Billings, John S. (John Shaw), 1838-1913

U. S. Army surgeon and founder of the Army Medical Library.

1860. Graduated from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, with A.B., M.A.

The Adjutant General of the Army had responsibility for matters relating to command, discipline, and administration of the military establishment, and has had the duties of recording, authenticating, and communicating the Secretary's orders, instructions,a nd regulations to troops and individuals in the Army. The Adjutant General's Office chiefly handled Army orders, correspondence, and other records, and it received final custody of virtually all records concerned with the military establishment.

John Shaw Billings (1838-1913) was an American surgeon, hospital planner and librarian. He served as a U.S. Army surgeon and was responsible for creating the nation's foremost medical library, now the National Library of Medicine. He served as special advisor to the trustees of Johns Hopkins Hospital in planning and organizing that institution. After retiring from the Army in 1895, Billings was named the first Director of the New York Public Library. He helped create the NYPL by combining the Astor and Lenox Libraries into a public research library and building a branch library system for three of the boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx). He also planned and oversaw the construction of the Central Library building which was opened to the public in 1911.

Epithet: Editorial director of Life magazine

Surgeon, hospital planner, librarian.

Librarian, surgeon.

Epithet: medical lecturer at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore

John Shaw Billings (1838-1913) was an American surgeon, hospital planner and librarian.

He served as a U.S. Army surgeon and was responsible for creating the nation's foremost medical library, now the National Library of Medicine. He served as special advisor to the trustees of Johns Hopkins Hospital in planning and organizing that institution. After retiring from the Army in 1895, Billings was named the first Director of the New York Public Library. He helped create the NYPL by combining the Astor and Lenox Libraries into a public research library and building a branch library system for three of the boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx). He also planned and oversaw the construction of the Central Library building which was opened to the public in 1911.

John Shaw Billings, MD, was born in Indiana in 1838. He graduated from Miami University in 1857 and then attended the Medical College of Ohio and obtained his degree in 1860. Billings enlisted in the Union Army on April 16, 1862. He was commission an officer in the Regular Army Medical Staff Infantry Regiment. By the end of the Civil War, Billings had been promoted to Brevet Lt. Colonel.

In 1865, Billings was appointed Director of the Library of the Surgeon General's Office. In the thirty years he spent in that position, he was instrumental in expanding their collection of medical resources and compiling an index for the collection to aid in research.

Sources: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/pdf/john.pdf

John Shaw Billings (1838-1913) was born in Allensville near Vevay, Indiana. He graduated from Miami University and the Medical College of Ohio. In 1862 he joined the U.S. Army Medical Department. During the American Civil War he organized hospitals in Washington, D.C. He served in the field at the battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, during the Wilderness Campaign and the Siege of Petersburg.

Staying in the Army Medical Corps after the war, Billings organized the Library and Museum of the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States Army and other army records. This organizational work led to his service with the United States Census. He was also active with the National Board of Health during this period.

Known as an expert in planning hospitals, Billings was asked to plan the hospital for Johns Hopkins University. Later he planned the six other medical institutions and was a professor of Hygiene at the University of Pennsylvania. He was chairperson of the Board of the Carnegie Institution for ten years.

Best known for his work in libraries and bibliographies Billings built the collection of the Office of the Surgeon into the world renowned National Library of Medicine; supervised the publication of the Index Catalogue of the Library of the Office of the Surgeon General and Index Medicus, parent of the computer medical index MEDLINE; and planned the New York Public Library.

Excerpted from: http://www.medlib.iupui.edu/hom/billings.html.

John Shaw Billings (1838-1913) was born in Allensville near Vevay, Indiana. He graduated from Miami University and the Medical College of Ohio. In 1862 he joined the U.S. Army Medical Department. During the American Civil War he organized hospitals in Washington, D.C. He served in the field at the battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, during the Wilderness Campaign and the Siege of Petersburg.

Staying in the Army Medical Corps after the war Billings organized the Library and Museum of the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States Army and other army records. This work lead him to work on the United States Census. He was also active with the National Board of Health during this period.

Known as an expert in planning hospitals, Billings was asked to plan the hospital for Johns Hopkins University. Later he planned the six other medical institutions and was a professor of Hygiene at the University of Pennsylvania. He was chairperson of the Board of the Carnegie Institution for ten years.

Best known for his work in libraries and bibliographies Billings built the collection of the Office of the Surgeon into the world renowned National Library of Medicine; supervised the publication of the Index Catalogue of the Library of the Office of the Surgeon General and Index Medicus, parent of the computer medical index MEDLINE; and planned the New York Public Library. from: http://www.medlib.iupui.edu/hom/billings.html