Evening star., 1942-12-16

Gen. Keon, Gen. Russell
And Admiral Stitt
Honored at Luncheon
Three distinguished retired mill
tary doctors were awarded the
Gorgas Medal tor eminent contribu-
tions to the field of preventive medi-
cine yesterday by the Association of
Military Surgeons of the United
States.
They are Brig. Gen. Jefferson
Randolph Kean, Brig. Gen. Fred
erick Fuller Russell and Rear Ad-
miral Edward R. Stitt.
The awards were made at lunch
con at the Cosmos Club, attended
by more than two-score military doc
tors and notables, headed by Rear
Admiral Ross T. McIntire. surgeon
general, United States Navy.
establishment of the medals
was made possible by the John
Wyeth & Bros. Co., Philadelphia
pharmaceutical company, for the
first time since 1916, when the medal
was given to Surg. Gen. William
Crawford Gorgas himself.
Reduced Typhoid Peril.
Gen. Russell is credited with max
ing the United States Army the first
in the world to conquer typhoid,
traditional fatal enemy of the fight
ing man. when he immunized our
entire Army against the dread dis
ease. AS a result of his research
and action, typhoid became a minor
problem in the health of our armed
services. >, .-
Former surgeon general, Admiral
Stitt devoted some ~ years to the
Naval Medical Corps before retiring
His citation today called him dis
tinguished scholar and an authority
of international fame on tropical
medicine
The victorious battle against yell
low fever IN Cuba was fought in
1900 by Gen. Kean when he was
chief surgeon of the Department OF
Western Cuba.
Gen. Kean is considered the
father" of the three administra-
tive measures upon which the Army
Medical Department was based dur
ing the First World War, the creation
in 1908 of the Medical Reserve Corps,
the development in 1905 of Army
field medical supply depots and the
creation in 1917 of the United States
organization of Army base hospital
units.
Struck Down Leahy.
How Admiral william D. Leahy,
President Roosevelt's chief of staff
nearly succumbed to yellow fever
some 81 years ago was told. perhaps
for the first time publicly. by Ad-
miral Stitt at the luncheon.
Admiral Stitt said that 'in 1905 OF
1906" DR.. Henry Carter, then as
sistant to Gen. Gorgas in Panama
got a call one night from officers
on the United States cruiser Bos-
ton, which was docked at Panama
The ships medical officer was dead
and many of the men had some
strange disease"
DR.. Carter diagnosed the disease
over the telephone as yellow fever
then hurried to the ship to try save
as many men as possible.
"One of the men he saved" Ad-
miral Stitt recalled, was young
naval officer named Leahy, now
Admiral Leahy."
Speakers at the presentation cere-
monies accented the contributions
the three recipients of the awards
have made to preventive medicine,
making possible the present high
degree Of health of our armed serv-
ices.
DR.. Thomas Parran, surgeon gen.
eral of the United States Public
Health Service, said that much OF
the successes of our Army, Navy and
Marine services are due in a great
part to these three eminent doctors
honored here today.
Gorgas' Daughter Attends.
The actual awards, which in
cluded, beside the medals and certifi-
Gates, checks for $500 each. were
presented the distinguished doctors
by Capt. William L. Mann, presi-
dent Of the association.
Mrs Aileen Wrightson, daughter
of Gen. Gorgas. who made possible
construction Of the Panama Canal.
was presented to the gathering and
received courtesy medal. Remarks
were also made by Frank F. Law.
president of the pharmaceutical
company, and Col. Edgar E. Hume,
vice president of the association
and only person present who served
with Gen. Gorgas when he was sur
geon general during the First World
War.
Mr.. Law said he hoped the awards
would be made every year. The
medal was first struck in 1916, wher
a group Of Army omcers presented
the award to Gen. Gorgas. The
association of surgeons allowed the
pharmaceutical company to renew
the medal.
Among the guests present at the
luncheon were Maj. Gen. and Mrs.
M. w. Ireland, Brig. Gen. s. N.
Marietta, the Rev. David v. Nc
Cauley. DR.. Thomas Parran, Col. s..
j. Simmons, Col. Stanhope Bayne-
Jones, Brig. Gen. c. G. Hillman,
Brig. Gen. Larry B. McAfee. Col.
Harold w. Jones. Col. Lemuel Bolles,
Rear Admiral Harold w. Smith and
Brig. Gen. A. D. Davis.