Spink, Wesley W. (Wesley William), 1904-1988

Wesley W. Spink, bachelor's degree (1926) Carleton College, M.D. (1932) Harvard Medical School. Dr. Spink was an internationally recognized authority on infectious diseases and is credited with controlling the spread of brucellosis (undulant fever). He was widely known for his research on sulfa drugs, and was the first to use sulfa drugs for therapy and administer antibiotics (penicillin and tetracycline) at the University of Minnesota Hospitals.

Wesley W. Spink, bachelor's degree (1926) Carlton College, M.D. (1932) Harvard Medical School. Dr. Spink was an internationally recognized authority on infectious diseases and is credited with controlling the spread of brucellosis (undulant fever). He was widely known for his research on sulfa drugs, and was the first to use sulfa drugs for therapy and administer antibiotics (penicillin and tetracycline) at the University of Minnesota Hospitals. Because of Dr. Spink's work, along with his colleagues at the University, the Minnesota Legislature enacted a law requiring the pasteurization of all milk for human consumption in 1950.

Wesley William Spink was born on December 17, 1904 in Duluth, Minnesota. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Superior for one year before transferring to Carleton College (Northfield, MN), graduating in 1926 with a degree in chemistry. From 1926-1928, Spink was the head of the department of speech and economics and assistant director of athletics at Doane College (Crete, NE). He enrolled at Harvard Medical School in 1928 and graduated with his M.D. in 1932. He served as an intern at Boston City Hospital from 1932-1936, studying infectious diseases. During his time in Boston, Dr. Spink began to conduct research on sulfa drugs as a treatment for infectious diseases, such as streptococcal.

In 1937, Dr. Spink joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota as an assistant professor; his first task was to establish a new division of infectious diseases within the School of Medicine. He was promoted to associate professor in 1941 and professor in 1946. During his tenure at the University, Dr. Spink held appointments in the Medical School, College of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health. He was the first Regents' professor in the Medical School (1967), the highest honor bestowed upon the faculty at the University of Minnesota. In 1970, Dr. Spink became the first professor of comparative medicine at the University and was awarded the title of Regents' professor emeritus upon his retirement in 1973. Dr. Wesley Spink died on May 14, 1988 at the age of 83.

Dr. Spink was an internationally recognized authority on infectious diseases and is credited with controlling the spread of brucellosis (undulant fever), an infectious disease spread from cattle and sheep to humans by consuming unpasteurized milk or having contact with the infected animal. He was widely known for his research on sulfa drugs, and was the first to use sulfa drugs for therapy and administer antibiotics (penicillin and tetracycline) at the University of Minnesota Hospitals. Because of Dr. Spink's work, along with his colleagues at the University, the Minnesota Legislature enacted a law requiring the pasteurization of all milk for human consumption in 1950.

He served as president of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (1949), the Central Society for Clinical Research (1950), the Minnesota Medical Foundation (1954-1958) and the American College of Physicians (1963-1964). He was a member of the National Research Council's Committee on Penicillin, and consultant to the World Health Organization, the Food and Agricultural Organization and the Secretary of War on Infectious Diseases. In addition, he served as director of the Brucellosis Research Center of the United States.