John B. Youmans (1893-1968) was born in Mukwonago, WI. He earned his bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Wisconsin, and received his M.D. degree from the John Hopkins Medical School in 1919. From the beginning of his medical career, Dr. Youmans was interested in human nutrition. He joined the Vanderbilt University staff in 1927 and remained there until he was commissioned in the Army Medical Service in 1944. Colonel Youmans was Chief of the Nutrition Division of the Preventive Medicine Service within the Army Surgeon General's Office. He carried out nutrition surveys in China and the Pacific and European theaters. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his wartime service and is a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor. After his retirement from the military in 1946, Dr. Youmans returned to academia as Dean and Professor of the College of Medicine, University of Illinois. He returned to Vanderbilt in 1949 to be the Dean, Professor of Medicine and Director of Medical Affairs until he retired in 1958. Throughout his professional career, he served as consultant and field director of the Interdepartmental Committee on Nutrition for National Defense, a subdivision of the National Research Council.
From the guide to the John Barlow Youmans Papers, 1919-1971, (History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine)
