Neglected Science – Forgotten Scientists from Developing Countries

Felix Israel Domeno Konotey-Ahulu, Ghanaian clinician (Odhumase Krobo, 12 July 1930 – London 27 May 2025)

Regarded as world’s leading expert on sickle cell anemia

Authored over 200 publications

Sicklaemic human hygrometers (1965)

Torrential epistaxis and facial skin ulceration in sickle cell anemia (1965)

Bilateral femoral head necrosis preventing procreation in sickle cell disease (1967)

Parkinsonian tremor audible through stethoscope known as Konotey-Ahulu parkinsonuian stethoscope sign or Kaps sign (1967)

Mental nerve peripheral neuropathy from sickle cell crisis (1972)

With H. Lehmann & B. Ringelhann discovered haemoglobins Korle-Bu (1968) and Osu-Christianborg (1971)

Coined the term gnathopathy (1974)

Invented male procreative superiority index in anthropogenetics providing a mathematical basis for sickle cell gene frequencies (1980)

First to use polygamy to trace genetic traits backwards

Invented kanad for genetic counseling

Management of sickle cell disease in the community. Brit. Med. J. 348, 2014

Antioxidants for children with kwashiorkor. Brit. Med. J. 330 (2005)

Sickle-cell disease and the patient. Lancet 365 (9457):382-3, 2005

The sickle-cell diseases – clinical manifestation including the “sickle crisis”. JAMA Intern. Med. 133(4):611-9, 1974

Malaria and sickle-cell disease. Brit. Med. J. 2 (5763):710, 1971

First person known to have traced hereditary disease in his forebears, generation by generation, with all names, right back to 1670 AD

The Human Genome Diversity Project: cogitations of an African native (1999)

Developed a method for writing African tonal languages

Mother Tongue – Introducing the Tadka phonation technique for speaking an African tonal language: Krobo/Dangme-Ga of South East Ghana (2001)

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