Burney, Leroy E. (Leroy Edgar), 1906-1998

Doctor, surgeon.

Leroy E. Burney: physician; B.S., Indiana University, M.D., 1930; M.P.H., John Hopkins, 1932; surgeon general, 1956-1961; vice-president for health sciences, Temple University, 1961-1971; president, Milbank Memorial Fund, 1971-1977.

Leroy E. Burney: physician; B.S., Indiana University, M.D., 1930; M.P.H., John Hopkins, 1932; surgeon general, 1956-1961; vice-president for health sciences, Temple University, 1961-1971; president, Milbank Memorial Fund, 1971-1977.

Leroy E. Burney has had a dinstinguished career in public health administration. Among other positions, he has served as Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service (1956-1961) and President of the Milbank Memorial Fund (1974-1977). Born in Burney, Indiana, he was educated at Butler University (1924-1926), the University of Indiana (B.S. 1928; M.D., 1930) and Johns Hopkins University (M.P.H., 1932). Burney was commissioned in the Regular Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service in 1932, and for the next thirty years he served in a variety of assignments. From 1945 to 1954 he held the position of health commissioner and secretary of the Indiana State Board of Health, on detail from the Public Health Service. He was appointed Assistant Surgeon General in 1954 and Surgeon General in 1956.

During Burney's term as Surgeon General, the Public Health Service initiated and expanded programs in environmental health and applied research, including studies of the relationship between cancer and cigarette smoking and new measures for the prevention of poliomyelitis. Believing strongly in the efficacy of public education, Burney was one of the first officials to warn the nation that "excessive cigarette smoking is a causative factor in lung cancer." He also convened the first national conference on air and water pollution. Burney's other areas of activity as Surgeon General included expansion of international health programs and efforts at administrative reorganization. After leaving the Public Health Service in 1961, he served as the first vice president of health sciences at Temple University, until his appointment as vice president and executive director of the Milbank Memorial Fund in September 1970.

Since its founding in 1905 the Milbank Memorial Fund has concentrated on successive, specific issues in endeavoring to improve and reform the delivery of health service. Following Burney's appointment as vice president and executive director in September 1970 and as president in January 1971, the fund reoriented its program to focus on the health services consumer and especially on the acquisition and application of knowledge about more effective utilization of health services. Burney also established a Commission for the Study of Higher Education for Public Health to explore needs in the field. Burney retired from the Milbank Fund in December 1977.

In addition to his professional appointments, Burney has been active in a variety of public health, international health and civic organizations and has served on a number of national commissions and committees. His work with the World Health Assembly (president, 1957) has been of special significance.