REED, Walter, American military surgeon and bacteriologist: b. Harrisonburg, Rocking ham. County, Va., 1851; d. Washington, D. C., 23 Nov. 1902. He was graduated from the medical department of the University of Vir ginia and from the Bellevue Hospital Medical College of New York and was made first lieu tenant assistant surgeon, United States army, 26 June 1875. His promotions were captain as sistant surgeon, 26 June 1880, and major sur geon, 4 Dec. 1903. In 1890-91, while stationed at Baltimore, he made particular study, of bac teriology in the laboratory of Prof. William. Welch, of the Johns Hopkins University; and established a laboratory of his own, in which he gave instruction to the student-officers of the Army Medical School. As curator of the Army Medical Museum, at Washington, D. C. (from 1893), he continued his researches and soon became known as one of the leading bacteri ologists of the country. His ability was es pecially displayed in his investigations of the cause and progress of epidemic diseases. In 1898 he was made head of a board for the study of the epidemics of typhoid occurring among the troops collected for the Spanish-American War. After the war he made several voyages to
Cuba and was on duty at Havana, studying the diseases of the island and more particularly yellow fever, as a member of a board for its investigation. After a series of brilliant ex periments, he was able to announce that yellow fever is conveyed by a certain variety of mosquito (Stegomyia fasciata), individuals of which become infected by biting persons ill with the fever and by their bite introduce it into the blood of non-immunes. The United States military government at once proceeded to measures of extermination which banished the fever from Havana, where it had prevailed for three centuries. The Atlantic seaboard of the United States was also thereby freed from constant peril. This achievement must rank among the important triumphs of bacteriologi cal science. Consult Keane, (Scientific Work and Discoveries of the Late Major Walter Reed) (Senate Doc. 118).