Hermann Biggs

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Hermann Biggs
Hermann Biggs
Born	September 29, 1859 Trumansburg
Died	June 28, 1923
Nationality	American
Fields	medicine public health bacteriology
Institutions	Metropolitan Board of Health
Alma mater	New York University School of Medicine

Hermann Michael Biggs (September 29, 1859 – June 28, 1923) was an American physician and pioneer in the field of public health who helped apply the science of bacteriology to the prevention and control of infectious diseases. He was born at Trumansburg, N. Y.

Educated at Cornell University and Bellevue Hospital Medical College, he became lecturer and professor of pathological anatomy in the latter institution in 1885. From 1892 to 1901 he was pathologist and director of the bacteriological laboratories and thereafter was general medical officer of the New York Department of Health. In 1897 he was appointed professor of therapeutics and clinical medicine, and in 1907 associate professor of medicine in the University and Bellevue Hospital Medical College. In addition to his other duties he assumed the directorship of the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, upon its organization in 1901.

In 1913 he was chief of a board of experts appointed to make an investigation of health conditions in New York State, and in 1914 he became State Commissioner of Health for New York. He was appointed medical director of the General League of Red Cross Societies at Geneva in 1920 and was knighted by the King of Spain for services in preventive medicine.[1]His publications include The Administrative Control of Tuberculosis (1904) and An Ideal Health Department, with C. E. A. Winslow (1913).

[edit] References

Miller, E B (Dec 1990). "Bibliographic briefs on Hermann M. Biggs, M.D., and three other physicians--all honorary members of the American Veterinary Medical Association". Veterinary heritage : bulletin of the American Veterinary History Society 13 (2): 35-57. PMID 11612511.
"Models for public health workers: Charles V. Chapin, Hermann M. Biggs, and Joseph W. Mountin" (Sep 1985). Journal of public health policy 6 (3): 300-6. PMID 3902890.
"Models for action" (Jun 1980). Journal of public health policy 1 (2): 103-9. PMID 7019241.
Terris, M (Jan 1975). "Breaking the barriers to prevention: legislative approaches". Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine 51 (1): 242-57. PMID 1090315.