Major-General Brock Chisholm |
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Director-General of World Health Organization | |
In office 1948–1953 |
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Preceded by | none |
Succeeded by | Marcolino Gomes Candau |
Personal details | |
Born |
Oakville, Ontario, Canada |
May 18, 1896
Died | February 4, 1971 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada |
(aged 74)
Nationality | Canadian |
Alma mater | University of Toronto, Yale University |
George Brock Chisholm, CC, CBE, MC & Bar, ED (18 May 1896 – 4 February 1971) was a Canadian First World War veteran, medical practitioner, the first Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), and the 13th Canadian Surgeon General. He was a strong advocate of religious tolerance and often commented that humanity's worst enemy was not disease, which he felt was curable as long as people worked together, but humanity itself.
Chisholm was born in Oakville, Ontario, to a family with deep ties to the region. Under Sir Isaac Brock, after whom Chisholm was named, his great-grandfather fought against the Americans during the War of 1812. His great-grandfather's brother was also Oakville's founder.
As an 18-year-old at the start of the First World War, Chisholm joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force, serving in the 15th Battalion, CEF as a cook, sniper, machine gunner and scout. His leadership and heroism were twice rewarded: with a Military Cross for his efforts in a battle outside of Lens, France; and the Bar. He rose to the rank of captain, was injured once, and returned home in 1917.