Myers, J. Arthur (Jay Arthur), 1888-1978

Jay Arthur Myers was born on 25 November 1888 on a farm near Hartford, Ohio to Charlie and Clara (Baker) Myers. He was home schooled until the age of 7 when he was enrolled in public school. He graduated from Hartford High School in 1906 and from the Doane Academy preparatory department of Denison University in 1907. He attended Ohio University, receiving a B.S. degree in 1912 and M.S. degree in 1913. In 1914 he was awarded a Ph.D. from Cornell University. He married Faith McCracken on 23 June 1909.

In 1914 Myers accepted an instructorship under Clarence Martin Jackson, professor and director of the Department of Anatomy and dean of the Medical School at the University of Minnesota. In 1915 Myers contracted tuberculosis. He was initially treated at Ohio State Sanatorium at Mount Vernon and later at Agnes Memorial Sanatorium. After returning to the University of Minnesota, Myers made the decision to devote his professional life to the treatment of tuberculosis. He spent summers studying at the Glen Lake Sanatorium (1918) and the Trudeau School, Saranac Lake, New York (1920). He graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in June 1920.

Also in the summer of 1920, John Sundwall, director of the Students' Health Service, invited Myers to organize a clinic for tuberculosis at the University of Minnesota. It was the first clinic of its kind in the country and while focusing on the immediate problem, also provided an opportunity to learn the natural history of tuberculosis in young adults.

In 1921 Myers was appointed chief of staff at the Lymanhurst School of Tuberculosis for children and served there until it closed in 1934. Besides providing a school, nursing and medical care, the staff at Lymanhurst also conducted a prolonged study of tuberculosis in children in order to determine the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease.

Myers held many editorial positions, including chairman of the editorial board of the Journal Lancet, (1930-1969) and editor-in-chief of Diseases of the Chest (1946-1969).

In addition to a private practice, Myers held several positions at the University of Minnesota. He served as instructor in medicine, 1920-1922, assistant professor of medicine, preventative medicine and public health 1922-1926, associate professor, 1926-1931 and professor, 1931-1957. He retired in 1957 as a professor emeritus.

He was a member of dozens of professional organizations and traveled extensively the world over in his campaign against tuberculosis. In addition to his lectures, Myers wrote approximately 700 articles on tuberculosis and diseases of the chest and 21 books. He received many local, national and international awards for his work on tuberculosis. He died on 11 September 1978 at the age of 89.

For further biographical information on Jay Arthur Myers, consult the biography file and Autobiography located in University of Minnesota Archives.

Gaylord Anderson papers

Department of Surgery papers

Myers, J. Arthur, Autobiography, 1977. Typescript is located in the University of Minnesota Archives print collection. (MEG/M992a)

Lymanhurst: a report of ten years of activity compiled from the records and the medical staff papers, by J. Arthur Myers, M.D. to F.E. Harrington for the Board of Public Welfare and the Board of Education, Minneapolis, 1932. Located in the University Archives print collection. ((MM/M992l)

From the guide to the Jay Arthur Myers papers, 1914-1977, (University of Minnesota Libraries. University of Minnesota Archives [uarc])