Bailey Ashford

Bailey K. Ashford
Colonel Bailey K. Ashford
Born	(1873-09-28)September 28, 1873 Washington D.C., United States
Died	September 10, 1934(1934-09-10) (aged 60) Canovanas, Puerto Rico
Place of burial	Puerto Rico National Cemetery in Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1893–1923
Rank	Colonel
Commands held	United States Army Medical Corp
Battles/wars	Spanish–American War World War I
Other work	Ashford was a founding member of the Puerto Rico Anemia Commission, and initiated the School of Tropical Medicine

Colonel Bailey K. Ashford (September 28, 1873 – September 10, 1934) was an American physician who had a military career in the United States Army, and afterward taught full-time at the School of Tropical Medicine, which he helped establish in San Juan.

A pioneering physician in the treatment of anemia, while stationed in Puerto Rico Ashford organized and conducted a parasite treatment campaign against hookworm, which cured approximately 300,000 persons (one-third of the Puerto Rico population). This reduced the death rate from associated anemia by 90 percent. He was a founding member of the Puerto Rico Anemia Commission.

Ashford was born in Washington D.C. as one of five children in the family of Francis Ashford, a prominent physician, and his wife. His general education was obtained at the public schools and at Columbian University in Washington D.C. (now George Washington University). In 1896, he graduated from the Georgetown University School of Medicine. He served as resident physician in several area hospitals.

As a recently commissioned lieutenant in the United States Army Medical Corps, Ashford accompanied the military expedition to Puerto Rico in 1898 during the Spanish–American War.

Serving as the medical officer in the general military hospital in Ponce, Puerto Rico, in 1899 he was the first to describe and successfully treat North American hookworm. He was a tireless clinician and conducted an exhaustive study of the anemia caused by hookworm infestation, which was responsible for as many as 12,000 deaths a year. From 1903–1904, he organized and conducted a parasite treatment campaign, which cured approximately 300,000 persons (one-third of the Puerto Rico population). This work reduced the death rate from this anemia by 90 percent.