamberton, who stated in his Dr C.C.J. (Claude) Culvenor (1950). Acknowledgments that ‘This work was Culvenor replaced Drummond who moved carried out under the supervision of to the Defence Laboratories, Salisbury, Dr J.R. Price and, in part, Dr F.N. Lahey’. South Australia. Like John Lamberton, Lamberton worked on the alkaloids from Claude Culvenor remained with CSIRO, Acronychia baueri and Medicosma going on to make a major contribution in cunninghammii31 (28). After a post- the study of alkaloids, particularly those in doctoral year overseas, Lamberton was plants poisonous to farm animals; in 1971 employed in 1951 by the CSIRO Division he moved to the CSIRO Division of of Industrial Chemistry, to work under Animal Health where this work continued. Dr Harold Hatt on plant waxes. In due In 1951 Riggs took the Chair of Organic course Jerry replaced Hatt as the leader of Chemistry at the University of New the Organic Chemistry Section. John England and was replaced in the group by Lamberton joined the phytochemical Dr Emery Gellert. All these chemists group in 1965 and became a major contrib- worked together with Jerry in the labora- utor to the expanding alkaloid program.32 tory space provided by Professor Hartung An MSc student who was supervised by in the Chemistry Department of the Uni- Jerry was H.P. Haynes who worked on the versity of Melbourne, until they moved to alkaloids of Pentaceras australis.33 the Fishermans Bend laboratories in 1954. A search of the University of Mel- In 1952 Jerry, now a Principal Research bourne staff files for the Chemistry Officer, gave the Liversidge Research Department34 failed to reveal any corre- Lecture at the 29th Meeting of ANZAAS, spondence with Professor Hartung formal- held at the University of Sydney (38). In izing Jerry’s supervision of research this lecture he summarized the alkaloid students: the involvement of non-univer- work being carried out by the CSIRO and sity personnel in such a role appears to university chemists, but he also described have been less regulated than it is now. other phytochemical studies being pursued Perhaps the apparent lack of formalization in Australian universities. 106 Historical Records of Australian Science, Volume 15 Number 1

In his introduction he referred to the symposium on the Chemistry of Natural early pioneering work on essential oils that Products in Australia in 1960. The invita- had: tion to IUPAC was made in 1958 by Dr dominated Australian plant chemistry for A.L.G. Rees, CSIRO Division of Industrial the past fifty years. One result of this domi- Chemistry, through the Australian nation is a fine record of achievement in Academy of Science. With Rees as Chair- terpene chemistry, but another, inevitably, man of the Organizing Committee, Jerry is that remarkably little has been accom- plished with other classes of plant products. responsible for the scientific programme However, this situation is gradually chang- and Sir Alexander (later Lord) Todd, Nobel ing today — plant chemistry in Australia Laureate, as President, the symposium was rests on a broader basis than at any time in highly successful. Sessions were held suc- the past. In addition to essential oils, cellu- cessively in Melbourne, Canberra and lose, lignin, tannins, waxes, colouring matters, triterpenes, steroids, alkaloids, Sydney (72, p. 347). Many eminent coumarins, cyclitols and lignanes are being organic chemists from overseas partici- actively investigated. It is my intention to pated, but particularly significant for Jerry give you some idea of the kind of work was the presence of Sir Robert Robinson, being done and where it is leading. who had retired from the Wayneflete Chair Jerry played a key role in a conference of Chemistry at Oxford in 1955 but was held at the University of Melbourne in still very actively involved in chemical February 1947 on ‘Research into the research.35 This symposium put Australian Pharmacological and Other Chemical chemistry, particularly the Phytochemical Constituents of Native Plants’. Six more Survey, firmly on the international stage. such conferences were held (Melbourne, Nine years later Jerry was chairman of the January 1949; Sydney, May 1951; Mel- organizing committee for two IUPAC con- bourne, August 1955; Adelaide, August ferences that were held at the University of 1958; Sydney, August 1962; and Mel- Sydney in August 1969. These conferences bourne, August 1965). attracted considerable media interest. Jerry was awarded the DSc from the A.L.G. Rees was at that time the President University of Adelaide in 1954 and was of IUPAC. elected a Fellow of the Australian Jerry was promoted through the CSIRO Academy of Science in 1959. Jerry was research officer ranks until in March 1960 subsequently active on Academy business. the then Officer-in-Charge of the Organic He was a member of the National Commit- Chemistry Section, Dr Harold H. Hatt, tee for Chemistry from 1960 until 1966 informed the CSIRO Executive that he and then Chairman of that committee wished to resign from that position in order 1969. From 1962 to 1968 he was a member to devote his time to research. Hatt of the Sectional Committee for Chemistry assumed the role of Head of the Sugar and Applied Chemistry (Chairman Research Group located at the University 1965–1966); a member of the Editorial of Melbourne. Dr Wark recommended that Board of Records of the Australian Jerry be appointed to the vacant position. Academy of Science 1965–1970; Chairman He wrote: of the Publications Committee 1966–1970; It is unnecessary to advertise this position. and in 1969 a member of the Science and Throughout the world it would be regarded Industry Forum. as certain that Dr Price would be offered it, Of great significance for Jerry and for and there is no prospect whatever of finding anybody more suitable for it. The Executive Australian phytochemistry was the deci- is well aware of Dr Price’s standing as an sion of the International Union of Pure and organic chemist, of his ability as an admin- Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) to hold a istrator and of the originality he has brought James Robert Price 1912–1999 107

to bear with respect to the work of his group (largely pyrrolizidine alkaloids), the phyto- in the Organic Chemistry Section. I have no chemical survey of Australian plants, the hesitation in stating that he has the capacity chemistry of root exudates and the search to lead a larger group with distinction. for new uses for sugar. An important com- CSIRO’s Chemical Research 36 ponent of the work of the Division, and the Laboratories operated under the follow- Section before it, was done by the Micro- ing terms of reference: to promote techni- analytical Unit, which provided a service to cal efficiency in established industries; to Australian universities and companies. stimulate the establishment of new indus- Jerry often referred to the importance of the tries; to encourage the use of raw materials services that the Division offered to other of Australian origin; to seek substitutes for organizations and of the interaction imported materials; to find uses for by- between all participants in Australian products not utilized; and to study national chemistry. The projects that had been problems to which its officers could con- referred to above had been in place with tribute by virtue of their experience in little change since 1951, apparently repre- 37 other fields. senting the continued work of the individ- These terms of reference are quite ual scientists. That is, it appears that broad but the Annual Reports from that scientists with particular research interests period indicate that individual scientists were appointed and that it was this research were given considerable freedom to interest that dictated the choice of project, develop separate projects within the rather than projects being actively changed overall strategy. to reflect changes in strategic intent. The Organic Chemistry Section was In his first Report as Chief, Jerry main- raised to Divisional status on 14 March tained that research in organic chemistry 1961. Jerry was appointed as the first Chief fell broadly into three categories: the of the new Division in which there were investigation of natural products that sixteen Research Officers supported by ten provided much of the background infor- 38 Experimental Officers. The Division was mation for the science, synthetic organic thus only a fraction of the size of current chemistry that was responsible for the tre- CSIRO Divisions that now comprise mendous output of the organic chemical 200–600 people. The five Divisions at industries, and physical organic chemistry. Fishermans Bend were part of the Chemi- He stated that it was the first two of these cal Research Laboratories and until 1960 that directly related to the utilization of the the Divisional reports were consolidated country’s natural resources and to other into the Annual Reports of the Chemical national problems on which organic chem- Research Laboratories. From 1961 sepa- istry impinges, hence it was in those areas rate introductory material was presented that emphasis was placed in planning the for each Division39 and that from the Divi- Division’s research. He indicated that sion of Organic Chemistry provides some much of the previous work in the Section insight into Jerry’s views on the purpose of had favoured natural products and that the Division and how these influenced while this would continue he had initiated project selection. a reorientation that would broaden the syn- In 196040 projects were underway in the thetic activities of the Division. The prin- study of the chemistry of wool wax, sugar- cipal feature of the new programme was cane wax, long chain organic compounds the investigation of organic compounds of (looking at insecticides and naturally occur- the metals of which Australia has large ring acetylenic compounds), brown coal tar reserves, particularly aluminium, gold, constituents, the chemistry of stock poisons zirconium, tungsten and titanium, with the 108 Historical Records of Australian Science, Volume 15 Number 1

