Dr. Philip E. Sartwell (1908–1999) was a noted

epidemiologist Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and risk factor, determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decision ...

and

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...

at the

Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is the public health graduate school of Johns Hopkins University, a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. As the second independent, degree-granting institution for research in epi ...

Education

Sartwell obtained a medical degree in 1932 from the

Boston University School of Medicine The Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, formerly the Boston University School of Medicine, is one of the graduate schools of Boston University. Founded in 1848, the medical school was the first institution in the world ...

, and in 1938 earned a master's in

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

degree from the Harvard University School of Public Health.

Career

After his formal education, Sartwell was the Assistant Director of the Division of Tuberculosis in the Massachusetts Department of Health for five years. In 1943, during World War II, he joined the U.S. Army serving as a major in the Epidemiology Section in the Office of the Surgeon General. Sartwell joined the faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health's Department of Epidemiology in 1947. He served as Chair of the Department of Epidemiology from 1954 to 1970. He served as the Editor-in-Chief of the

American Journal of Epidemiology The American Journal of Epidemiology (''AJE'') is a peer-reviewed journal for empirical research findings, opinion pieces, and methodological developments in the field of epidemiological research. The current editor-in-chief is Dr. Enrique Schist ...

from 1957 to 1958. Sartwell additionally established the journal

Epidemiologic Reviews ''Epidemiologic Reviews'' is an annual peer-reviewed scientific journal covering epidemiology and published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The Journal was established in 1979 by Neal ...

and served as its first

editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...

from 1979 to 1982. Sartwell was additionally involved in the

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...

's (CDC's)

Epidemic Intelligence Service The Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) is a program of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The modern EIS is a two-year, hands-on post-doctoral training program in epidemiology, with a focus on field work. History Creation ...

(EIS) on the team that trained the first class of EIS officers in the year 1951. He was the first president of the Maryland Public Health Association when it was founded in 1955.

Research interests

Sartwell's epidemiologic research covered a wide range of fields. His work on the incubation periods of

infectious diseases An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable dise ...

is highly regarded to this day and considered a foundation of modern infectious disease epidemiology. He is remembered for his work on the association between

oral contraceptives Oral contraceptives, abbreviated OCPs, also known as birth control pills, are medications taken by mouth for the purpose of birth control. Female Two types of female oral contraceptive pill, taken once per day, are widely available: * The combin ...

and

thromboembolism Thrombosis (from Ancient Greek "clotting") is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel (a vein or an artery) is injured, the body uses platelets (thro ...

as well as

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a re ...

. He additionally assessed the harm of occupational exposure to

radiation In physics, radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or through a material medium. This includes: * ''electromagnetic radiation'', such as radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visi ...

. His work included assessing the effectiveness of

vaccination Vaccination is the administration of a vaccine to help the immune system develop immunity from a disease. Vaccines contain a microorganism or virus in a weakened, live or killed state, or proteins or toxins from the organism. In stimulating ...

against

influenza Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptoms ...

and

polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...

. He is known for Sartwell's law.url = https://phys.org/news/2018-01-randomness-key-disease-evil.html

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sartwell, Philip 1908 births 1999 deaths American public health doctors Boston University School of Medicine alumni Harvard School of Public Health alumni