Armstrong – Table of Contents

healthy young men aboard a Coast Guard cutter, chasing after influenza illness statistics
for several months and a few weeks of instruction in epidemiology. In this initial
manuscript, Armstrong demonstrated the qualities that would presage his future research
activities. He possessed a keen intellect and exhibited enthusiastic intellectual curiosity.
He was a careful observer, industrious, and paid meticulous attention to detail. He
thought logically and could reason deductively with great skill. At this early stage in his
career, he was already dedicated obsessively to strictly controlled, epidemiological
observations and laboratory experimentation. He acquired comprehensive knowledge
about the subject he was investigating including reviews of known information about the
subject. He had the ability to collaborate seamlessly with his co-authors. He had a lucid
writing style. Dr. William Hewitt (who introduced the author to Charles Armstrong)
described his observations of Armstrong in the laboratory in the 1940’s when
Armstrong’s reputation was recognized internationally. Hewitt said (10) that Armstrong
“was not a ‘flashy’ worker at the laboratory bench; he did not publish an extensive
bibliography, but each research paper represented a major scientific contribution”.
In the portion of the oral autobiographical interview, conducted by Wyndom Myles (8)
describing the botulism incident, Charles Armstrong presented another aspect of his
personality. He possessed a well-developed sense of humor. The following informal
monologue by Armstrong, slightly modified, described some of the social aspects,
anecdotal details and rumors associated with the outbreak: “The first event of any
importance I had (participated in as an Epidemiological Aide to the State Health Officer)
was in an outbreak of olive poisoning in Canton, Ohio. A lady had given a party to which
she had invited some of the wealthy and most important people of the area. It was held in