Cyrus Edson (born Albany,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, September 8, 1857; died

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, New York, December 2, 1903) was an American pharmacist, medical doctor, and public health official. He was known for his campaigns against adulterated drugs and infectious diseases such as tuberculosis.

Early life

Edson was the son of

Franklin Edson Franklin Edson (April 5, 1832 – September 24, 1904) was an American merchant who served as the 85th Mayor of New York from 1883 to 1884. Early life Edson was born in Chester, Vermont on April 5, 1832, where his father had a farm. A descendant ...

(1832–1904), mayor of New York City from 1883 to 1884, and his wife Frances (Wood) Edson (1835–1893). Franklin Edson moved from Albany to New York City when Cyrus was four and went into the produce business there, becoming so successful that by 1873 he was elected president of the

New York Produce Exchange The New York Produce Exchange was a commodities exchange headquartered in the Financial District, Manhattan, Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It served a network of produce and commodities dealers across the United States ...

. Cyrus Edson was educated at a military school in Throgg's Neck, attended

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, and graduated from the

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (officially known as Columbia University Roy and Diana Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons) is the medical school of Columbia University, located at the Columbia University Irvin ...

in 1881. While at Columbia Edson was part of a Columbia

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically a ...

team that won the

Visitors' Challenge Cup The Visitors Challenge Cup is a sport rowing, rowing event for men's coxless fours at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing clubs and has similar qua ...

at the

Henley Royal Regatta Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a Rowing (sport), rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It diffe ...

, the first American team to win a race there. The team's ship docked in New York City on August 10, 1878; they were met with a cheering crowd and a parade through the city that led to a reception held at

Delmonico's Delmonico's is a series of restaurants that have operated in New York City, and Greenwich, Connecticut, with the present version located at 56 Beaver Street in the Financial District, Manhattan, Financial District of Manhattan. The origin ...

Career

Edson served as president of the New York City Board of Pharmacy from 1893 to 1899. From 1882 to 1895 he worked for the New York City Board of Health, rising to serve from 1893 to 1895 as Health Commissioner. He campaigned against adulterated milk, candy, and drugs and also headed the Board of Contagious Diseases, where his efforts against

typhus Typhus, also known as typhus fever, is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposu ...

and

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...

attracted much attention. As part of the

war of the currents The war of the currents was a series of events surrounding the introduction of competing electric power transmission systems in the late 1880s and early 1890s. It grew out of two lighting systems developed in the late 1870s and early 1880s: arc l ...

, Edson was recruited by electrical engineer Harold P. Brown to run a second demonstration on August 3, 1888, at Columbia University of the dangers of

alternating current Alternating current (AC) is an electric current that periodically reverses direction and changes its magnitude continuously with time, in contrast to direct current (DC), which flows only in one direction. Alternating current is the form in w ...

by electrocuting stray dogs. In 1896 Edson published a book titled "Aseptolin: A Formulated Treatment for Tuberculosis, Septicæmia, Malaria and La Grippe, With Reports of Cases". Edson formed a company to sell this patent medicine.

Writings

Edson wrote dozens of scientific papers and popular articles on medical subjects. He contributed an article on

typhoid Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a disease caused by ''Salmonella enterica'' serotype Typhi bacteria, also called ''Salmonella'' Typhi. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often ther ...

Scientific American ''Scientific American'', informally abbreviated ''SciAm'' or sometimes ''SA'', is an American popular science magazine. Many scientists, including Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla, have contributed articles to it, with more than 150 Nobel Pri ...

in 1889. The New York City Board of Health published pamphlets of his on "Artificial Feeding of Infants" (1891) and "La Grippe" (1893). His 1895

North American Review The ''North American Review'' (''NAR'') was the first literary magazine in the United States. It was founded in Boston in 1815 by journalist Nathan Hale (journalist), Nathan Hale and others. It was published continuously until 1940, after which i ...

article "The Microbe as a Social Leveller", advancing the idea that public health affects the entire community, continues to be referenced. Several of his articles promoted typical Victorian views on women and attracted wide attention. An 1892 article in the

titled "Do We Live Too Fast?" in which he claimed that "...this American life of ours is far more wearing on women than on men." elicited a response from a prominent surgeon. Another ''North American Review'' article, "On Nagging Women" elicited a response from

Lady Henry Somerset Isabella Caroline Somerset, Lady Henry Somerset (née Somers-Cocks; 3 August 1851 – 12 March 1921), styled Lady Isabella Somers-Cocks from 5 October 1852 to 6 February 1872, was a British philanthropist, temperance movement, temperance leader ...

Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford (April 3, 1835 – August 14, 1921) was an American writer of novels, poems and detective stories. One of the United States's most widely-published authors, her career spanned more than six decades and include ...

, and Mary Virginia Terhune.

Personal life

Edson married Virginia Churchill Paige (1853–1891); their children were Helen Augusta Sprague, Franklin Churchill Edson, Florence Edson, Ruth Lennox Renwick, and William Russell Edson. After Virginia's death he remarried to a widow, Mary E. Quick. Edson was a friend of soldier and inventor Edmund Zalinski and took an interest in his works; he and Zalinski would reputedly go about with samples of

dynamite Dynamite is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or clay), and Stabilizer (chemistry), stabilizers. It was invented by the Swedish people, Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Northern German ...

in their pockets."Dr. Cyrus Edson Dead"...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edson, Cyrus 1857 births 1903 deaths American male rowers Columbia College (New York) alumni Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons alumni Physicians from Albany, New York Physicians from Manhattan Commissioners of health of the City of New York Deaths from pneumonia in New York City