John Maynard Woodworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Maynard Woodworth
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| 1st Surgeon General of the United States | |
| In office March 29, 1871 – March 14, 1879 |
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| President | Ulysses S. Grant Rutherford B. Hayes |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | John B. Hamilton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 15, 1837 Big Flats, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 14, 1879 (aged 41) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
John Maynard Woodworth (born August 15, 1837 – died March 14, 1879) was an American doctor. He was the first person to hold the important job of Supervising Surgeon General of the United States Marine Hospital Service. He worked in this role from 1871 to 1879, helping to create a stronger healthcare system for sailors and setting the stage for modern public health in the U.S.
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Early Life and Education
John Woodworth was born in Big Flats, New York. His family soon moved to Illinois, where he went to school in Warrenville. He first studied pharmacy at the University of Chicago and worked as a pharmacist for a while.
John also helped start the Chicago Academy of Science. In 1858, he became the curator of its museum. This job allowed him to travel west of the Mississippi River to collect interesting natural history items. He was also asked by the University of Chicago to set up a natural history museum.
He spent some time working at the Smithsonian Institution. Later, he decided to study medicine and graduated from the Chicago Medical College in 1862.
Military Service During the Civil War
Right after finishing medical school, John Woodworth joined the Union Army as an Assistant Surgeon. He quickly moved up and became a Surgeon. Eventually, he was named Medical Director of the Army of the Tennessee.
Woodworth served under General William Tecumseh Sherman. During "Sherman's March to the Sea" in the Civil War, he was in charge of the ambulance train. He successfully brought all the sick and wounded soldiers to Savannah without losing a single person.
Post-War Career
After the Civil War ended, Woodworth traveled to Europe. He spent a year learning more about medicine in hospitals in Berlin and Vienna.
When he returned in 1866, he became a teacher of anatomy at the Chicago Medical College. He also worked as a Surgeon at the Soldier's home in Chicago. In the same year, he became a Sanitary Inspector for the Chicago Board of Health. This meant he helped make sure the city was clean and healthy.
Leading the Marine Hospital Service
In 1871, John Woodworth was chosen to be the first Supervising Surgeon of the Marine Hospital Service. This service had started way back in 1798 to help sick and injured sailors. The government used money taken from sailors' wages to provide medical care in American ports. They built hospitals or paid existing ones to care for these sailors.
Before Woodworth took over, the marine hospitals were not very organized. They didn't have enough money, and sometimes doctors were chosen for political reasons instead of their medical skills. During the Civil War, many hospitals were taken over by the armies. By 1869, things were in bad shape.
Woodworth's Reforms
In 1870, a new law was passed to fix the system. It turned the loose group of hospitals into a strong, centrally controlled Marine Hospital Service. Its main office was in Washington, D.C.. The new job of Supervising Surgeon was created to lead this service.
Woodworth started his new role on March 29, 1871, and immediately began making changes. He made the medical staff more like a military team. Instead of choosing doctors based on recommendations, he made them take exams. Doctors were also given uniforms and could be moved to different hospitals as needed. This created a team of professional doctors who dedicated their careers to the service. This idea later led to the creation of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
In 1872, Woodworth started publishing yearly reports about the Marine Hospital Service. He also helped create the American Public Health Association in the same year.
Expanding Public Health Responsibilities
From the start, Woodworth wanted the Marine Hospital Service to do more than just care for sailors. In 1873, his job title was changed to Supervising Surgeon General. He published important information about diseases like cholera and yellow fever.
He also helped set the stage for the National Quarantine Act of 1878. This law gave the Marine Hospital Service the power to stop diseases from entering the country. It also allowed them to publish Bulletins of the Public Health, which was the start of their official journal. Under Woodworth, the Marine Hospital Service began to focus on public health for everyone, not just sailors. This was a big step toward it becoming the Public Health Service we know today.
The Service Seal
Woodworth also designed the official seal for the Service. He first used it in 1874 on a book he wrote about diseases. The seal has a "fouled anchor," which represents sailors. It also has the caduceus of Mercury. This symbol was perfect because it stood for trade (like the merchant marine) and was also used by the Army Medical Corps as their symbol. With only small changes, this seal is still used by the Public Health Service today.
John Woodworth remained the Supervising Surgeon General until he passed away in Washington, D.C., on March 14, 1879.
