The 20th century was a time of great improvements in public health. Vaccinations were developed to prevent many
infectious diseases, and antibiotics controlled the bacterial infections that had previously made injuries, surgery,
childbirth, and childhood diseases so deadly. Social and behavioral interventions reduced workplace accidents and
cigarette smoking. Better treatments for common diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer have helped millions to
lead longer, healthier lives. Today, the average life expectancy in the United States is approximately 80 years, compared
to only 47 years in 1900, and public health specialists continue to work to spread these benefits worldwide.
- Virginia Apgar
Virginia Apgar (1909-1974) was an American physician
best known for the Apgar Score, a simple, rapid method for
assessing newborn viability. Apgar was also a leader in
the emerging field of anesthesiology during the 1940s and
in the new field of teratology (the study of birth defects)
after 1960.
(Available July 2006; press release, updated December 2006, May 2007, March 2008)
- Edward D. Freis
Edward D. Freis (1912-2005) was an American cardiologist
best known as the father of the first double-blind,
multi-institutional controlled clinical trial of cardiovascular
drugs which demonstrated that treating
hypertension with medication could dramatically
reduce disability and death from stroke, congestive heart
failure, and other cardiovascular diseases.
(Available February 2006, updated July 2006, December 2006, May 2007, March 2008)
- C. Everett Koop
C. Everett Koop (b. 1916) is an American pediatric surgeon who during a
forty-year medical career pioneered important improvements in the
surgical treatment of children. As U.S. Surgeon General from 1981 to
1989, he turned the office into an authoritative platform from which
to educate the nation on major public health concerns including
smoking, violence, and, most urgently, AIDS.
(Available September 2004, updated August 2005, December 2005, July 2006, December 2006, May 2007, March 2008)
- Wilbur A. Sawyer
Wilbur A. Sawyer (1879-1951) was an American public health administrator
who played a key role in preventive medicine and international public
health during the first part of the twentieth century. He developed
the first effective yellow fever vaccine, and was one of the architects
of the World Health Organization.
(Available September 2004, updated August 2005, December 2005, July 2006, December 2006, May 2007, March 2008)
- Fred L. Soper
Fred Soper (1893-1977), was an American epidemiologist and public
health administrator who won a Lasker Award in 1946 for organizing
successful campaigns to eradicate yellow fever and malaria between
1927 and 1945.
(Available May 2003; press release, updated August 2005, December 2005, July 2006, December 2006, May 2007, March 2008)
- Reports of the Surgeon General
The Reports of the Surgeon General contains official reports, conference and
workshop reports, and proceedings from the Office of the Surgeon General.
Included are the 1964 Report on Smoking and Health, reports on AIDS, smoking,
disease prevention, violence, and children's health, among others.
(Available February 2002, updated August 2005, December 2005, July 2006, December 2006, May 2007, March 2008)
- Visual Culture and Health
Images play a role in health education and disease prevention,
and tell us about the history of health care and the world we live in.
(Available November 2003, updated August 2005, December 2005, July 2006, December 2006, May 2007, March 2008)
U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894
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