Everett Russell Bailey,

M.D. Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. T ...

(March 30, 1888 – October 22, 1932) was an American physician who served as a First Lieutenant and an army doctor in 365th Ambulance Company and Battalion Gas Officer during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. He specialized in treating gas inflicted patients.

Early life

Bailey was born in

New Castle, Indiana New Castle is a city in Henry County, Indiana, east-northeast of Indianapolis, on the Big Blue River. The city is the county seat of Henry County. New Castle is home to New Castle Fieldhouse, the largest high school gymnasium in the world. ...

. His parents were Reverend John Bailey and Cora Dempsey Bailey. In 1910, Bailey graduated from

Meharry Medical College Meharry Medical College is a private historically black medical school affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1876 as the Medical Department of Central Tennessee College, it was the first me ...

, at the age of 22. He was married by 1914. In 1917, after being a practicing physician for seven years, Bailey volunteered for service in World War I and was granted First Lieutenant in the Military Reserve Corps.

Military service

Bailey completed his training in 44 days and was sent to Fort Riley to be a part of the 92nd Division's medical unit. He was later given to the 365th Ambulance Company and departed with a couple of physicians and personal to France in 1918. Once he arrived in France, Bailey was designated the Battalion Gas Officer and had two assisting officers assigned to help him. In the region he was assigned, there were a large number of gas attacks and he was given the additional responsibility of being a part of the constant gas mask drills. Bailey was given specialized training for the treatment of gas casualties and he was later transferred to the 366th Field Hospital. The 92nd Division was facing aggressive assaults from the so the 366th Hospital frequently received ailments from such attacks. For the remainder of the war, Bailey worked tirelessly at the hospital which constantly filled with gas related ailments. Each hospital in the division was made to accommodate around 200 patients. In the course of three weeks alone, Bailey treated near to 200 gas injuries. The common ailments accompanying gas infestation were

Mustard gas Mustard gas or sulfur mustard is a chemical compound belonging to a family of cytotoxic and blister agents known as mustard agents. The name ''mustard gas'' is technically incorrect: the substance, when dispersed, is often not actually a gas, b ...

poisoning and Arsene poisoning, each causing excessive respiratory problems.

Career

Bailey returned to

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana borde ...

, with his wife. Bailey moved to Indianapolis, Indiana and started his own practice. Around 1931, Bailey and his wife moved to Chicago and his move was mentioned in the ''

Chicago Defender ''The Chicago Defender'' is a Chicago-based online African-American newspaper. It was founded in 1905 by Robert S. Abbott and was once considered the "most important" newspaper of its kind. Abbott's newspaper reported and campaigned against Jim ...

''.

Death

A year after moving to Chicago, Bailey died from complications of gas exposure from the war. His body was returned to New Castle, Indiana. Bailey was buried in South Mound Cemetery and his grave was given a military headstone.

Personal life

By 1914, Bailey was married to Drusilla Bailey and the couple lived in Louisville, Kentucky until he began his military service. Drusilla and Everett had one infant son together who died in 1914 shortly after his birth.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bailey, Everett Russell 1932 deaths 1888 births United States Army Medical Corps officers United States Army personnel of World War I African Americans in World War I 20th-century African-American physicians 20th-century American physicians Military personnel from Indiana People from New Castle, Indiana African-American United States Army personnel