Thomas William Salmon

Thomas William Salmon, M.D. (1876-1927) was a leader of the mental hygiene movement in the United States in early twentieth century.

Salmon was born in Lansingburg (now Troy, New York), the son of a physician.He graduated from the local school academy in 1894, taught school for one year, and entered the Albany Medical College. He received his M.D. in 1899. He began his medical practice in Brewster, New York but left it 1901. He worked at Willard State Hospital to investigate a diphtheria epidemic, which he helped end successfully, and became New York State mental hospital bacteriologist. The two years he spent at Willard gave him entry into the world of psychiatry.

Salmon entered the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) in 1903. The following year, he was assigned to the Immigration Station on Ellis Island to examine the immigrants arriving from Europe. At that time, Federal law excluded entry of immigrants with evidence of mental illness, feeble mindedness, epilepsy, or criminal background. Detainees were kept at Ellis Island until arrangements could be made to return to Europe. Salmon was distressed by the poor conditions under which the detainees were kept and pressed his superiors for improvements at Ellis Island. He also urged that those applying for entry into the United States be examined at the port of embarkation to weed out those with excludable conditions. He was unsuccessful and was transferred to a Public Health Service hospital in Chelsea, Massachusetts where he practiced general medicine for four years. He was assigned as medical officer to provide care to fishermen. On his return, he recommended to the Public Health Service that a hospital ship be provided to give medical care to the northeastern fishing communities. He wrote articles and testified before U.S. Congressional committees. His efforts in bypassing his superiors were not met kindly. However, five years later, Congress authorized a hospital ship.

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