Armstrong – Table of Contents

a Five Decade PHS Scientist at a recent (11) Senior Level Orientation Program. A regular
speaker for the orientation series, Armstrong’s talk was entitled “The Growth of the
Service. A Bird’s Eye View.” A brief outline of Armstrong’s career followed in the
Bulletin. A former PHS colleague, Dr. Michael L. Furculow (15) saw the Bulletin and
corresponded with Armstrong. Dr. Furculow was a student of the epidemiology of
histoplasmosis and tuberculosis in the Ohio River Valley. He wrote that it was a pleasure
to see Armstrong’s picture with Surgeon General Terry, that Armstrong looked “just as
young as you did 25 years ago, or more exactly, 24 years ago when I first went with you
in the old NIH.” Furculow was delighted that Armstrong was in such “good health” and
was still able to continue his usual productive work.
The years however were beginning to take their toll, and his health was beginning
to fail. Nevertheless, he was able to enjoy a celebration of his 80th birthday (September
25, 1886) on September 27, 1966 (16). To honor Armstrong for his accomplishments,
especially research in infectious diseases, Dr. James A. Shannon, Director of NIH, and a
number of Armstrong’s former co-workers at NIAID attended the celebratory luncheon at
the Naval Medical Center Officers Club. The group gave him an album of photographs of
scientists with whom he had worked. He also received a letter of congratulations from
Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States which said: “I would like to join your
many friends in extending to you my best wishes and congratulations.
“As you celebrate your 80th birthday and the 50th anniversary of your entrance
into the U.S. Public Health Service, your fellow Americans look to you with gratitude for
your important contributions to the medical advances if our times.