objective of finding new uses for these crustacean moulting hormones. At this metals. A second project closely integrated time the impact of instrumental methods of with the study of organometallic com- chemical analysis was being felt and there pounds was the study of organophosphorus was a corresponding decline in the reliance chemistry. on microanalytical methods, coupled with In the 1962–63 Report41 Jerry reported a large decrease in the time required to on the expansion of the Phytochemical determine chemical structures. The nature Survey and the stock poison work. He of organic chemistry had changed signifi- again noted the importance of collaboration cantly away from bench chemical towards and reported that the Division was working spectroscopic techniques and this was with the CSIRO Division of Animal Health, reflected in the acquisition by the Division the Western Australian Department of of crystallographic, mass spectroscopic, Agriculture, the Queensland Department of NMR, and other major instrumentation. In Agriculture and Stock, the Victorian Lands the original establishment of the Division and Survey Department, Smith Kline and of Industrial Chemistry the spectroscopic French Laboratories, the Cancer Chemo- work and the then relatively rare ultraviolet therapy National Service Centre, the US and infrared spectrophotometers were allo- National Institutes of Health, the Popula- cated to the Chemical Physics Section tion Council, the Queensland Department (later Division). By the mid-1960s it was of Forests, the National Herbarium, the clear that such expertise needed to be University of Sydney Department of Agri- closely integrated with the organic chem- cultural Microbiology, the University of ists and Jerry recognised that scientists Tasmania Department of Botany and specializing in the application of the Imperial Chemical Industries of Australia spectroscopic techniques were needed, and New Zealand. rather than scientists concentrating on 42 The 1963–64 Report continues with a designing and developing new instruments. similar theme, again highlighting the Jerry was promoted to Chief Grade III service the Division provided to Australian on 1 July 1963 and wrote to the Chairman chemistry. of CSIRO, Sir Frederick White, in charac- The divisional projects that were under- teristic style: way when Jerry’s term as Chief concluded Dear Sir Frederick (at which time the Division of Organic Chemistry was merged with the Division I thank you very much indeed for your letter of 23rd July informing me of my reclassifi- of Physical Chemistry to form the Division cation to Chief Grade III. I appreciate this of Applied Chemistry) illustrated how his very much indeed though I must confess I views of the relevance of organic chemistry don’t think it was warranted! to Australia’s development had affected the Royal Australian Chemical Institute Division’s work. He had terminated the (RACI) work on the various waxes but had strengthened other areas. The projects Jerry felt strongly about the importance of reported in the 1964–65 Report43 were professional relations between chemists in synthetic organic chemistry aiming at the Australia, seeing effective interactions as synthesis of new products of commercial critical to the success of the discipline. He value, organometallic chemistry, phyto- was President of the Victorian Branch of chemical investigations, toxic plant investi- the RACI in 1959 and Federal President gations and the recently introduced project from 1962 to 1964. He was Associate on arthropod chemistry, principally con- Editor of Institute publications sidering the chemistry of insect and (1949–1953), a member of the Editorial James Robert Price 1912–1999 109

Board (1954–1955) and Editor of both regional loyalties and interests with scien- Proceedings of the Royal Australian Chem- tific and technological activities. ical Institute and Reviews of Pure and As mentioned above, Jerry was Presi- Applied Chemistry (1956–1958) dent of the Institute for an unprecedented Jerry was keen to promote the publi- two years from November 1962 to Novem- cation of Australian chemistry in the Aus- ber 1964. When elected President he was tralian Journal of Chemistry and to boost already Chief of the Division of Organic the image of the journal overseas. Jerry Chemistry and in that position was on an noticed that Australian publications overseas visit to: IUPAC Symposium on appeared in Chemical Abstracts only after Pharmaceutical Chemistry in Florence considerable delay. Enquiry revealed that (Italy); Dr J.S. Anderson, National Chemi- Chemical Abstracts at that time preferred cal Laboratory; Chemistry School, Cam- to have abstracting done in the country of bridge University; ICI Pharmaceuticals publication, and that for Australia, this was Division, Research Laboratories; Depart- in the hands of a person at CSIRO Head ment of Chemistry, University of Man- Office. To the abstractor’s relief, Jerry chester; Boots Ltd, Research Department; offered to take it over, arranging a group of Department of Chemistry, University of people to help. Claude Culvenor, who had Nottingham; National Institute for Medical abstracted for British Abstracts, took this Research, Mill Hill; Smith, Kline and role for a period. French Laboratories, Welwyn; School of To understand the abstracting load, it Pharmacy, University of London (UK); must be remembered that in the 1950s and International Symposium on Chemical before, Chemical Abstracts wanted every Plant Taxonomy (France); Professor Kjaer, chemical detail recorded in the abstract so Copenhagen University (Denmark); Stock- that work was repeatable from the abstract. holm University, Professors Erdtman and In organic chemistry each abstract Sandberg, Professor Sorenson, Trondheim required close reading and could be quite University (Sweden); Division of Pure lengthy. By the late 1950s Chemical Chemistry, National Research Council, Abstracts recognised that this was too Ottawa (Canada); Dr Warren Nelson, ambitious (also too costly, for publication Population Council, New York; National and to purchasers) and abstracts began to Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; be merely a summary of what was done. Smith, Kline and French Laboratories, From then on, abstracting was done ‘in- Philadelphia; Department of Chemistry, house’ at Chemical Abstracts.44 UCLA, Los Angeles; Department of In an article published in Proceedings Chemistry, University of Hawaii (USA). of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute He left Melbourne on 13 September and in September 1967 entitled ‘The Organiza- returned on 21 November. The extensive tion of Chemists and Chemistry’ (61), list of contacts on this visit is an indication Jerry argued that Australian chemists must of how widely Jerry interacted with the follow the example of chemists in the UK international chemical community. and unite their organizations rather than During this time he was also able to fragment them into special-interest groups. visit the headquarters of the Royal Institute He described as regrettable the formation of Chemistry, the Canadian Institute of of the Australian Institute of Food Science Chemistry and the American Chemical and Technology and the Australian Oil and Society, although none of these visits was Colour Chemists Association, arguing that mentioned on the official itinerary. On his the best way forward was to adopt an return he wrote what was to be a very organizational framework that integrated influential article for Proceedings of the 110 Historical Records of Australian Science, Volume 15 Number 1

