Walter Reed (1851–1902) was a pioneering American physician and army surgeon whose work confirmed the theory that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes, specifically the Aedes aegypti species. This groundbreaking discovery was influenced by the earlier hypotheses of Cuban doctor Carlos Finlay. Serving as the head of the U.S. Army Yellow Fever Commission in Cuba, Reed and his team, in 1900, conducted experiments that irrefutably proved yellow fever’s mode of transmission, marking a monumental moment in medical history and public health.

Reed’s work laid the foundation for controlling the spread of yellow fever, significantly reducing mortality rates and contributing to the successful construction of the Panama Canal by enabling effective mosquito control measures. His ethical approach to research, insisting on informed consent from human subjects, also set new standards in medical research ethics. Walter Reed’s legacy lives on in various institutions named after him, including the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, testament to his lasting impact on medicine and public health.

Walter Reed Quotes

1. “I feel very lucky just to be here today.”
— Walter Reed

2. “If it happens, it happens, … We can’t stop living.”
— Walter Reed

3. “If I’m watching television and the cable goes out, I tell myself, ‘OK, I’ll read a book. Family matters, not possessions.’
— Walter Reed

4.  “We are not seeing a lot of action out of Augusta at all. We do have our local problems, but Augusta is at the root of most of them.”
— Walter Reed

5. “We’ll take it from here.”
— Walter Reed