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Robert E. Shank Papers

Robert E. Shank
Robert E. Shank
Robert E. Shank Papers
Volume: 74 linear feet
Inclusive dates: 1946-1980
Collection code: FC034
Organization of the Collection
Container List
PDF Version

Historical Note

Robert E. Shank (1914-2000) was a graduate of Washington University School of Medicine, Class of 1939, and a resident at Barnes Hospital (1939-1940) and at St. Louis Isolation Hospital (1941). In late 1941 he became an assistant in research and resident physician at the hospital of the Rockefeller Institute in New York. While retaining these positions, RES entered the U.S. Navy in 1942 and was assigned to the hospital’s Naval Research Unit. Returning to civilian life in 1946, he became an associate of the New York Public Health Research Institute. In 1948 RES was called to his alma mater in 1948 to become Danforth Professor of Medicine and head of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health.

As head of Preventive Medicine, RES brought a new research emphasis to his department, that being nutrition studies. He contributed to many projects in this specialty of national and international importance. He was particularly associated with the formation of standards for minimum dietary allowances by the National Research Council Food and Nutrition Board. He served as a consultant to the U.S. Public Health Service, the Interdepartmental Committee on Nutrition for National Defense, the Pan American Health Organization, and several food industry associations. Under his leadership, the scope of the department broadened to include work in rehabilitation, health maintenance organizations, biostatistics, applied physiology, and lipid research.

RES became professor emeritus in 1981. He proved to be the last regular head of the department: after five years under interim leadership, Preventive Medicine and Public Health was discontinued in January 1987 and its faculty and programs assigned to other departments, notably Internal Medicine.

Provenance

Gift of Robert E. Shank, 1980.

Access and Use

The collection is open and accessible for research. Certain categories of documentation, however, carry restrictions on access. For detailed information, contact the Archives and Rare Book Section (arb@wusm.wustl.edu). The Library holds copyright.

Scope and Content

The RES papers include correspondence, reports, documents, architectural plans, manuscripts, speeches, and conference proceedings. The files document his interests in nutrition, diet, rehabilitation, and hospital administration. Also notable among them are information on his direction of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health and its programs. RES played a leading role in the construction of two Medical Center buildings, the Irene Walter Johnson Institute of Rehabilitation and the David P. Wohl, Jr. Memorial Clinics and in the development of the services housed there. RES’s papers also contain files on his work with the Office of the Surgeon General of the Army and government-sponsored nutrition programs in Latin America.

Related Material

An oral history interview with Robert E. Shank is available as part of the Washington University School of Medicine Oral History Project. The audio recording and transcript of the interview are available at http://beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/oral/interviews/shank.html.

Organization of the Collection (Series List)

Series 1: Selected Activities in National Organizations, 1945-1977, Boxes 1-6.

Series 2: Hospital Functions, 1975-1979, Boxes 7-9.

Series 3: Community Activities, 1948-1975, Boxes 10-13.

Series 4: American Heart Association, 1973-1979, Boxes 13-19.

Series 5: Washington University Activities, 1949-1975, Boxes 19-21.

Series 6: Local Activities, 1950-1977, Boxes 22-23.

Series 7: Professional Associations, 1947-1966, Boxes 23-24.

Series 8: National and Government activities and committees, 1949-1964, Boxes 24-26.

Series 9: Miscellaneous files, 1943-1972, Boxes 27-30.

Series 10: Office of the Surgeon General of the Army, 1957-1969, Boxes 31-32.

Series 11: Irene Walter Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, 1943-1961, Boxes 33-34.

Series 12: Clinic Building – David P. Wohl, Jr. Washington University Clinic, 1954-1962, Box 34-36.

Series 13: National Research Council – Food and Nutrition Board, 1945-1963, Boxes 36-40.

Series 14: Clinical Applications and Prevention Advisory Committee (CAPAC), 1970-1979, Boxes 40-43.

Series 15: General Correspondence, 1947-1975, Boxes 43-53.

