Walter Reed Hospital touts 100 years of military health

Walter Reed touts 100 years of military health

By Kamala Lane - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Apr 30, 2009 16:43:13 EDT

WASHINGTON — At a time when many hospitals operated with few resources and in unsanitary conditions, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center was a state-of the-art facility — boasting electricity, indoor plumbing and an elevator.

Since it opened its doors in 1909, the facility has treated six U.S. presidents and thousands of injured people from conflicts dating back to World War I. But the hospital also has come under criticism recently for its deteriorating service and facilities.

On Friday, the hospital will reflect on the legacy of its namesake and its history as it marks its centennial anniversary.

The institution’s involvement in medical development is “profoundly important,” said Dale C. Smith, a medical historian and professor at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md.

“Throughout 100 years when American medicine and military medicine are making important changes, the name of Walter Reed is in the story,” Smith said.

The hospital has been hosting tours of its buildings this week and sponsored a symposium of its history on Wednesday. It plans to hold a formal ceremony and ball Friday to wrap-up the celebration.

The northwest Washington facility was named for Maj. Walter Reed, a Virginia native who earned two medical degrees by the age of 21, and served for 27 years in the Army. He is best known for leading a research team that uncovered new breakthroughs that led to the treatment of yellow fever in the early 1900s.
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Walter Reed touts 100 years of military health