Royal Australian Chemical Institute The RACI awarded Jerry the H.G. Smith entitled ‘Home Thoughts from Abroad’ Medal (awarded in recognition of contri- (53), in which he set out his views of the bution to the field of organic chemistry) in role and purpose of the RACI. 1956 and the Leighton Medal (its highest Jerry was very impressed with the honour) in 1969. structure of the Canadian Institute of Chairman of CSIRO Chemistry, particularly the disciplinary- based, nation-wide Divisions and the exist- Jerry was appointed as a member of the ence of a small Board separate from the CSIRO Executive from 27 January 1966 larger Council. At that time the RACI did and attended his first meeting on 3 Febru- have an Australia-wide Cereal Chemistry ary 1966. He replaced another organic Group and a newly-formed Polymer Group chemist, Professor G.M. Badger. His and Jerry strongly encouraged the forma- salary increased marginally from $12,108 tion of other divisions. These were the to $13,200! 45 forerunners of the current Divisions of the John Shelton recalls: RACI. He also floated the possibility of the In retrospect, Price’s appointment can be Branches (state-based) encouraging more seen as the key step in Sir Frederick White’s independent Sections. At that time there objective of better preparing CSIRO to meet the political and bureaucratic assaults were Sections at Newcastle, Geelong and which he predicted would come. It was this Canberra. He thought that there should apprehension that had prompted him to definitely be Sections at the Latrobe Valley, move to Canberra, to restructure Head Launceston, Wollongong, Ballarat, Port Office and to replace retiring members of the Executive with younger and innovative Pirie, Armidale and Bendigo. With some policy makers; Ives, as a member, Lewis greater effort there could also be Sections Lewis as associate member. It was the addi- at Broken Hill, Mount Isa, Kandos, tion of Price, having the cachet of a former Mackay and Townsville. Chief, which gave the impetus to change, By 2003 there was in fact a Branch in which Ives and Lewis could not themselves have achieved. Added to that was Price’s Canberra and also in the Northern Terri- willingness to support changes that would tory, and Sections at Geelong, Gippsland benefit CSIRO, even though not popular and Ballarat/Bendigo in Victoria; New with some chiefs — particularly a small but England, Newcastle, Northern Rivers, vocal and influential group who regarded CSIRO as a collection of ‘autonomous Riverina Murray, Western Sydney and research institutes’. This group had already Wollongong in New South Wales; and been suspicious of White’s restructuring of North Queensland, Central Queensland Head Office, following the departure of and Darling Downs in Queensland, even Mr. G.B. Gresford. In place of the single though centralization of the chemical secretary as leader of Head Office, White created three secretaries, Administrative industry in Australia has prevented strong (L.G. Wilson), Agricultural & Biological regional growth of the RACI of the type Sciences (A.F. Gurnett Smith), and Indus- that Jerry may have envisaged. The RACI trial and Physical Sciences (J. P. Shelton). now has a highly successful Divisional On joining the Executive, Price made it widely known that he intended to make up structure, although it is still searching for his mind on what his role on the Executive an ideal operational model. In 2000 the should be after seeing from the inside how RACI went to a new structure of the type the Executive functioned. This was the first suggested by Jerry, consisting of a Board indication that Price was not a supporter of to manage its business affairs, separate the ‘autonomous’ concept, and as it turned out, he would be largely responsible for the from an Assembly that sets policy direction Executive becoming increasingly involved and implementation. in what went on inside Divisions, especially James Robert Price 1912–1999 111

in setting priorities and allocating resources which was to use the Treasury headings of at programme level. This came about first salaries, overtime, travel, equipment and so by the adoption of programme budgeting, on. Clarke left. Shelton fed Clarke’s report and then through a greatly increased Exec- into the working party, as the way to provide utive involvement in detailed reviews of the Executive with the information it Divisions, such reviews having been in the needed, as defined above. It was eventually past made only when a Chief had retired. adopted, initially as an information presen- However, that was to come later. Price’s first tation to the Executives of the Industrial and initiative on the Executive led to the Divi- Physical Sciences Divisions, then later to sions of Organic Chemistry and Physical all Divisions and after Price became chair- Chemistry being merged into a new Divi- man, as the budget format. sion of Applied Chemistry. He reasoned It was a key change and enabled the that the existing titles gave the impression Executive to be better informed, to allocate that their role was to advance knowledge funds according to its priorities, and to be respectively in organic and physical chem- able to counter, in detail, the frequently istry. That, Price said, was a function of raised canard that CSIRO was doing too Universities, and distinct from the role of much basic research. Programme budget- CSIRO in which these branches of chemis- ing identified each activity with a relevant try were applied and, if necessary, further industrial and economic problem which, if researched to provide solutions to indus- it could not be solved by applying existing trial, economic, and in present day par- knowledge, was being tackled by ‘basic’ lance, environmental problems, in terms of research to seek new information that could the Act, and of their respective divisional lead to a solution, as it so often successfully terms of reference. CSIRO was not, and achieved. should not seem to look like, a place where research was done for its own sake. CSIRO Professor David Solomon FAA, Foun- required both quality of research and dation Chief of the CSIRO Division of relevance. Applied Organic Chemistry (1974 to Price then took up his examination of 1987) and its successor the Division of Executive and Head Office procedures. He Chemicals and Polymers (1988 to 1989), started information gathering with Shelton to assist but within a short time, Ives and recalls that after Jerry had joined the exec- Lewis had joined in what became a working utive of CSIRO he maintained an active party aimed at exploring and developing interest in the business of the Division and, proposals for improvements in procedures indeed, visited the Fishermans Bend Labo- in order to strengthen the effectiveness of ratories on one occasion to propose, after the Executive and to prepare CSIRO to face the expected bids for external control of typically brief pleasantries, that Solomon CSIRO. The key to this was formulated as attend a meeting at Thredbo that was to follows — How can the Executive allocate discuss the forgery threat to Australia’s funds and staff requested by a chief for currency. Professor Solomon attended the growth without knowing, first, how much of meeting and initiated the project that even- current resources are going into that activity already in that and other divisions; tually, under Solomon’s leadership, pro- second, how sure can the Executive be that duced the Australian polymer banknote the need for growth could not be better met, technology. 46 not by new funding, but by closing down Jerry was appointed Chairman of the unproductive or lower priority activities. CSIRO Executive from 26 May 1970. The As it happened, the Finance group in Head Office had some time earlier then Chairman, Sir Frederick White, wrote appointed Nicholas Clarke to examine and a personal letter to the Minister for Educa- report on the possible merit of CSIRO tion and Science, Nigel Bowen, on adopting the latest American management 16 March 1970: tool — programme budgeting. Clarke’s recommendation that this be adopted was My dear Minister turned down, as the finance group did not I promised to let you know Dr Price’s plans see how it could help them in their role, for coming to Canberra. Dr Price will be 112 Historical Records of Australian Science, Volume 15 Number 1