Series 16: Notes from a Laboratory of Medical Statistics, 1959-1966, Box 54.

Series 17: Peru Nutrition Survey, 1959-1964, Boxes 55-56.

Series 18: Northeast Brazil Nutrition Survey, 1960-1965, Boxes 56-60.

Series 19: General Correspondence, 1949-1974, Boxes 61-63.

Series 20: General Correspondence, 1949-1968, Boxes 63-64.

Series 21: Early Laboratory Methods and Records, 1945-1962, Boxes 64-65.

Series 22: American Medical Association, Council on Foods and Nutrition, 1948-1969, Boxes 65-68.

Series 23: General Correspondence, 1956-1981, Boxes 68-70.

Series 24: Miscellaneous Files, 1951-1981, Boxes 71-81.

Series 25: General Correspondence, 1960-1981, Boxes 82-123.

Series 26: Laboratory Files, 1941-1956, Boxes 124-128.

Series 27: Research Notebooks from Laboratory, 1946-1975, Boxes 129-134.

Series 28: Nutrition Survey Manuals, 1957-1967, Boxes 135-143.

Series 29: Reprints, 1941-1982, Box 144.

Series 30: Oral History, 1980.

Container List

Series 1: National Activities, 1945-1977

This series contains mainly correspondence on administrative issues from a variety of organizations. The files include conference and seminar information, including drafts of presentations RES gave at the meetings, newsletters, reprints of proceedings, journal articles, and other news sources. Of particular interest is the material generated as a consequence of his association with the American Institute of Baking. RES was consulted by the Ward Baking Company as they lobbied for Missouri state approval of one of their products, Tip-Top Protein Bread. In his oral history (Series 30) RES comments on the role that scientists have in relation to industry and government regulatory oversight. Boxes 1-6.

Box 1

Box 2

Box 3

Box 4

Box 5

Box 6

Back to Series List

Series 2: Hospital Functions, 1975-1979

RES was a member of Barnes Hospital Medical Advisory Committee and, for a time, a member of its Executive Committee. This series includes minutes from meetings and memos circulated to committee members. Information regarding patient treatment and faculty appointments is considered to be restricted for 80 years from the time of its generation. Boxes 7-9.

Box 7

Executive Committee of Medical Advisory Committee, 1975-1976, 7:1.

Executive Committee of Medical Advisory Committee, 1976-1978, 7:2.

Barnes Medical Advisory Committee, 1976, 7:3.

Barnes Medical Advisory Committee, 1976, 7:4.

Box 8

Barnes Medical Advisory Committee, 1977, 8:1.

Barnes Medical Advisory Committee, 1977, 8:2.

Barnes Medical Advisory Committee, 1977, 8:3.

Barnes Medical Advisory Committee, 1977, 8:4.

Barnes Medical Advisory Committee, 1977-1978, 8:5.

Barnes Medical Advisory Committee, 1977-1978, 8:6.

Box 9

Barnes Medical Advisory Committee, 1978, 9:1.

Barnes Medical Advisory Committee, 1978-1979, 9:2.

Barnes Medical Advisory Committee, 1979, 9:3.

Barnes Medical Advisory Committee, 1979, 9:4.

Back to Series List

Series 3: Community Activities, 1948-1975

The series contains official correspondence, minutes, drafts of presentations, and other papers pertaining to a variety of community health organizations including the St. Louis and St. Louis County Health Departments. Certain files outline RES’s promotion of the Department of Preventive Medicine within WUSM. Of special interest are copies of the St. Louis Civil Defense Disaster Plan and Annexes included in the folder relating to the Civil Defense Council. Boxes 10-13.

Box 10

Box 11

Box 12

Box 13

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Series 4: American Heart Association, 1973-1979

RES was an active member of the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee. This series includes correspondence, reports, meeting minutes, and other files relating to the programs and policies of the Association. Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and the adverse dietary effects of eggs, salt, and sugar are among the specific health and nutritional issues referred to in the files. Of special interest is the Associations’ supermarket in-store information intervention project. Included are files relating to RES’s testimony to the Federal Trade Commission on proposed trade regulation rules on food advertising. Boxes 13-19.

