“The Patient is first, and last…always”
A History of the Department of Pediatrics at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
First Patients Admitted 1909
Early Pediatrics at Walter Reed
12 deliveries/month between 1920-40; dependent care was optional
War Brides and 10,000 infants transported to U.S. in 1st year after VE Day
High Infant Mortality on the USNS Zebulon Vance
Sister ship to USNS Cateau-Therrieu pictured above
COL Ogden Bruton
Pediatric Section Established March 1949
Rapid Growth in Pediatrics from ’49-’57
Year Outpatients Inpatients
1949 12,000 3711950 17,365 5331951 29,777 1,2191952 27,000 1,2441953 26,571 1,2001954 27,708 1,1941955 35,600 1,4471956 32,600 1,2341957 29,782 1,629
Rapid Growth in Pediatrics from ’49-’57
Pediatric Clinic: Building 7, 2nd Floor
Inpatient Pediatrics, Building 1Wards 16, 17 and 22
Walter Reed Newborn Nursery, 1954
Disease Tokyo WRAHInfections 62.6 13.0Prenatalproblems
12.4 43.0
Trauma 5.6 9.0Cancer 1.3 10.0Metabolic/endocrine
2.1 4.1
Diagnostic Breakdown of Inpatient Admissions at Tokyo and Walter Reed, 1950s
Primary Pediatric Medevac Site for the Western Hemisphere
Hospital for Foreign Dignitaries
Life on the Ward
“Frequent Flier” on the Inpatient WardJoseph S. Holtoner, son of a USAF Major General J. Stanley Holtoner
Meanwhile, a few miles away….
NNMC Pediatrics Starts July 1948 under CAPT James T. Fowler
Bethesda Naval Hospital, 1957
CAPT ThomasCone
LCDR Howard Pearson
LT CharlesWaite
CAPT Andy MargilethFather of Pediatric Dermatology
Walter Reed Expands in the 1960s
COL James Bass – Chief of Pediatrics 1975-1981
Women Pediatricians
1975Dr. Donna Schuster1st Female Graduate
Walter Reed
Mid 1960sDr. Eve Kimball
1st Female Intern in the ArmyMadigan AMC
COL Erroll AldenChief of Pediatrics, 1983-1987
Base Realignment and Closure - 1995
• Two residencies combined as the National Capital Consortium
• NICU and Newborn Services – NNMC• PICU, Inpatient Pediatrics – WRAMC• Subspecialty Clinics – WRAMC (mostly)• Primary Care Clinics - Both
USAF Trainees
• Occasional USAF Pediatric Residents since 1956• B.J. Beard swaps spots with Jill Emerick in 2002• First class of USAF pediatric interns starts 2006
Base Realignment and Closure, Round 22005