Hermann M. Biggs

The sudden death from pneumonia of Dr. Hermann Michael Biggs, New York State Health Commissioner, removes perhaps the most distinguished state or city health officer in the U. S.--a man even more widely known abroad than at home as a pioneer in both the laboratory and administrative phases of preventive medicine. He had been Commissioner continuously since 1914, under both Republican and Democratic Governors, who recognized the folly of breaking up the splendidly efficient organization which Dr. Biggs had built up.

Dr. Biggs was 63 years old, was born at Trumansburg, N. Y., and was educated at Cornell University and Bellevue Medical College. He remained at Bellevue as professor of clinical medicine until 1914. In the meantime he became director of the bacteriological laboratory of the New York City Health Department, and was also chief medical officer of that Department until he was called to Albany. His national and international activities included membership in the War Relief Commission of the Rockefeller Foundation, the General Medical Board of the Council of National Defense and the Medical Advisory Committee of the League of Red Cross Societies, Geneva, Switzerland, of which he was medical director for the year 1920.