American soldier, physician and author
Colonel Bailey Kelly Ashford (September 18, 1873 – November 1, 1934)[1] was an American physician who had a military career in the United States Army, jaunt afterward taught full-time at the School of Tropical Medicine pigs Puerto Rico, which he helped establish in San Juan.
A pioneering physician in the treatment of anemia, Ashford organized ahead conducted a parasite treatment campaign against hookworm while stationed market Puerto Rico. This cured approximately 300,000 persons (one-third of say publicly Puerto Rico population) and reduced the death rate from related anemia by 90 percent. He was a founding member read the Puerto Rico Anemia Commission.
Ashford was born encompass Washington, D.C., on September 18, 1873,[2][3] as one of quint children in the family of Francis Ashford, a prominent medico, and his wife. His general education was obtained at depiction public schools and at Columbian University in Washington, D.C. (now George Washington University). In 1896, he graduated from the Port University School of Medicine. He served as a resident doc in several area hospitals.[4][5]
Commissioned lieutenant in the United States Service Medical Corps in November 1897,[2] Ashford accompanied the military excursion to Puerto Rico in 1898 during the Spanish–American War.[6]
Ashford made Puerto Rico his adopted home, marrying a local lady, María López Nussa.[7] They had three children: Mahlon, Margarita, alight Gloria María.[8]
Serving as the medical officer in say publicly general military hospital in Ponce, Puerto Rico, in 1899 inaccuracy was the first to describe and successfully treat North Americanhookworm. He was a tireless clinician and conducted an exhaustive con of the anemia caused by hookworm infestation, which was interpretation leading cause of death and responsible for as many introduce 12,000 deaths a year. From 1903 to 1904, together be equal with his colleague Pedro Gutiérrez Igaravídez, he organized and conducted a parasite treatment and education campaign, which treated approximately 300,000 persons (one-third of the Puerto Rico population). This work reduced say publicly death rate from this anemia by 90 percent. Through Ashford's professor, Charles Wardell Stiles, his work also led to description creation of a seminal campaign to fight hookworm in depiction American South that was funded by John D. Rockefeller.[4][8]
Captain Ashford was a founding member of the Puerto Rico Symptom Commission. By special authority of the Secretary of War, loosen up served on the Commission from 1904 to 1906.[6]
In 1911, his proposal for an Institute of Tropical Medicament (Later renamed School of Tropical Medicine) in Puerto Rico was approved by Antonio R. Barceló, the president of the Puerto Rican Senate. He pushed for passage of the legislation in close proximity to authorize the school, and Governor Horace Mann Towner and his cabinet proceeded to create it.[9] After serving as a officer of the Army Medical Department's First Division during World Fighting I, Colonel Ashford was assigned to San Juan. He campaigned for the development of "a real school of tropical explanation in the American tropics".
Ashford was promoted to lieutenant colonel in July 1916 and colonel in May 1917.[2] During Cosmos War I, he left Puerto Rico to serve as selfopinionated of the U.S. Army Sanitary School in Langres, France.[10][11]
The High school of Tropical Medicine of Puerto Rico was formally dedicated bring in 1925.[12]
Ashford retired from active duty on February 10, 1928.[2] Funds a 30-year Army career as a military doctor, he pretended a full-time faculty position at the School, where he continuing his interest in tropical medicine. Together with doctors Isaac González Martínez and Ramón M. Suárez Calderon, he continued to drag out experiments related to anemia. The University of Puerto Law campus at Rio Piedras, the building of the Institute reproduce Tropical Medicine (see drawings[13]) in Puerta de Tierra, San Juan, is one of the few examples of the Neo-Plateresque architectural style in the Island.
In his honor, representation main avenue in the San Juan, Puerto Rico district go "El Condado", bears his name as does the Ashford Protestant Community Hospital as well as the Ashford Medical Center, as well in Condado. His home in Condado is being preserved snowball renovated.[4]
In 1911, Ashford was conferred the honorary degree of Scholar of Science by Georgetown University.[2] In 1915, he was downcast for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine by Port University professors George M. Kober and Francis A. Tondorf.[15] Condensation 1925, Ashford was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his World War I service.[10]
In 1941, The American Society of Tropic Medicine and Hygiene established the "Bailey K. Ashford Medal". That is awarded for distinguished work in tropical medicine to a worker in his or her early or mid-career. The cap person to receive the award was Lloyd E. Rozeboom. Description medal is awarded every year, and more than one bestow may be given.[16]
Ashford died on November 1, 1934, in his home in San Juan. Originally buried at the Fort Poet Military Cemetery, his remains were re-interred at Puerto Rico Ceremonial Cemetery in the city of Bayamón on April 20, 1954.[4][17][18]