Box 13

Box 14

Box 15

Box 16

Box 17

Box 18

Box 19

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Series 5: Washington University Activities, 1949-1975

Official correspondence and memoranda concerning WUSM including material from the Executive Faculty. Boxes 19-21.

Box 19

Box 20

Box 21

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Series 6: Local Activities, 1950-1977

RES had relationships with several organizations involved in local health and medical welfare issues. A member of governmental advisory groups such as the Missouri Public Health Association, RES was also involved with organizations and citizen groups attempting to effect legislation pending before the Missouri State Legislature. The series contains correspondence, meeting notices and other organizational material, pamphlets, and statements and petitions made to the Missouri Legislative body. Also included are files concerning the Missouri Association for Social Welfare, the organization Volunteers Against Hunger, and correspondence concerning strontium-90. Boxes 22-23.

Box 22

Box 23

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Series 7: Professional Associations, 1947-1966

The series contains correspondence and other papers pertaining to professional memberships and associations. Of special interest are the files related to the California Department of Public Health. RES was a consultant with the Summer Program for Medical Students and the Epidemiology Training Program by which he advised on training standards, recruitment, and student selection. RES was also advisor to the American Board of Preventive Medicine on the creation of examinations on Occupational Medicine. Boxes 23-24.

Box 23

Box 24

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Series 8: National and Government Activities and Committees, 1949-1964

The series contains correspondence and files relating to the various governmental agencies for which RES was a consultant. RES was called on to be a member of the ad hoc advisory group to the Nutrition and Child Feeding Service of the Agency for International Development. RES’s reputation as an expert on the systematic analysis of nutritional needs of large populations began with his involvement in the nutritional study of the population of Newfoundland in the late 1940s. This series includes files relating to every aspect of the Newfoundland survey from the original collection and analysis of the data to the resulting conferences and publications. The material is comprised of correspondence, meeting programs, drafts of presentations and publications, newspaper clippings, and data charts. Boxes 24-26.

Box 24

Box 25

Box 26

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Series 9: Miscellaneous Files, 1943-1972

Material, primarily correspondence, relating to a variety of RES’s professional associations. Notable inclusions are drafts and final reports for the Health Goals Project for the city of Cleveland. Boxes 27-30.

Box 27

Box 28

Box 29

Box 30

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Series 10: Office of the Surgeon General – Army, 1957-1969

RES was a consultant for the Office of the Surgeon General. This series includes reports from the various advisory committees especially those related to irradiated foods, stress, and nutritional requirements. Additionally, the files contain contract invoices and itemized voucher lists concerning RES’s compensation. Boxes 31-32.

Box 31

Box 32

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Series 11: Irene Walter Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, 1943-1961

The series contains correspondence, minutes of meetings, and other material relating to the creation of the Irene Walter Johnson Rehabilitation Institute. Additionally, the series contains correspondence and other material relating to the creation and staffing of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Boxes 33-34.

Box 33

Box 34

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Series 12: Clinic Building – David P. Wohl, Jr. Washington University Clinic, 1954-1962

The series includes correspondence, memoranda and other materials including architectural drawings. As he was the University faculty member with the most direct responsibility for oversight of the planning, construction, and equipping of the new clinic building, RES’s files represent the entire process of construction, from conception to dedication. The plan for what eventually became the David P. Wohl, Jr. Washington University Clinic Building originally began with the proposed renovation of the West Building, known as the old Clinic Building, and the location of the existing Rehabilitation Center. Notably documented are legal petitions for the incorporation of Washington University Clinics, architectural drawings of proposed new construction, applications and correspondence concerning the project’s financial support, construction and inspection memoranda, estimations for equipment purchases, and a draft of RES’s dedication speech. Box 34-36.

