Delano Meriwether
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm Delano Meriwether (born 23 April 1943 in Nashville, Tennessee
, United States
) is an American
physician
and a former track and field
athlete. He is best known for having been the head of the United States Government 1976 swine flu
immunization
program and as the 1971 US outdoor track and field champion in the 100 yard dash.
where the younger Meriwether was educated. At Burke he played saxophone
on the school band and was a member of the Science Club. His sporting involvement at high school was limited as he was considered too small for basketball
and football
. Meriwether graduated from Burke in 1960.
While still at high school Meriwether worked in a veterinary hospital having already won an award from the American Veterinary Medical Association
as a 16 year old for research on internal parasites found in dogs. After graduating from high school he received a scholarship to study at Michigan State University
; taking pre-veterinary studies for two years before switching to pre-medical
. After three years he graduating from Michigan and became the first African American
to be accepted into Duke University School of Medicine
, graduating with honors in 1967 and then obtained a Master's degree
in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University
.
, the study of blood, and had a number of papers published. In the early 1970s he worked researching Leukemia
at the Baltimore Cancer Research Center
, and was a 1973-1974 White House Fellow
.
In 1976 Meriwether, as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Health, was appointed Director of the United States Public Health Service
's National Influenza Immunization Program (NIIP). The NIIP sought to immunize over 200 million people against swine influenza within six months. This program faced much opposition as many doctors, pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies refused to take responsibility for mishaps. Meriwether became the public face of this campaign.
In 1983 he moved to Gazankulu
in South Africa
where he worked as a missionary
doctor and was one of six physicians treating a half million people. He later worked and lived in the Soweto
township.
Meriwether returned to the United States in 1990 working as an Emergency Room doctor.
magazine posing in his running gear, and also featured in Time magazine.
Meriwether made his mark as a runner at the Amateur Athletic Union
USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
in Eugene, Oregon
in June 1971 when he won the 100 yard dash. His appearance at the event was unusual for a number of reasons. He was unattached to any educational institution and he was wearing a hospital shirt
, gold and white suspenders
and swimming trunks
. The most remarkable element of the day was the time he recorded for the 100 yard dash. In recording a nine second 100 yard he became the second runner to run the distance in nine seconds flat, the other being John Carlos
, however Meriwether's time did not count as a record as the run was wind assisted.
In 1972 Meriwether was the United States Indoor Track and Field Champion, but due to a knee injury he was unable to compete for selection for the United States 1972 Olympic Games
team. After another injury prevented his chances of being selected for the 1976 Olympics
, he retired from regular competition to concentrate on medicine.
For a number of years he ran in masters events and his 200 meter run of 20.8 seconds in 1978 is still a current national record
in the 35-39 age group.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and a former track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete. He is best known for having been the head of the United States Government 1976 swine flu
Swine flu
Swine influenza, also called pig influenza, swine flu, hog flu and pig flu, is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. Swine influenza virus or S-OIV is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs...
immunization
Immunization
Immunization, or immunisation, is the process by which an individual's immune system becomes fortified against an agent ....
program and as the 1971 US outdoor track and field champion in the 100 yard dash.
Early life
Meriwether was born to parents who were teachers. His father, Wilhelm R. Meriwether, in time became a principal of Burke High School in Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
where the younger Meriwether was educated. At Burke he played saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
on the school band and was a member of the Science Club. His sporting involvement at high school was limited as he was considered too small for basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. Meriwether graduated from Burke in 1960.
While still at high school Meriwether worked in a veterinary hospital having already won an award from the American Veterinary Medical Association
American Veterinary Medical Association
The American Veterinary Medical Association , founded in 1863, is a not-for-profit association representing more than 81,500 U.S. veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia, and uniformed services....
as a 16 year old for research on internal parasites found in dogs. After graduating from high school he received a scholarship to study at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
; taking pre-veterinary studies for two years before switching to pre-medical
Pre-medical
Pre-medical is a term used to describe a track an undergraduate student in the United States pursues prior to becoming a medical student...
. After three years he graduating from Michigan and became the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to be accepted into Duke University School of Medicine
Duke University School of Medicine
The Duke University School of Medicine is Duke University's medical school operating under the auspices of the Duke University Medical Center. Established in 1925 by James B...
