William Crawford Gorgas | |
|---|---|
 Gorgas during World War I | |
| Born | October 3, 1854 Toulminville, Alabama, US |
| Died | July 3, 1920 (aged 65) London, England |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1880–1918 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Commands | Surgeon General of the US Army |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal Public Welfare Medal (1914) |
| Relations | Josiah Gorgas (father) Amelia Gayle Gorgas (mother) John Gayle (grandfather) |
William Crawford Gorgas KCMG (October 3, 1854 – July 3, 1920) was a United States Army physician and 22nd Surgeon General of the U.S. Army (1914–1918). He is best known for his work in Florida, Havana and at the Panama Canal in abating the transmission of yellow fever and malaria by controlling the mosquitoes that carry these diseases, for which he used the discoveries made by the Cuban doctor Carlos J. Finlay. At first, Finlay's strategy was greeted with considerable skepticism and opposition to such hygiene measures. However, the measures Gorgas put into practice as the head of the Panama Canal Zone Sanitation Commission saved thousands of lives and contributed to the success of the canal's construction.
He was a Georgist and argued that adopting Henry George's popular 'Single Tax' would be a way to bring about sanitary living conditions, especially for the poor.[1]
- ^ The Great Adventure, Volume 4. Great Adventure League. 1920. Retrieved May 31, 2015.