May 30, 1923 he sent back to the Laboratory a report of the work done on experiments in
milk pasteurization, performed April 17, 18, 19, 1923, in cooperation with North Public
Health Bureau in Endicott, New York (1). In 1927, Armstrong and Thomas Parran, Jr.,
the future Surgeon General of the USPHS, wrote a manuscript about further studies on
the importance of milk and milk products in the causation of outbreaks of disease in the
United States (14B).
Ragweed Pollen Standardization.
In 1924-1925, Armstrong studied methods (15A, B, C) to standardize the potency
of ragweed pollen extracts used in the treatment of patients with hypersensitivity (allergy,
“hay fever”) to ragweed pollen. He collaborated with his colleague at the Hygienic
Laboratory, Dr. W. T. Harrison. These studies were part of the Laboratory’s mission to
safeguard vaccines used in the treatment of human medical illnesses. Dr. Harrison later
became head of a section that became the Division of Biologic Standards. Dr. Harry S.
Bernton, a civilian employee and later a special expert consultant in bacteriology and
epidemiology (1), aided Armstrong and Harrison in their ragweed studies. Dr. Bernton
collected ragweed pollen and suggested composition of solutions to maintain the potency
of ragweed extracts. Dr. Bernton later entered private medical practice as one of the first
allergists in the Washington, DC area, and he continued a longtime collaboration with the
Hygienic Laboratory/NIH.
Continuing Education.