renting a flat in Canberra in April and the Chiefs that individual members of the intends to spend most of his time here. This Executive should take line management arrangement will persist until a house is responsibilities for particular activities available for him. He hopes this will be towards the end of the year and he will then such as finance and human resources. The bring his wife to Canberra. consequence of this thinking was that the Our building on Mt Ainslie is due to be Executive had to rely on the Head Office completed in November and will, I think, be staff to initiate the implementation of handed over to us not long after that. Plans Executive decisions. are already afoot to move the staff from Melbourne to Canberra towards the latter Jerry stated the role of the Chiefs in part of the year. unambiguous terms: An insight into Jerry’s integrity and While the Executive does call on you for modesty can be found in the discussion of advice and assistance in meeting its respon- his travelling allowance during this interim sibilities, it also relies on you for many other things. You have the immediate period in Canberra. He intended to responsibility for the first and most impor- commute to Canberra from Melbourne, tant function of the Organization laid down spending the weekends in Melbourne. The in the Act: ‘…the carrying out of scientific maximum that he was entitled to was researches and investigations in connexion $105.00 per week if he chose the usual ‘per with or for the promotion of primary or secondary industry in the Commonwealth…’ diem’ rates. He chose instead a modified In retrospect, Jerry was struggling with package of $37.60 that included the actual a management structure that did not sepa- cost of his flat and a special rate of $25.00 rate the role of the Chairman from that of per week allowance. Chief Executive. This was not resolved One of Jerry’s first tasks as Chairman until the appointment of a Board with an was to clarify the roles of the CSIRO independent Chairman by the Hawke Executive, the Head Office staff and the Government in 1986. Chiefs. This was done for two reasons: The election of the Whitlam Govern- First, because I believe that the definition of ment on 2 December 1972 was the start of these functions would be a worthwhile exercise in itself, but secondly, because it the most turbulent time in Jerry’s career. seems to me that we can’t usefully examine An insight into just how much he was the relations between these three groups affected by some of the decisions of that until we are reasonably clear as to their government’s ministers can be found in a

respective functions. speech that he gave to Melbourne staff on He studied the Science and Industry 3 July 1975, three and a half weeks after Research Act that governs CSIRO and the Government announced that the came to the conclusion that: Mineral Research activities of CSIRO It is therefore clear that the Executive, sub- were to be transferred to the Department of ject to the approval of the Minister, bears Minerals and Energy. the responsibility for determining the He started by saying: ‘This has been a policy of the Organization, for determining priorities and for allocating funds as it period of considerable difﬁculty for all of thinks best. But it goes a little further than us, and it is imperative that we now pause this. In addition to determining policy or and look closely at the situation’. After policies it is the responsibility of the congratulating the staff on their patience Executive to see that such policies are and restraint he continued: implemented. it is necessary to go back about two years, He was keen to develop a system of CSIRO fully recognises its responsibility to ‘cabinet solidarity’ with respect to Execu- do research to meet national needs and tive decisions and rejected the proposal of therefore to be responsive to Government James Robert Price 1912–1999 113

policies. After the new Government came sibilities. One sentence of his statement into office we immediately started thinking said, and I quote: ‘The Department of Min- about our role in relation to the new Minis- erals and Energy will take over responsibil- tries that had been established. …As part of ity for the Minerals Research Laboratories this communication exercise we drafted a and the Solar Energy Studies Unit.’ letter to Mr Connor that Mr Morrison47 ...but let me reiterate my attitude, the signed on 5 April 1973 advising him of our attitude of the Executive and I believe the research programme on solar energy and attitude of the Organization as a whole. This suggesting that discussions take place at is that we object most strongly to the man- officer level. Then on the 3 July that same ner in which this decision was made and year a review of our Minerals Research Pro- announced — without prior consultation gramme went from Mr Morrison to Mr with the former Minister for Science, Mr Connor. Mr Morrison invited Mr Connor to Morrison, his successor Mr Cameron, with establish direct contact with CSIRO if he the Organization, with the recently estab- had any questions about the review, or if he lished ASTEC — the Australian Science wanted further information. and Technology Council — or with indus- Unfortunately, no reply was received try. We also object to the disregard of the from Mr Connor to either of these letters. practical requirements for conducting Then in December 1973 Mr Connor effective government-based scientific made a statement in Parliament about the research in this country. We do not question Government’s intention to undertake a the Government’s right to so order the crash programme on coal hydrogenation. affairs of CSIRO — that is its right — but Mr Morrison again wrote to Mr Connor such ordering should be brought about with telling him CSIRO was prepared to help in the full understanding of all the factors this programme and he asked Mr Connor to involved and I believe we have preserved let him know details of the proposed crash our credibility as responsible scientists and programme. administrators by using every proper means Again, Mr Connor did not reply. to express our point of view to the Govern- ment. We have explained in very clear Jerry reminded his audience of a press terms that the ad hoc dismemberment of statement dated 11 September 1974 in CSIRO in this way could be disastrous to which the two Ministers had agreed that Australia’s scientific output for years to CSIRO would pursue research in many come. areas that would bear on the utilization of Lady Price recalls that before Jerry solar energy and that the Department of went to give that speech he told her to Minerals and Energy would take over the expect that he would lose his job over his development phase of those CSIRO results stand. that were approaching practical realisation. History records that the Government, Many other attempts were made to work already under pressure from adverse with the Department of Minerals and reactions to many of its decisions, and with Energy but, according to Jerry, they were the urging of the Acting Minister of all ignored until 13 May 1975 when Science and Consumer Affairs, Dr Moss Mr Connor replied that at least the respon- Cass, finally rescinded the 5 July adminis- sibility for liquid fuels from coal had been trative orders. Jerry had thus very effec- assumed by the recently formed Coal Con- tively preserved the integrity of CSIRO version Sub-committee of the Coal and enhanced his reputation both inside Research Advisory Committee. and outside the organization. Jerry then gave a detailed account of Jerry retired on his 65th birthday, developments after Thursday 5 June 1975: 24 March 1977. The Prime Minister, Now to more recent developments. You Malcolm Fraser, wrote: probably all remember that on Thursday I thought I should write to you on the occa- 5th June the Prime Minister issued a press sion of your retirement as Chairman of the statement outlining new Ministerial respon- Executive of CSIRO. 114 Historical Records of Australian Science, Volume 15 Number 1

My two periods as Minister of Educa- able intellect and organizing ability to the tion and Science enable me to write to you Girl Guides. with first hand knowledge. I am well aware She rose to be the Victorian State Com- of the contribution you have made, succes- sively, as an individual scientist, Chief of missioner for Guides, the Chief Commis- Division, member of the Executive and sioner of the Girl Guides Association of finally as Chairman of the Executive. Your Australia, 1968–1973, and the Chairman appointment as Chairman designate was of (for two terms) of the World Committee of course made while I was Minister respon- the World Association of Girl Guides and sible for CSIRO. May I, as Prime Minister and person- Girl Scouts (1975–1981). She had been a ally, express my gratitude and appreciation member of that committee from 1972. for the service which you have rendered the Lady Price was made a Life Vice-President Government and the nation, in your various of the Girl Guides Association of Australia capacities — but more particularly as in 1984 and was honoured to speak at the Chairman of the Executive. The very high world wide standing of CSIRO (and CSIR funeral service for Lady Baden Powell. before it) is due in no small part to the qual- Lady Price was in England on Girl ity of the leadership over the years of its Guide business in 1974 when Jerry rang existence. her to say that he was likely to be dis- However I believe it is fair to say that missed because of the stand he was taking your period as Chairman has occurred at a time when contemporary circumstances against the Government (see above). He have never been more challenging. reassured her that he would be able to Throughout your service, your sense of return to a Research Scientist position! dedication and loyalty, and your integrity, In retirement Jerry served as a director have been manifest for all to witness. of Humes48 for seven years. He accepted In conclusion, may I once again both thank and congratulate you for a job well the position in the hope that he could done. I would like to express my very best persuade the company to use Australian wishes for a long and happy retirement. R&D to develop new technology rather Yours sincerely than buying technology from overseas. (Malcolm Fraser) While he did not succeed in that aim, he Jerry was awarded KBE in 1976 in found working with business people recognition of his services to science and intensely interesting and confided to Lady government. He was made an honorary Price that he came across attitudes and member of the Royal Society of New processes that he had not experienced in South Wales in 1977. his long career in public service science. He was a member of the Monash Uni- Retirement versity Council and on the Clunies Ross Retirement afforded Jerry the opportunity Foundation. In July 1986, Jerry was to spend much more time with his grand- attending a meeting of the Clunies Ross children and to enjoy his garden. Jerry was Foundation at Clunies Ross House in Mel- also a great support to Lady Price in her bourne. He had parked his car on Royal many activities, as Lady Price was to him. Parade but was informed that a parking When the Prices arrived in Melbourne in place had been reserved in the under- 1945, Joyce was aware of the great short- ground parking area at Clunies Ross age of science teachers in secondary House. Upon leaving the building via the schools in Victoria. She suggested to Jerry back lane he was struck by a delivery that she embark on a teaching career but truck. As a result of that accident Jerry Jerry was not comfortable with his wife suffered permanent lung damage and some working. She abandoned that idea and brain damage. He withdrew from active went on to devote her time and consider- public life after that. James Robert Price 1912–1999 115

