Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-15
Walter Reed, the
Great Doctor
By Frederic J. Hdskin.

rails In washington which honor the
great, none is more fitting or practical
than the institution which bears the
name of the man who succeeded In &C
complishing what others had failed to do
in two centuries. That was DR. Walter
Reed, the anniversary of whose birth was
widely recognized last Friday. Indeed,
DR.. Reeds success in stamping out yellow
fever has been instrumental in saving
more lives than were lost in all the wars
of Napoleon.
But there is another accomplishment
to DR.. Reeds credit that is not generally
accorded this distinguished son of Viz
ginia. His work as scientist was doubt
less largely responsible for the construc-
ton of the Panama Canal, so long i'm
portant to this and other countries, and
now of even greater significance.
French engineers first attempted to
build the Panama Canal. but failed al
though they had constructed the Suez
Canal and were regarded as great engi-
neers. They failed at Panama because
they could not cope with yellow fever
and malaria. Success of American engi-
neers was not altogether an engineering
feat, great as it was, but a sanitary tri-
umph as we'll And that triumph was a
direct result of Dr. Reeds ACCOMPLISH
ment which has given him unique place
in history.
Walter Reed was born in Belroi. Va,
September Is, 1851, son Of Methodist
minister. Of the many stories told OF
his boyhoOd. none relates to his interest
in science. He was, however, serious
minded and always interested in acquir-
ing new facts.
At the age of Is Walter Reed entered
the University Of Virginia with intention
of taking the four-year academic course
also medicine. Enrolled with him were
two Of his brothers. This proved too
much for the family purse. and to help
meet the situation without disturbing
his brothers plans. Walter asked the
faculty of medicine if he would be given
his medical degree if he could pass the
necessary examinations at the end Of the
term. Thinking it would be safe prom
Use. because of his youthfulness, assent
was given. Then the Would-be young
doctor said: Gentlemen, hold you to
your promise"
After nine months Of diligent study
Reed applied for the examinations and
passed them successfully graduating
third in his class. Not yet II. he was
the youngest student ever to graduate in
medicine from the Charlottesville insti-
tuition
A year later young Reed took up studies
at Bellevue Hospital in New York, and
after graduation specialized in children
diseases. later becoming an inspector on
the Brooklyn Board of Health Follow
ing these experiences, he entered the
Medical Corps of the United States Army.
But the young doctors determination for
further study resulted in his asking for
leave in 1889. He then took st-gradu-
ate work at Johns Hopkins. specializing
in pathology and bacteriology. -Four
years later he became curator OF the
Army Medical Museum in the Nations
Capital. BY this time DR. Reed had been
promoted to full surgeon with the rank
of major.
Because of the yellow fever epidemic.
which resulted in so many deaths III
Cuba during the Spanish American War
President Mckinley appointed a medical
commission to study the disease and Dr.
Reed was made chairman. This was the
beginning of his eventful career
Yellow fever long had been a scourge
IN tria
Mexico and along the Atlantic seaboard
The disease spread to many cities in the
United States. New York was visited in
1868. Boston in 1891 and Philadelphia
in 1895. The South suffered from the
menace until 1905 when the last epidemic
occurred in New Orleans
So. when members of the Reed COM
mission met in Cuba in June, 1910. they
knew they faced problem that had baf-
fed medical science for $50 years. Many
theories had been advanced as to the
source of yellow fever, then in 1897 Sana-
relli of Italy announced the discovery Of
the specific organism.
DR. Carlos Finlay. a resident of Cuba.
had been insisting since 1881 that yellow
fever was carried by the mosquito How
ever DR. Finlay had not succeeded in
producing an experimental case as posi-
tive proof DR.. Reed began searching for
the organism discovered by Sanarelli
and found it in the tissues of Yellow fever
patients. For time Dr. Reed was puZ-
zled. but observed many things which
convinced him that DR.. Finlty was cor
rect. He noticed, for example. that
nurses who handled patients dying OF
the disease did not contract if themselves
Reed was now confronted s1ith a prob
lem such as no scientist had; ever before
faced, for since man was the only subject
that could take yellow fever. It was neces-
sary to experiment upon hcman beings
Only twice before in all modern medicine
had man been used for medical expert
mentS, and these were in connection with
cow-pox and anti-rabic NEGOTIATIONS
This was test of DR.. feeds strong
moral nature and of his ability to follow
a scientific course.
Two members of the comm ssion volun-
tarily submitted to a test. The first was
bitten by mosquito that bad fed upon
a yellow fever patient He was stricken,
but recovered. The other DIR. j. w.
on September 13-Walter Reeds birth
day yersary-contractec the disease
and died September Is. the first martyr
in the fight against yellow fever From
theSp noAitivn roSoc nr Dad ord