SEVENTEENTH MEDAL AWARD 73 Dr. Sophie L. Plechner (1.) after receiving the Society's Medal from Dr. Paul Jewel (r.), President of the Society when we honor one of our colleagues. It is not likely that many of you know that Sophie's husband, Walter, was also a Ph.D. a chemical engineer an Assistant Research Director of the National Lead Com- pany and a Colonel in the U. S. Army, First Division, Headquarters Staff, during World War II. Colonel Plechner was killed in action in North Africa in March, 1•43. Following this tragedy in her life, Sophie returned to our industry in 1•43 by joining Carter Products, Inc., now called Carter-Wallace, Inc., where she is now an Associate Director of Research. Sophie was selected for the Medal Award of our Society because of her long record of achievement and publications covering a broad spec- trum of cosmetic and related sciences. After her thesis at Columbia University on "Properties of the Amylase of Aspergillus Oryzae or Taka

74 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS Diastase" she wrote a handbook on "Food, Drugs and Cosmetics" for Consumers Research. Following that she wrote a bulletin on "Tricho- phytosis," better known as "Athlete's Foot." While Sophie has over-all scientific knowledge of our industry, it is in the field of antiperspirants and deodorants that she excels. When the editors of the book, "Cosmetic Science & Technology," were searching for someone to write the chapters on antiperspirants, there was only one person they could select that was our dear friend, Sophie. Just to indicate to you one of the advances she has made on the frontier of cosmetic science, I shall read to you an example of an area covered by her work, on which four patents were issued jointly to her and Dr. Frank M. Berger of Carter-Wallace, I•.c.: Combinations of astrin.õe•_t salts as new active ingredients in antiperspirant preparations containing aluminum sulfate, sodium zirconium lactate and a long series of titanyl mono- and di-lactates. In Sophie, we have a very serious and quiet person whose mere presence brings out the best in any group. Her fellow scientists have the greatest respect for her ability, which accounts for her outstanding reputation in our field. In every type of operation, in her matchless and orderly manner, Sophie made scientific contributions to the many com- mittees on which she served, never seeking or expecting a reward but always being willing to serve when there was something of importance to be done. Thus, the Toilet Goods Association selected her for its Scientific Advisory Committee in 1947, and she became, in 1954, the first woman to serve as the Chairman of its Scientific Section. The Society of Cosmetic Chemists recognized her outstanding work by having her serve on one committee after another, electing her a Director in 1957 through 1959 and then selecting her in 1961 as its first and only woman President. The Toilet Goods Association and the Society of Cosmetic Chemists will long remember her outstanding ability, her sincere desire to co- operate, and her willingness to take on and complete any task assigned to her. Sophie loves to travel and expressed this love by going on all four of our European tours and the recent one to Mexico. These trips have made her our best goodwill ambassador and endeared her to our many friends in the cosmetic industry, both here and abroad. Her personal courage, her warmth, her respect for others, her kind- ness to many in the Society, give us a sincere feeling of gratitude for all