After a period in the Shoreham Nursing making available much of the family Home Jerry died on 8 March 1999. A historical material. We would also like to Memorial Service was held to commemo- thank Dr Claude Culvenor and Mr John rate his life on Friday 16 April 1999 at the Shelton for helpful comments and sugges- Monash University Chapel where friends tions on the manuscript. We thank Mr Rob and colleagues were invited to speak and to Birtles of the CSIRO Records and contribute with others to a booklet com- Archives Strategies Group, Mr Michael memorating Jerry’s life that was presented Piggot, Archivist of the University of Mel- to Lady Price on the day on the service.49 bourne, and staff of the Baillieu Library, In 1990 the CSIRO Division of Chemi- University of Melbourne, for access to cals and Polymers (later CSIRO Molecular files and theses, and Mr Gavan McCarthy Science) instituted a named lecture series of the Australian Science and Technology in tribute to Jerry’s influence on organic Heritage Centre for access to archival chemistry in CSIRO. There have been nine material. The title of Jerry’s MSc thesis Sir Robert Price Lecturers to date, Mr Rod was kindly obtained by Dr George Rickards of the Australian National Uni- E. Gream. We thank Ms Carolyn Larsen of versity in 1990, Dr Dan Kleier of DuPont the Ian Wark Library, CSIRO, for assist- Agricultural Products in 1991, Nobel ance with historical and bibliographic Laureate Sir John Cornforth FRS of the material. University of Sussex in 1992, Professor Emmanuel Vogel of the University of Cologne in 1993, Associate Professor (now Notes and References Professor) Max Crossley of the University 1. Information kindly supplied by Lady Price of Sydney in 1994, Professor Paul Knochel CMG, OBE; some details extracted from a of University of Marburg in 1996, Profes- handwritten document ‘My Family History’, by Catherine Joyce Price, granddaughter of sor Steven Ley FRS of the University of Sir Robert Price. Various personal details out- Cambridge in 1998, Professor Tony Barrett lined below about Price’s life have been FRS of the Imperial College of Science, drawn from documents made available by Technology and Medicine in 2000 and Lady Price. Professor David Solomon FAA of the Uni- 2. J.R. Price, handwritten memoir in the posses- sion of Lady Price. versity of Melbourne in 2001. These lec- 3. Best, R.J., Discoveries by Chemists: A tures bring industry, CSIRO and university History of the Chemistry Department of the scientists together in a way that Jerry University of Adelaide, 1885–1984 approved. (Adelaide, 1987). Parts of Sir Robert Price’s Sir Robert Price was a great organizer letter to Dr Rupert Best are quoted on pp. 85, 86. A copy of this letter was made available and project developer with the ability to by Lady Price. make wide and useful contacts with influ- 4. Alexander Killen Macbeth was appointed in ential people in associated fields. He made March 1928 as successor to E.H. Rennie in a significant contribution to the growth and the Angas Chair of Chemistry at the Univer- development of chemistry in Australia, and sity of Adelaide: Best op. cit. (n. 3), pp. 75,78. to the development of public sector 5. Dr William Ternent Cooke, who graduated research. He was a great organic chemist from the University of Adelaide in 1900, won and a great man. an 1851 Exhibition Scholarship which he took up in 1902 at University College, Lon- Acknowledgments don to work with Sir William Ramsay. In 1906 Cooke was appointed as the first full- The authors would like to thank Lady Price time Lecturer in the Chemistry Department, and the Price family for their encourage- University of Adelaide [Best, op. cit. (n. 3), ment and helpful comments and for pp. 28–30)]. 116 Historical Records of Australian Science, Volume 15 Number 1

6. Lapworth, A., ‘A Theoretical Derivation of cona Baptist Girls Grammar School, Mel- the Principle of Induced Alternate Polarities’, bourne; Dr Donald Carruthers Price is a J. Chem. Soc. 121 (1922), 416–427. physicist and is Senior Science Fellow with 7. Rennie, E.H., ‘The Colouring Matter of CSIRO Telecommunications and Industrial Drosera whittakeri’, J. Chem. Soc., 51 Physics, Sydney; Janet Elizabeth Price (1887), pp. 371–377; idem, ‘Notes on the studied Russian and German at ANU and Colouring Matter of Drosera whittakeri’, works with refugees. Trans. Proc. & Report of the Phil. Soc. 16. In 1948 Webb published an important docu- Adelaide, 10 (1888), pp. 72–73; ‘On the ment that became very useful to participants Colouring Matter of Drosera whittakeri’, in the Australian Phytochemical Survey; Report Second Meeting Australasian Assoc. L.J. Webb, Guide to the Medicinal and Adv. Sci., 2 (1890), pp. 398–399; idem, ‘The Poisonous Plants of Queensland, CSIR Bul- Colouring Matters of Drosera whittakeri’, letin No. 232, 1–202, Melbourne, 1948. J. Chem. Soc., 63 (1893), pp. 1083–1089. 17. Over a period of about 14 years (1949–1963) 8. Numbers in brackets refer throughout to L. J. Webb wrote a series of confidential papers in the Bibliography below. Phytochemical Newsletters, copies of which 9. Macbeth, A.K., and Winzor, F.L., ‘The were distributed to all CSIRO and University Colouring Matter of Drosera whittakeri. Part personnel participating in the Australian II’, J. Chem. Soc. (1935), pp. 334–336. Phytochemical Survey. Two photocopy sets 10. Winzor, F.L., ‘The Colouring Matter of of these have been bound by David Collins; Drosera whittakeri. Part III. The Synthesis of one is held by him and one by L.J. Webb. Hydroxydroserone’, J. Chem. Soc. (1935), 18. CSIRO Archives, Archive Box PH/PRI/1; the pp. 336–8. contents of this file were used extensively as 11. A.M. Bickford and Sons was a chemical drug the source of information about Price’s career manufacturing company in Adelaide that pro- in CSIRO. duced, inter alia, eucalyptus oil under the 19. Report of the CSIR Chemical Research trade-mark ‘Our Jack Brand’; D. Shiel, Euca- Laboratories, 1945. lyptus, Essence of Australia: The Story of the 20. J. Radford, The Chemistry Department of the Eucalyptus Oil Industry – and of the ‘Eucy’ University of Melbourne: Its Contribution to Men, and their Contribution to the Australian Australian Science 1854–1959 (Melbourne, Bush Tradition, Queensberry Hill Press, 1978), pp. 201, 227, 228. 1985, pp. 204, 212: see also J.R. Poynter, 21. B. Chiswell, A Diamond Period: A Brief Russell Grimwade, (Melbourne, 1967), History of the Chemistry Department of the pp. 31–33, 162. In 1930, A.M. Bickford and University of Queensland 1910–1985 (Bris- Sons amalgamated with a number of other bane, 1986), p. 45. companies to form Drug Houses of Australia 22. I.W. Wark, ‘The CSIRO Division of Indus- Ltd. Felton, Grimwade and Bickford Pty Ltd: trial Chemistry 1940–1952’, Records of the A Brief Chronological History, Australian Academy of Science, 4 (1979), www.fgb.com.au. 7–41. The building of the CSIR chemical 12. Lord Todd and J.W. Cornforth, ‘Robert laboratories at Fishermans Bend was author- Robinson, 13 September 1886–8 February ized in 1946; work began in 1948 but was not 1975’, Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of completed until 1954. the Royal Society, 22 1976, pp. 415–527. 23. After volume 5 (1952) the Australian Journal 13. J.R.Price, notes on his early career in his 1946 of Scientific Research, Series A Physical application for Associate Membership of the Sciences, was differentiated into the Austra- Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI), lian Journal of Chemistry and the Australian The Records of the RACI, listed by Bill King, Journal of Physics, each beginning with Vol- Gavan McCarthy and John Spink; Member- ume 6 (1953). Publication of the Australian ship Files, Series 1, 1918–1956, Box 8; held Journal of Scientific Research, Series B Bio- at the Australian Science and Technology logical Sciences also ceased in 1952 and was Heritage Centre, University of Melbourne. replaced by the Australian Journal of Botany 14. Grimwade, J.F.T., A Short History of Drug and the Australian Journal of Zoology, each Houses Australia Ltd to 1968 (Melbourne, beginning with volume 1, in 1953. 1974). 24. W.D. Crow, personal communication. 15. Margaret Ann Devlin née Price was trained as 25. F.N. Lahey and W.C. Thomas, ‘Alkaloids of a physical education and mathematics teacher the Australian Rutaceae: Acronychia baueri. and is now the Deputy Principal of Strath- I. The Isolation of the Alkaloids’, Aust. J. Sci. James Robert Price 1912–1999 117

