Walter Reed
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Tzoran (talk | contribs) at 13:12, July 30, 2010. It may differ significantly from current revision.
Major Walter Reed (September 13, 1851 to November 23, 1902) was a physician in the U.S. Army. He is best known for his discovery, as a result of a series of experiments in Cuba, that yellow fever is carried by the mosquito. As only humans will catch yellow fever, Walter Reed had to use human volunteers. Once it was known that mosquitoes carried yellow fever, it was possible to reduce deaths from yellow fever by mosquito eradication, allowing the completion of the Panama Canal.[1]
The Walter Reed Medical Center, the Army's primary stateside hospital for personnel, is named in his honor.[1]