Ogden C. Bruton Papers

Collection

Identifier: MS C 498

Abstract

The collection focuses on Dr. Bruton's medical career as a distinguished Chief of Pediatric Service at Walter Reed Army Hospital from 1946-1959 and Army Major Colonel, who first reported a children's disease in 1951 which he named agammaglobulinemia.

Dates

1925-1994

Extent

0.4 Linear Feet (1 box)

Creator

Bruton, Ogden C. (Person)

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Language of Materials

Collection materials primarily in English

Restrictions

Collection is not restricted. Contact the Reference Staff for information regarding access.

Copyright and Re-use Information

Donor's copyrights were transferred to the public domain. Archival collections often contain mixed copyrights; while NLM is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. It is the user's responsibility to research and understand any applicable copyright and re-publication rights not allowed by fair use. NLM does not grant permissions to publish.

Privacy Information

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Biographical Note

Dr. Ogden Carr Bruton (b. 1908) was born in Mount Gilead, NC. He entered Trinity College (later to become Duke University) at age 16, and graduated from the School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University in the Class of 1933 with honors. All the medical doctors that graduated with Dr. Bruton became outstanding physicians with renowned accomplishments.

Dr. Bruton served three separate tours of duty at Walter Reed Hospital. He went to Europe during World War II briefly and to Tripler General Hospital from 1955-1958 and finally back to Walter Reed for the final time in 1958. He also spent 1946 in private practice in Winston-Salem, NC., where he also acted as a consultant to the Army Surgeon General's Office. During this time he worked on improving care and health conditions offred by the U.S. military for European "war brides" and their babies during their journies to America.

A patient study was first conducted on Joseph S. Holtoner, Jr. and 8-year-old boy in 1951 who Dr. Bruton, Chief of the Pediatric Ward 17, studied for the past 5 years at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. who lacked gamma globulin in human serum. This congenital desease deprives the body of antibodies needed to counter infections. Its discoverery was likened in importance to the discovery of yellow fever by Walter Reed as an epoch-making contribution to medicine. Dr. Bruton started the Pediatric Ward at Walter Reed Army Hospital on the second floor (see color photograph) in the oversize Map Case.

"The disease, also called Bruton's syndrome, a condition existing in children from birth, is one in which gamma globulin is absent in the blood, thereby rendering them unable to destroy harmful bacteria in certain diseases". Dr. Bruton sent a form quiz to all the chiefs of the medical schools in the United States of America where they had a pediatric service if they had a patient with any symbols of agammaglobulinemia. His findings were published in June 1952 "Pediatrics". Also Time magazine featured his outstanding medical discovery in May 18, 1953, and numerous other newspaper articles throughout the United States.

Collection Summary

The collection focuses on Dr. Bruton's medical career as a distinguished Pediatric Chief of Pediatric Service at Walter Reed Army Hospital from 1946-1959 and Army Major Colonel, who first reported a children's disease in 1951 which he named agammaglobulinemia. Many black and white photographs and color ones of Dr. Bruton's family and his career with the patient, Joseph S. Holtoner, Jr. the only patient to submit a photograph of himself with this disease. Family Correspondence and magazine articles highlight Dr. Bruton's outstanding achievements in high school, college, medical school and medicine.