Res., 2A (1940), 423–426. A second part in 34. University of Melbourne Archives: Chemis- this series was: R.D. Brown, L.J. Drummond, try Staff Files 1946/196; 1947/178; F.N. Lahey and W.C. Thomas, ‘II. Some 1948/187; 1949/189; 1950/189; 1951/186. Reactions of the Alkaloid Acronycine’, Aust. 35. Op. cit. (n. 12). J. Sci. Res., 2A (1949), 622–629. Related 36. At this time the Organic Chemistry Section papers were: R.D. Brown and F.N. Lahey, was part of the Chemical Research Laborato- ‘The Ultraviolet Absorption Spectra of the ries, along with the Mineral Chemistry, Acridone Alkaloids I. Compounds Contain- Cement and Ceramics, Foundry Sands, Phys- ing the Acridone Nucleus’, Aust. J. Sci. Res., ical Chemistry, Chemical Physics and Chem- 3A (1950), 593–614; Idem, ‘The Ultraviolet ical Engineering Sections, under the overall Absorption Spectra of the Acridone leadership of Dr Ian Wark. Alkaloids. II. Compounds Related to 4- 37. Chemical Research Laboratories, Annual Quinolone’, Aust. J. Sci. Res., 3A (1950), Report for the Year ending 30th June, 1959. 615. 38. It is interesting to note that non-research staff 26. G. K. Hughes and K.G. Neill, ‘Alkaloids of were not identiﬁed in CSIRO Reports from the Australian Rutaceae; Evodia xanthoxy- this period. loides F Muell. I. Evoxanthine’ Aust. J. Sci. 39. Chemical Research Laboratories, Annual Res., 2A (1949), 429–436. G. K. Hughes, Report for the Year ending 30th June, 1961. K. G. Neill and E. Ritchie, ‘The Synthesis of 40. Chemical Research Laboratories, Annual Melicopine and Some Trimethoxy–10- Report for the Year ending 30th June, 1960. methylacridones’, Aust. J. Sci. Res., 3A 41. Chemical Research Laboratories, Annual (1950), 497–503. G. K. Hughes, K. G. Neill Report 1962–63. and E. Ritchie, Alkaloids of the Australian 42. Chemical Research Laboratories, Annual Rutaceae: Evodia xanthoxyloides F. Muell. II. Report 1963–64. Isolation of the Alkaloids from the Leaves’, 43. Chemical Research Laboratories, Annual Aust. J. Sci. Res.,5A (1952), 401–405. Report 1964–65. J. R. Cannon, G. K. Hughes, K. G. Neill and 44. C.C.J. Culvenor, personal communication. E. Ritchie, ‘Alkaloids of the Australian 45. John P. Shelton, personal communication. Rutaceae: Evodia xanthoxyloides F. Muell. 46. Professor David Solomon, personal III. The Structures of the Coloured Alkaloids, recollection. Evoxanthidine, Xanthevodine and Xanthoxo- 47. Minister for Science. line’, Aust. J. Sci. Res., 5A (1952), 406–411. 48. The Humes business was formed in 1911 by 27. CSIR became CSIRO in May 1949: the inventor of spun concrete pipe, Walter C.B. Schedvin, Shaping Science and Indus- Hume. From the original plant in Adelaide, try: A History of Australia’s Council for Sci- success of the product had led to operations entiﬁc and Industrial Research, 1926–1949 being established throughout Australia and in (Sydney, 1987), pp. 350, 355–361. many countries around the world. By the end 28. J.R. (Jack) Cannon in due course took up an appointment in the Chemistry Department, of the 1920s, Walter Hume had established University of Western Australia, where he businesses in USA, United Kingdom, Japan, actively pursued studies in phytochemistry. Germany, Brazil, South Africa and several 29. University of Melbourne Archives: Chemis- Asian countries. Today, in many of these try Staff Files 1946/196. Also op. cit. (n. 22), countries Hume pipe is well-known as high- pp. 201, 202, 227. quality spun-concrete pipe. In November 30. E.R. Klein, ‘The Chemistry of Some Austra- 1988, CSR acquired Humes Ltd’s concrete lian Alkaloids and Sesquiterpenes’, PhD products division. thesis, University of Melbourne, 1951. 49. A copy of the presentations is kept at CSIRO 31. J.A. Lamberton, ‘The Chemistry of Some Molecular Science. Speakers at the Memorial New Australian Alkaloids’, PhD thesis, Uni- Service were Dr Donald Price, Professor versity of Melbourne, 1950. David Solomon, Dr Claude Culvenor, Dr 32. C.C.J. Culvenor, ‘Obituary: J.A. Lamberton Peter Wailes, Professor John Swan, Professor FRACI 1925–2002’, Chem. in Aust., 69 Roy Jackson, Mr Alan Pierce, Mr Jack (2002), 38–39. Coombe, Mr Grattan Wilson, Ms Amy Tran, 33. H.F. Haynes, ‘The Alkaloids of Some Austra- Ms Amina Price, Ms Janet Devlin, Ms lian Plants’, MSc thesis, University of Mel- Catherine Price, Mr Andrew Devlin and Mr bourne, 1954. Ben Price. 118 Historical Records of Australian Science, Volume 15 Number 1

