Charles F. Chandler

Charles Frederick Chandler (December 6, 1836 – August 25, 1925) was an American chemist, best known for his regulatory work in public health, sanitation, and consumer safety in New York City.

Chandler was born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, the son of a draper, and became interested in chemistry at young age. He studied first at Harvard and then with Friedrich Wöhler in Göttingen, Germany. After graduation, he worked briefly as an instructor and lab assistant at Union College, Schenectady, but in 1864 he got a proper professorship at Columbia College, where he stayed for the rest of his academic career.

In 1867, he was appointed to the New York Metropolitan Board of Health, and eventually became its president. There he instituted comprehensive reforms in sanitation, regulation of the food and water supplies, as well as vaccination programs and infectious-disease control.

He was also instrumental in founding the American Chemical Society in 1876, and he served as the president of the Society of Chemical Industry during 1899-1900. He was awarded the latter Society's Perkin Medal in 1920, in recognition of his contributions.