Stories of Doctors Who Loved Humanity

Digital Publisher: Top Medical Health Care Center

Chapter One — The Young Doctor

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September 13, 1851. In the early morning light, the mountain ranges of Virginia glowed in deep green. But Faraba Reed and her husband, Parson Reed, had little time to admire the scenery. Their fifth child was born that day. There was nothing particularly remarkable about him compared with their other boys. No incident from Walter Reed’s childhood stands out as a sign that his name would one day be carved into humanity’s memory. Like other boys, he was growing up amid the ordinary joys and sorrows of life.

On one occasion, Walter Reed went with several friends to the tobacco farmhouses around Farmville in Gloucester County. The older boys in the group began sampling tobacco to show off their sophistication. Like young cowhands, they chewed the tobacco and spat it out. They urged Walter to do the same.

Gathering his courage, Walter put the harsh tobacco into his mouth and began chewing. Spitting repeatedly, he clenched his teeth and tried to look as though he knew all there was to know about the world. But, little by little, his newly acquired confidence began to fade. The ground seemed to sway beneath his feet. His face turned pale and colorless, and then came an agonizing feeling of sickness. He no longer had the strength to move about or even to speak. Exhausted, he sank to the ground.

Frightened by what had happened—and afraid of getting into trouble for entering a forbidden place—the older boys carried Walter away from the tobacco shed. They repeatedly urged him to walk, but he could not manage to get to his feet. He looked seriously ill.

One of the older boys took his hand and said, “Swear it, Walter. Even if you die, you must never tell anyone about this.”

Moving his lips slowly, Walter replied, “Even if I die, I won’t tell anyone.”

Reassured by his promise, the boys lifted him onto their shoulders and started toward home. Once the danger had passed, the memory of the incident soon faded as well. It was Walter’s last childhood encounter with tobacco.

Had he not become involved in another kind of danger later on, he might never have grown into a healthy young man without further trouble. That incident occurred in 1865, during the American Civil War.

At the time, General Sheridan’s raiding force was sweeping through the Virginia countryside, seizing herds of livestock. Walter, his older brother Christopher, and a neighboring friend were sent to hide their horses somewhere safe. At a bend in the river, they discovered a suitable place—a swimming hole shaped like a crescent moon.

They decided to stay there until the danger had passed. They tied the horses among the trees and concealed them behind the thick foliage of the woods. Drawn by the river’s invitation, the boys spent their time splashing about and enjoying themselves.

One morning, as they were bathing in the river, they suddenly heard the clatter of horses’ hooves coming from the bank. Before they could understand what was happening, Sheridan’s raiders pushed through the bushes and seized their horses. The raiders had been led to the hiding place by a treacherous servant who worked for Walter’s family.

The boys, trembling with fear, were pulled out of the water, given their clothes, and taken away by the raiders. That night, fear kept every member of their families awake.

Fortunately, because of their young age, all the captives were released. They returned home on foot, relieved and overjoyed. Their horses, however, were lost forever.

Apart from these dramatic incidents, Walter Reed was growing up much like other boys in the American South. Yet certain qualities were beginning to emerge in him—qualities that would later give depth and distinction to the story of his life.

From the moment he began to understand that a doctor’s life could be both rewarding and important, he remained steadfast in his determination to become a physician.

Curious, perceptive, and strong-willed, Walter entered the University of Virginia at the age of only sixteen. But a financial crisis soon arose. His father, who earned his living as a clergyman, was already paying the college expenses of his two eldest sons. He could not afford to support a third son’s education for more than a year.

Leaving the university would mean abandoning his dream of becoming a doctor. Walter was unwilling to accept that outcome. Summoning his courage, he went before the faculty of the university’s medical department.

Reed asked them, “If I study medicine for the remaining nine months and pass the examination, will you award me a degree?”

The professors looked at one another in astonishment and burst into laughter. A sixteen-year-old boy wanted to study medicine! And he had only one year of experience in Latin, Greek, and English literature! They assumed that he could not possibly pass the examinations. With that in mind, they agreed to his proposal.

Walter then turned to Dr. Maupin, the chairman of the department, and said, “You have heard what these gentlemen have said, Dr. Maupin. If I keep my promise, please make sure that I am awarded the M.D. degree.”

Dr. Maupin agreed. “If you pass the examination, you will receive your degree.”

Walter replied, “Please make sure you remember that.”

The professors were impressed by Walter’s confidence and the way he spoke. But as soon as he had left, they began laughing again.

In those days, earning a medical degree was not as difficult as it is today. Even so, the medical school at the University of Virginia was among the oldest and most respected in the United States. Its curriculum was demanding, and its professors were strict. They believed that no student, however capable, could complete the entire course in just nine months.

But they did not know Walter Reed.

During those nine months of medical study, Walter shared a room with his older brother Christopher. According to Christopher, Walter slept for only three hours in every twenty-four.

The examinations drew near. Walter was ready. When the professors examined his papers, they were astonished by what they saw. He had secured third place in his class!

At last, the glorious day arrived. At just seventeen years of age, Walter Reed left the university as a qualified doctor.

As Dr. Maupin handed Walter his diploma, he said, “You are the youngest person ever to graduate from the Charlottesville Medical School. You have kept your promise. The medical department is therefore obliged to award you your degree.”