Bibliography 16. Price, J.R., Robinson, R, and (in part) Scott-Moncrieff, R. (Mrs Meares), ‘The 1. Hooper, P.L., Macbeth, A.K. and Price, J.R., yellow pigment of Papaver nudicaule. ‘The “Hydrosulphides” of Carvone and laevo- Part 1’, J. Chem. Soc. (1939), 1465–1468. ∆2 4-isoPropyl- -cyclohexen-1-one’, J. Chem. 17. Price, J.R. and Robinson, R., ‘Dunnione, Soc. (1934), 1147–1150. Part I’, J. Chem. Soc. (1939), 1522–1529. 2. Macbeth, A.K. and Price, J.R., ‘The Action of 18. Price, J.R. and Robinson, R., ‘Dunnione, Bases on Nitrophenylhydrazines: 2:4-Dinitro- Part II’, J. Chem. Soc. (1940), 1493–1499. phenylhydrazine’, J. Chem. Soc. (1934), 19. Lawrence, W.J.C. and Price, J.R., ‘The Genet- 1637–1639. ics and Chemistry of Flower Colour Varia- 3. Macbeth, A.K. and Price, J.R., ‘The Action of tion’, Biol. Rev., 15 (1940), 35–38. Titanous Chloride on Nitrophenyl- 20. Beale, G.H., Price, J.R. and Scott- hydrazones: p-Nitro- and 2:4-Dinitro-phenyl- Moncreiff, R., ‘The Genetics of Verbena. II: hydrazones’, J. Chem. Soc. (1935), 151–153. Chemistry of the Flower Colour Variations’, 4. Macbeth, A.K., Price, J.R. and Winzor, F.L., J. Genet., 61(1) (1940), 65–74. ‘The Colouring Matters of Drosera 21. Barber, H.N. and Price, J.R., ‘Nature of the whittakeri. Part I. The Absorption Spectra Feulgen Reaction with Nucleic Acid’, and Colour Reactions of Hydroxy-naphtha- Nature, 146 (1940), 335. quinones’, J. Chem. Soc. (1935), 325–336. 22. Beale, G.H., Price, J.R. and Sturgess, V.C., 5. Macbeth, A.K. and Price, J.R., ‘The Absorp- ‘A Survey of Anthocyanins. Part VII. The tion Spectra of Nitrophenylhydrazines’, Natural Selection of Flower Colour’, Proc. J. Chem. Soc. (1935), 1563–1567. Roy. Soc. London B., 130 (1941), 113–126. 6. Macbeth, A.K. and Price, J.R., ‘The Absorp- 23. Hughes, G.K., Lahey, F.N., Price, J.R. and tion Spectra of 1:2:3-Benztriazoles’, J. Chem. Webb, L.J., ‘Alkaloids of the Australian Ruta- Soc. (1936), 111–119. ceae’, Nature, 162 (1948), 233–234. 7. Macbeth, A.K. and Price J.R., ‘The Action of 24. Price, J.R., ‘Alkaloids of the Australian Ruta- Bases on Nitrophenylhydrazines. Part II’, ceae: Melicope fareana. I. Isolation of the J. Chem. Soc. (1937), 982–984. Constituent Alkaloids’, Aust. J. Sci. Res. A, 8. Price, J.R. and Robinson, R., ‘Nitrogenous 2(2) (1949), 249–254. Anthocyanins. Part IV. The Colouring Matter 25. Crow, W.D. and Price, J.R., ‘Alkaloids of the of Bougainvillaea glabra’, J. Chem. Soc. Australian Rutaceae: Melicope fareana, II. (1937), 449–453. Preliminary Examination of Melicopine, 9. Price, J.R. and Robinson, R., ‘A New Natural Melicopidine and Melicopicine’, Aust. J. Sci. Colouring Matter of the Naphthalene Group’, Res. A, 2(2) (1949), 255–263. Nature, 142 (1938), 147–148. 26. Price, J.R., ‘Alkaloids of the Australian Ruta- 10. Price, J.R., Sturgess, V.C., Robinson, R. and ceae: Melicope fareana. IV. Some Reactions Robinson, G.M., ‘Some New Anthocyanin of 1-Methyl-4-quinolone-3-carboxylic Acid, Types’, Nature, 142 (1938), 356. A Degradation Product of the Alkaloids’, 11. Price, J.R., Robinson, G.M. and Robinson R., Aust. J. Sci. Res. A., 2(2) (1949), 272–281. Note: ‘Occurrence of Kaempferol in Crocus’, 27. Crow, W.D. and Price, J.R., ‘Alkaloids of the J. Chem. Soc. (1938), 281. Australian Rutaceae: Melicope fareana. V. 12. Lawrence, W.J.C., Price, J.R., Robinson, G.M. Structure of the Alkaloids’, Aust. J. Sci. Res. and Robinson, R., ‘A Survey of Anthocy- A, 2(2) (1949), 282–306. anins. V’, Biochem. J., 32 (1938), 28. Lahey, F.N., Lamberton, J.A. and Price, J.R., 1661–1667. ‘Alkaloids of the Australian Rutaceae. The 13. Price, J.R. and Sturgess, V.C., ‘A Survey of Structure and Reactions of Acronycidine’, Anthocyanins. VI’, Biochem. J., 32 (1938), Aust. J. Sci. Res. A, 3(1) (1950), 155–171. 1658–1660. 29. Price, J.R., ‘Acridine Alkaloids’, in The Alka- 14. Lawrence, W.J.C., Price, J.R., Robinson, G.M. loids, Chemistry and Pharmacology, and Robinson, R., ‘The Distribution of Manske, R.H.F. and Holmes, H.L. (eds.), Anthocyanins in Flowers, Fruits and Leaves’, Academic Press, New York, 2 (1952), Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London B, 230 (1939), 353–368. 149–178. 30. McKenzie, A.W. and Price, J.R., ‘Alkaloids of 15. Price, J.R., ‘The Yellow Colouring Matter of the Australian Rutaceae; Glycosmis penta- Dahlia variabilis’, J. Chem. Soc. (1939), phylla (Retz.) Correa’, Aust. J. Sci. Res. A, 1017–1018. 5(3) (1952), 579–580. James Robert Price 1912–1999 119

