Alice Hamilton was the leading expert of occupational health and industrial toxicology at the height of her career, but she traveled a long, hard road to get there. Hamilton was born in 1869 and grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Her grandfather had made money in the railroad industry, and the family was well off, but that didn’t mean that little Alice had everything she wanted. Her parents homeschooled her and her siblings primarily in language and literature. They did not agree with public schools that put so much emphasis on science, history, and math. Also, the Hamiltons lived a rather isolated life, which inspired her dreams of becoming a doctor: She wanted the freedom to go wherever she pleased, and a career in medicine would allow her to work anywhere. Hamilton would eventually travel the country, pursuing research and helping those working in dangerous industries….