Alexander Langmuir

Alexander Langmuir
Alexander Langmuir
Born	12 September 1910 Santa Monica, California
Died	22 November 1993 (aged 83)
Nationality	United States
Fields	Epidemiology
Alma mater	Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University, Cornell University
Known for	Epidemic Intelligence Service

Alexander Duncan Langmuir (12 September 1910 – 22 November 1993) was an American epidemiologist. He is renowned for creating the Epidemic Intelligence Service.

Biography

This photograph depicts Dr. Alexander D. Langmuir seated beside Ms. Ida Sherwood during an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) luncheon.

Alexander D. Langmuir was born in Santa Monica, California. He received his A.B. in 1931 from Harvard, his M.D. in 1935 from Cornell University Medical College, and his M.P.H. in 1940 from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. After serving as a public health officer in New York and as an epidemiologist with the U. S. Army from 1942 to 1946, Langmuir returned to Johns Hopkins to become associate professor of epidemiology in the school of medicine. In 1949, he became director of the epidemiology branch of the National Communicable Disease Center in Atlanta, a position he held for over 20 years. He wrote extensively on all phases of epidemiology on a global basis and was recognized internationally as a leading contributor in epidemiology. Langmuir was a visiting professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health from 1988 until his death in 1993. He was an atheist.^[1]

References

1. Pendergrast, Mark. Inside the Outbreaks: The Elite Medical Detectives of the Epidemic Intelligence Service. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. Print. "She knew that her father was an atheist who did not believe in an afterlife..."

• "A tribute to Alexander D. Langmuir". Am. J. Epidemiol. 144 (8 Suppl): 1 p preceding S1, S1–78. October 1996. PMID 8928703.
• "Alexander D. Langmuir--a brief biographical sketch with emphasis on his professional activities". Am. J. Epidemiol. 144 (8 Suppl): S1–10. October 1996. doi:10.1093/aje/144.Supplement_8.S1. PMID 8928702.
• Brachman, P S (October 1996). "Alexander Duncan Langmuir". Am. J. Epidemiol. 144 (8 Suppl): S74–5. doi:10.1093/aje/144.Supplement_8.S74. PMID 8857846.
• Foster, S O; Gangarosa E (October 1996). "Passing the epidemiologic torch from Farr to the world. The legacy of Alexander D. Langmuir". Am. J. Epidemiol. 144 (8 Suppl): S65–73. doi:10.1093/aje/144.Supplement_8.S65. PMID 8857845.
• Tyler, C W (October 1996). "Contributions of Alexander D. Langmuir to the epidemiologic study of population change and family planning". Am. J. Epidemiol. 144 (8 Suppl): S51–7. doi:10.1093/aje/144.Supplement_8.S51. PMID 8857843.
• Steele, J H; Schultz M G (October 1996). "Veterinary public health and Alexander D. Langmuir". Am. J. Epidemiol. 144 (8 Suppl): S47–50. doi:10.1093/aje/144.Supplement_8.S47. PMID 8857842.
• Stroup, D F; Smith J C (October 1996). "Statistical methods in public health: the influence of Alexander D. Langmuir". Am. J. Epidemiol. 144 (8 Suppl): S29–33. doi:10.1093/aje/144.Supplement_8.S29. PMID 8857839.
• Thacker, S B; Gregg M B (October 1996). "Implementing the concepts of William Farr: the contributions of Alexander D. Langmuir to Public Health Surveillance and Communications". Am. J. Epidemiol. 144 (8 Suppl): S23–8. doi:10.1093/aje/144.Supplement_8.S23. PMID 8857838.
• Schaffner, W; LaForce F M (October 1996). "Training field epidemiologists: Alexander D. Langmuir and the epidemic intelligence service". Am. J. Epidemiol. 144 (8 Suppl): S16–22. doi:10.1093/aje/144.Supplement_8.S16. PMID 8857837.
• Foege, W H (October 1996). "Alexander D. Langmuir--his impact on public health". Am. J. Epidemiol. 144 (8 Suppl): S11–5. doi:10.1093/aje/144.Supplement_8.S11. PMID 8857836.

External links

• The Alexander D. Langmuir Collection Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
• The Alexander D. Langmuir papers can be found at The Center for the History of Medicine at the Countway Library, Harvard Medical School.