31. Haynes, H.F., Nelson, E.R. and Price, J.R., 45. Price, J.R., ‘Some Aspects of Organic Chem- ‘Alkaloids of the Australian Rutaceae; Penta- ical Research as Applied to Agriculture’, ceras australis Hook F.I. Isolation of the J. Aust. Inst. Agr. Sci., 22(1) (1956), 3–10. Alkaloids and Identification of Canthin-6- 46. Price, J.R., ‘A Novel Type of Naturally Occur- one’, Aust. J. Sci. Res. A, 5(2) (1952), ring Quaternary Base’. In Current Trends in 387–400. Heterocyclic Chemistry, Proc. Symp. Can- 32. Haynes, H.F., Nelson, E.R. and Price, J.R. berra, 1957 (Albert, A., Badger, G.M. and (1952) Alkaloids of the Australian Rutaceae: Shoppee, C.W., eds.), Butterworths, London Pentaceras australis Hook F. II. Identification (1958), 92–109. of 5-Methoxycanthinone’, Aust. J. Sci. Res. A, 47. Johnstone, R., Price, J.R. and Todd, A.R., 5(3) (1952), 563–569. ‘Alkaloids of the Australian Rutaceae; 33. Nelson, E.R. and Price, J.R., ‘Alkaloids of the Lunasia quercifolia. I. 7-Methoxy-1-methyl- Australian Rutaceae: Pentaceras australis 2-phenyl-4-quinolone’, Aust. J. Chem., 11(4) Hook F. III. Identification of 4-Methyl- (1958), 562–574. thiocanthin-6-one’, Aust. J. Sci. Res. A, 5(4) 48. Price, J.R., ‘Alkaloids of the Australian Ruta- (1952), 768–781. ceae: Lunasia quercifolia. II. The Nature of 34. Cannon, J.R., Hughes, G.K., Price, J.R. and Lunasine’, Aust. J. Chem., 12(3) (1959), Ritchie, E., ‘The Chemical Constituents of 458–467. Australian Flindersia Species. IV. The Con- 49. Price, J.R. and Willis, J.B., ‘The Infra-red stituents of Flindersia bourjotiana F. Muell.’, Spectra of 2- and 4-Quinolones’, Aust. J. Aust. J. Sci. Res. A, 5(2) (1952), 420–422. Chem., 12(4) (1959), 589–600. 35. McKenzie, A.W. and Price, J.R., ‘The Alka- 50. Price, J.R., ‘Australian Natural Product loids of Gyrocarpus americanus Jacq.’, Aust. Research’, Pure Appl. Chem., 2 (1961), J. Chem., 6(2) (1953), 180–185. 367–381. 36. Lamberton, J.A. and Price, J.R. ‘Alkaloids of 51. Baldwin, M.E., Bick, I.R.C., Komzak, A.A. the Australian Rutaceae: Acronychia baueri and Price, J.R., ‘Some Ketones from Acrade- Schott. IV. Alkaloids Present in the Leaves’, nia franklinii’, Tetrahedron, 16 (1961), Aust. J. Chem., 6(1) (1953), 66–77. 206–211. 37. Lamberton, J.A. and Price, J.R., ‘Alkaloids of 52. Price, J.R., ‘The Distribution of Alkaloids in the Australian Rutaceae: Medicosma the Rutaceae’. In Chemical Plant Taxonomy cunninghamii Hook F.’, Aust. J. Chem., 6(2) (Swain, T., Ed.), Academic Press, London, (1953), 173–179. 1963, 429–452. 38. Price, J.R., ‘Recent Developments in the Study of the Chemistry of Australian Plant 53. Price, J.R., ‘Home Thoughts from Abroad’. Products’ (Liversidge Lecture), Rept. Aus- Proc. Roy. Aust. Chem. Inst., 30 (1963), tralian and New Zealand Assoc. Advance- 89–93. ment Sci. (29th Meeting, Sydney, 1952), 29 54. Price, J.R., ‘The Future of the Institute’, Proc. (1953), 67–80. Roy. Aust. Chem. Inst., 30(8) (1963), 39. Johnstone, R. and Price, J.R., ‘N-Chloro- 297–309. acetylisatic Acid’, Aust. J. Chem., 7(2) 55. Price, J.R., ‘Studies in Alkaloids’, Farma- (1954), 209–210. ceutisk Revy, 62 (1963), 145–155. 40. Culvenor, C.C.J., Drummond, L.J. and 56. Price, J.R., ‘Antifertility Agents of Plant Price, J.R., ‘Alkaloids of Heliotropium euro- Origin’. In Agents Affecting Fertility, Symp. paeum L. I. Heliotrine and Lasiocarpine’, London, 1964 (Austin, C.R. and Perry, J.S., Aust. J. Chem., 7(3) (1954), 277–286. eds.), Churchill, London, 1965, 3–16. 41. Price, J.R., ‘Plant Chemistry in Australia’, 57. Hart, N.K. and Price, J.R., ‘Alkaloids of the Rec. Chem. Progr., 16(3) (1955), 153–163. Australian Rutaceae: Lunasia quercifolia. III. 42. Price, J.R., ‘Structure of Lunamine’ (title Isolation of (-)-O-Methylluninium Salts’, only, paper read at Section B), Rept. Austra- Aust. J. Chem., 19(11) (1966), 2185–2187. lian and New Zealand Assoc. Advancement 58. Inubushi, Y., Sano, T. and Price, J.R., Sci. (31st Meeting, Melbourne, 1955), ‘Triterpene Constituents of Lycopodium 31(1955), 47. complanatum L. from New Guinea’, Aust. J. 43. Price, J.R., ‘Alkaloids Related to Anthranilic Chem., 20(2) (1967), 387–388. Acid’, Fortschr. Chem. Org. Naturst., 13 59. Lamberton, J.A., Price, J.R. and (1956), 302–345. Redcliffe, A.H., ‘Micromelin, a New 44. Price, J.R. and Smith, L.W., ‘The Reaction of Coumarin from Micromelum minatum N-Chloroacetylisatin with Alkali’, Aust. J. (Forst.f.) Seem (Family Rutaceae)’, Aust. J. Chem., 9(1) (1956), 139–140. Chem., 20(5) (1967), 973–979. 120 Historical Records of Australian Science, Volume 15 Number 1

60. Johns, S.R., Lamberton, J.A. and Price, J.R., 1970 Leighton Address. Proc. Roy. Aust. ‘(±)-N-Benzoyl[2-hydroxy-2(4’-methoxyphe- Chem. Inst., 38(5) (1971), 113–121. nyl)] ethylamine from Clausena brevistyla 66. Price, J.R., Graduation address. Australian Oliver (Family Rutaceae)’, Aust. J. Chem., National University, Canberra, April 1971. 20(12) (1967), 2795–2797. Australian National University News, 6:(2) 61. Price, J.R., ‘The Organisation of Chemists (1971), 15. and Chemistry’, Proc. Roy. Aust. Chem. Inst., 67. Price, J.R., New Inventions and Riches. Aus- 34(9) (1967), 239–241. tralian Director, 2:(2) (1972), 13–16. 62. Hart, N.K., Johns, S.R., Lamberton, J.A. and 68. Price, J.R., Report on 28th Annual Confer- Price, J.R., ‘Alkaloids of the Australian Ruta- ence. Opening remarks. Appita Journal, ceae: Lunasia quercifolia. IV. Identification 27:(6) (1974), 382–383. of a Minor Constituent as 5-Hydroxy-1- 69. Barnes, C.S., Price, J.R. and Hughes, R.L., methyl-2-phenyl-4-quinolone and Prepara- ‘An Examination of Some Reputed Anti- tion of an Angular Isomer of (-) Lunine’, fertility Plants’, Lloydia, 38 (1975), 135–140. Aust. J. Chem., 21(5) (1968), 1389–1391. 70. Price, J.R., CSIRO: Fifty Years of Research. 63. Johns, S.R., Lamberton, J.A., Price, J.R. and Looking to the Future. Nature, 261:(5562) Siomis, A.A., ‘Identification of Coumarins (1976), 631–632. Isolated from Lepiniopsis ternatensis 71. Collins, D.J., Culvenor, C.C.J., (Apocynaceae), Pterocaulon sphacelatum Lamberton, J.A., Loder, J.W. and Price, J.R., (Compositae) and Melicope melanophloia ‘Plants for Medicines: A Chemical and (Rutaceae)’, Aust. J. Chem., 21(12) (1968), Pharmacological Survey of Plants in the 3079–3080. Australian Region’, CSIRO Publishing, Mel- 64. Johns, S.R., Lamberton, J.A. and Price, J.R., bourne, 1990. ‘Isolation of Isomultiflorenol, a Possible 72. Price, J.R., Lamberton, J.A. and Triterpenoid Artefact, from Pleiococca Culvenor, C.C.J., ‘The Australian Phyto- wilcoxiana (Rutaceae)’, Aust. J. Chem., 23(6) chemical Survey: Historical Aspects of the (1970), 1283–1284. CSIRO Search for New Drugs in Australian 65. Price, J.R., ‘The Communication of Scientific Plants’, Historical Records of Australian Knowledge for Useful Application’. The Science, 9(4) (1993), 335–356.

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