Box 34

Box 35

Box 36

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Series 13: National Research Council – Food and Nutrition Board, 1945-1963

The series contains correspondence and reports relating to the various committees of the National Research Council’s Food and Nutrition Board. Of special note are the recommendations made to state and local civil defense organizations on emergency feeding in disaster recovery. Files included also concern the National Research Council’s Food Protection Committee and its response to the controversial issue of chemical additives in food. Boxes 36-40.

Box 36

Box 37

Box 38

Box 39

Box 40

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Series 14: Clinical Applications and Prevention Advisory Committee (CAPAC), 1970-1979

Reports, memoranda, and meeting minutes from an advisory committee of the National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Boxes 40-43.

Box 40

Box 41

Box 42

Box 43

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Series 15: General Correspondence, 1947-1975

The series contains correspondence and materials concerning RES’s professional associations. Boxes 43-53.

Box 43

Box 44

Box 45

Box 46

Box 47

Box 48

Box 49

Box 50

Box 51

Box 52

Box 53

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Series 16: Notes From a Laboratory of Medical Statistics, 1959-1966

The series contains, for the years noted, a near complete run of the loose-leaf serial on statistical theory in medical research entitled “Notes from a laboratory of medical statistics” and issued by Dr. Donald Mainland, Professor of Medical Statistics, New York University. Box 54.

Box 54

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Series 17: Peru Nutrition Survey, 1959-1964

The series contains correspondence, reports, and other materials related to the Peru Nutrition Survey. Boxes 55-56.

Box 55

Box 56

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Series 18: Northeast Brazil Nutrition Survey, 1960-1965

The series contains correspondence, reports, and other materials related to the Northeast Brazil Nutrition Survey. Boxes 56-60.

Box 56

Box 57

Box 58

Box 59

Box 60

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Series 19: General Correspondence, 1949-1974

The series contains a wide variety of correspondence, memoranda, and other materials relating to RES’s University appointment and professional associations. Boxes 61-63.

Box 61

Box 62

Box 63

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Series 20: General Correspondence, 1949-1968

The series contains a wide variety of correspondence, memoranda, and other material accumulated through RES’s professional associations. Boxes 63-64.

Box 63

Box 64

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Series 21: Early Laboratory Methods and Records, 1945-1962

The files of this series are comprised of research notes with drafts of publications and study reports. Also included in the files are some correspondence related to the research publications. Boxes 64-65.

Box 64

Box 65

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Series 22: American Medical Association, Council on Foods and Nutrition, 1948-1969

The series contains issues of the newsletter of the AMA’s Council on Foods and Nutrition. Also included in the files are publications and articles delineating the policies of the Council and its stance regarding various issues. Boxes 65-68.

Box 65

Box 66

Box 67

Box 68

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Series 23: General Correspondence, 1956-1981

The series contains correspondence and materials relating to RES’s professional associations and University appointment. Boxes 68-70.

Box 68

Box 69

Box 70

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Series 24: Miscellaneous Files, 1951-1981

The files in this series are comprised of correspondence and other miscellaneous materials that represent a wide variety of RES’s professional contacts. Boxes 71-81.

Box 71

Box 72

Box 73

Box 74

Box 75

Box 76

Box 77

Box 78

Box 79

Box 80

Box 81

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Series 25: General Correspondence, 1960-1981.

The series contains a wide variety of reports, drafts of publications, correspondence, and other materials. Boxes 82-123.

Box 82

Box 83

Box 84

Box 85

Box 86

Box 87

Box 88

Box 89

Box 90

Box 91

Box 92

Box 93

Box 94

Box 95

Box 96

Box 97

Box 98

Box 99

Box 100

Box 101

Box 102

Box 103

Box 104

Box 105

Box 106

Box 107

Box 108

Box 109

Box 110

Box 111

Box 112

Box 113

Box 114

Box 115

Box 116

Box 117

Washington University, Report on Goals and Objects of, 1970, 117:1.

Barnes Hospital Services, Analysis of, 1971-1976, 117:2.

Nutritional Society of North America, 1974, 117:3.

Nutrition Today Society, 1974, 117:4.

Box 118

Box 119

Box 120

Box 121