Typhus, Dengue, “Devil’s Grip”
Charles Armstrong reported to the Hygienic Laboratory (1) following the
completion of the study of the influenza epidemic on Kelley’s Island. He embarked on a
career typical of many of his illustrious predecessors and contemporaries. He combined
research at the laboratory bench alternating as necessary with expeditions into the field to
study local epidemics. He started his work at the North Laboratory, the structure located
at 25th and E Streets NW Washington, DC, often called popularly “the Red House on the
Hill.” This research laboratory, opened in 1904 with a staff of 13 persons, shared a site
with the United States Naval Hospital, and the shared site had the designation as
Government Reservation No. 4 on the original Pierre L’Enfant design for Washington.
The Laboratory focused initially on commercially produced serums and vaccines (then in
their infancy) for licensing. The Hygienic Laboratory researchers also investigated and
helped control epidemics of yellow fever, typhus, trachoma and bubonic plague for which
in the early 20th century effective vaccines and antibiotics were not available.
As noted previously (1), the Hygienic Laboratory was the embryonic progenitor
of the 20th and 21st century National Institutes of Health. The Division of Infectious
Diseases, later the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, NIAID, was the direct lineal
descendant of the Hygienic Laboratory. Some of the renowned and accomplished
predecessors of Armstrong were the Directors, Drs. Joseph J. Kinyoun, Milton J.
Rosenau, John F. Anderson, and George W. McCoy. Other distinguished members of the
laboratory were Drs. Charles W. Stiles and Wade Hampton Frost. Dr. McCoy and Dr.
Joseph Goldberger preceded and were contemporary with Armstrong. Some of his