Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1958-10-08
Pay Tribute To
Duke Professor

A Duke University professor
described as a rare combination
Iui physician. teacher, scientific
investigator, promoter OF public
health and "story teller of the
first rank" was honorcd nj
Richmond. Va. by the Southern
Tuberculosis Conference today.
DR.. David +. Smith OF Dur
ham, North Carolina, became the
fifth recipient of the Southern
Tuberculosis Conference Award
lat u meeting il tht John Marsh
all Hotel this morning. The a.
ward is presented annually in
recognition of outstanding serv-
ice to tuberculosis control in the
South
a product of the South, DR..
lSmlth'S influence has extended
beyond the boundaries of any
one section to the nation, ac-
icordIng TO Frank w. Webster OF
New York, executive director of
the American Trudcau Society
and former executive of the
= North Carolina tuberculosis
] Association, who made the pres
I ,cntation. Throughout his adult
? life, he has been deeply concern
J ed with the tuberculosis. prob
lem throughout the United
e States and the world"
I His understanding OF the bas-
&c need Of a tWo-fold attack on
this communicable disease, one
scientific and the other civic"
Webster continued, has made
him one of.the most useful men
the tuberculosis movement has
had"
Dr.. Smith was awarded the
Il ITrudcau Medal, highest accolade
@ for scientific achievement be-
? slowed by the National Tubey-
J liulosiS Association, in 1857. His
r. interest in the civic aspects Of
t tuberculosis control is evidenced
y by the fact that he is a past
II president of the Durham COUNTY,
North Carolina, and National
! Tuberculosis Associations:
Born on d farm in South Car
> iolina, DR. Smiths yetrning. for
scientific knowledge. first evil
{ Idenccd in a butterfly collection
il IN high school days, led him
u from Furman University into
u Johns Hopkins University Med
It zeal School.
l' Shortly after graduating, his
Is first medical research appoint
G mint was interrupted by one OF
The verp germs he had set out
TO study, the tubcrcie bacillus.
. However, during his stay at
, TrudCau Sanatorium where he
went for treatment, ne was able
, able TO pursue his thirst for sch
,cntifiC studies to some extent in
, the laboratory there. And, as
! soon as health permitted, he ae-
, iccpicd a position as dirCc or Of
the laboratory at nearby Ray
brook Sanatorium where Re in
IitIatcd series of basic studies
IN immunity to tuberculosis
five years later, includ ing a
year OF practicing medicine, DR..
smith accepted an appoin men.
as professor OF bactcriology and
associate professor of me ficine
at Duke University where he
mas, for % years, pursued a NOT
able career as teacher and sci
cnu'ic investigator.
At Duke University, DR.. Smith
was one of the first to be con-
i''Tncd with fungus diseases
endemic IN the South. and &c
no" recognized authority on
S"Ch diseases as blaStOmycosi,
i In addition, his scientific IN
NrsuEauonS have included st,d-
les on the relation OF vitamin q
10 intestinal tuberculosis. bash
studies IN the use Of tho bor-
none. AcTH. IN chcmothcrapy
'"T tuberculosis, and research IN
other pulmonary diseases in
Guiding bronchic,ctasIs and all
.SccSs of the lung.
The annual meeting OF the
southern tuberculosis Confer
'..c which BEGAN October |
VIII conclude Saturday.