, graduating with honors in 1967 and then obtained a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
.
Medicine
After graduating from Duke, Meriwether took his internship at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, before starting a residency at Ohio State University Medical Center. He later specialized in hematologyHematology
Hematology, also spelled haematology , is the branch of biology physiology, internal medicine, pathology, clinical laboratory work, and pediatrics that is concerned with the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases...
, the study of blood, and had a number of papers published. In the early 1970s he worked researching Leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
at the Baltimore Cancer Research Center
University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center
The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center located in Baltimore, Maryland.- Quick Facts :* 2,500 Admissions* 45,000 Outpatient visits* 125 Clinical trials...
, and was a 1973-1974 White House Fellow
White House Fellows
The White House Fellows program was established by President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson in October 1964. President Johnson articulated that the mission of the program was "to give the Fellows first hand, high-level experience with the workings of the federal government and to increase...
.
In 1976 Meriwether, as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Health, was appointed Director of the United States Public Health Service
United States Public Health Service
The Public Health Service Act of 1944 structured the United States Public Health Service as the primary division of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare , which later became the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The PHS comprises all Agency Divisions of Health and...
's National Influenza Immunization Program (NIIP). The NIIP sought to immunize over 200 million people against swine influenza within six months. This program faced much opposition as many doctors, pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies refused to take responsibility for mishaps. Meriwether became the public face of this campaign.
In 1983 he moved to Gazankulu
Gazankulu
Gazankulu was a bantustan in South Africa, intended by the apartheid government to be a semi-independent homeland for the Tsonga people. It was carved out of the former Transvaal Province and given self-rule in 1971, with its capital at Giyani. When Apartheid was abolished in 1994, the population...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
where he worked as a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
doctor and was one of six physicians treating a half million people. He later worked and lived in the Soweto
Soweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
township.
Meriwether returned to the United States in 1990 working as an Emergency Room doctor.
Athletics
Meriwether began competitive running in 1970 while working at the Baltimore Cancer Research Center. In order to train Meriwether would scale a fence at the nearby Johns Hopkins University athletics track and would run at night in the dark. Due to his relative inexperience and unique attire, Meriwether drew the attention of the news media; appearing on the cover of Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
magazine posing in his running gear, and also featured in Time magazine.
Meriwether made his mark as a runner at the Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
The USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships is an annual track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport...
in Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
in June 1971 when he won the 100 yard dash. His appearance at the event was unusual for a number of reasons. He was unattached to any educational institution and he was wearing a hospital shirt
Scrubs (clothing)
Scrubs are the shirts and trousers or gowns worn by nurses , surgeons, and other operating room personnel when "scrubbing in" for surgery. In the United Kingdom, they are sometimes known as Theatre Blues. They are designed to be simple with minimal places for dirt to hide, easy to launder, and...
, gold and white suspenders
Suspenders
Suspenders or braces are fabric or leather straps worn over the shoulders to hold up trousers. Straps may be elasticated, either entirely or only at attachment ends and most straps are of woven cloth forming an X or Y shape at the back. Braces are typically attached to trousers with buttons...
and swimming trunks
Swimsuit
A swimsuit, bathing suit, or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn by men, women or children while they are engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, water skiing, or during activities in the sun, such as sun bathing.A...
. The most remarkable element of the day was the time he recorded for the 100 yard dash. In recording a nine second 100 yard he became the second runner to run the distance in nine seconds flat, the other being John Carlos
John Carlos
John Wesley Carlos is a Cuban American former track and field athlete and professional football player. He was the bronze-medal winner in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics and his black power salute on the podium with Tommie Smith caused much political controversy...
, however Meriwether's time did not count as a record as the run was wind assisted.
In 1972 Meriwether was the United States Indoor Track and Field Champion, but due to a knee injury he was unable to compete for selection for the United States 1972 Olympic Games
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
team. After another injury prevented his chances of being selected for the 1976 Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, he retired from regular competition to concentrate on medicine.
For a number of years he ran in masters events and his 200 meter run of 20.8 seconds in 1978 is still a current national record
United States records in masters athletics
These are the current American records in the various age groups of masters athletics. Starting at age 35, each age group starts on the athlete's birthday in years that are evenly divisible by 5 and extends until the next such occurrence. For record purposes, older athletes are not included in...
in the 35-39 age group.