William McDowell Hammon | |
---|---|
Born | [1] | July 4, 1904
Died | September 19, 1989 | (aged 85)
Nationality | American |
Alma mater |
Allegheny College Harvard Medical School |
Known for | Polio vaccine pioneer, [2] Tropical diseases |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Physician, virologist, and epidemiologist |
Institutions |
University of California, Berkeley University of Pittsburgh |
Doctoral advisor | Hans Zinsser |
William McDowell Hammon (July 4, 1904 – September 19, 1989) was an American physician and researcher, best known for his work on poliomyelitis. [3] [4] In his early twenties and prior to becoming a research physician, Hammon worked for four years as a medical missionary in the former Belgian Congo. After returning, he received his undergraduate degree from Allegheny College in 1932. [2] Completing his medical training at Harvard Medical School in 1936, [2] Hammon then studied with the bacteriologist Hans Zinsser, receiving a Master of Public Health degree in 1938, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1939. [4] During this period Hammon co-discovered the first vaccine for feline panleucopenia. [5]
Hammon was presented with the Medal of Freedom in 1946 by President Harry Truman. [6] In 1949 Harmon was elected president of the American Society for Microbiology. [1]