Walter Reed... On April 17, 1940, the USPS honored Walter Reed with a stamp. Shown here is a genuine First Day Cover - an envelope with the 5-cents stamp cancelled with the words 'First Day of Issue' from the city of issue (Washington DC) on the first day of issue captioned above.
The cachet
(artwork on the envelope) features a drawing of Reed and the following
commentary: "Dr. Walter Reed, Scientist - Born Virginia (1851-1902) - A
physician and head of the U.S. Army Yellow Fever Commission. He was
born at Belroi, Gloucester Co., VA and the youngest of six. His father
was a North Carolinian by birth and his mother was the daughter of a
North Carolinian Planter. He spent the first yeas of his life in
Farmville, Prince Edward County. In 1867 he entered the University of
Virginia. After a year in the Academic Department and one in the Medical
School he was given his Medical Degree in 1869 before he was 18. He
received a second degree of M.D. in 1870 at the Bellevue Hospital
Medical College in N.Y. In 1875 he was commissioned as 1st Lieutenant in
the Medical Corps of the U.S. Army. When the yellow fever made its
appearance among American troops in Havana he was placed at the head of
the Commission to investigate its cause and during his work it was
proved that yellow fever was transmitted by the mosquito and his name
will always be associated with the work of the Yellow Fever Commission.
Harvard University conferred upon him the Honorary Degree of A.M., and
the University of Michigan gave him the Degree of LL.D. The great
general hospital of the Army Medical Center at Washington has been named
in his honor."
Double matted in blue and white, this piece is sized to fit a standard 8x10 frame. ***CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY INCLUDED*** |
