William T. Sedgwick
William T. Sedgwick | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 29, 1855 West Hartford, CT |
| Died | January 25, 1921 (aged 65) Boston, MA |
| Education | BS in biology, Yale University, 1877; PhD in biology, Johns Hopkins University, 1881. |
| Occupation(s) | Professor of biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
William Thompson Sedgwick (December 29, 1855 – January 25, 1921) was a teacher, epidemiologist, bacteriologist, and a key figure in shaping public health in the United States. Focused on eliminating typhoid, Sedgwick helped create the Sedgwick-Rafter method, a way to count the prevalence of waterborne microorganisms. He later advocated for the United States' first citywide sand filter for water purification, installed in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
He was president of many scientific and professional organizations during his lifetime, including president of the American Public Health Association in 1915. He was one of three founders of the joint MIT-Harvard School of Public Health in 1913.