Global Health Chronicles – Malaria control: CDC beginnings

Transcript of interview with William C. Watson Jr., Deputy Director of CDC and Joseph F. Giordano, PHA conducted by Donald A. Berreth September 15, 1984.

Summary: Watson and Giordano began describing how they were recruited to the public health service. Watson was hired to the Venereal Disease (VD) program by Johannes Stuart and soon became Giordano’s boss in the Public Health Service (PHS). The VD program in the South East focused on running mass blood tests for syphilis, which they said was easier to do then than it would be now. They both recalled the work environment after WWII: people were eager workers and jobs were found easily, but the high job loss rate meant people had to be flexible, mobile, and hard working. Finally, Watson described the power struggle with former CDC employees when the VD program had to move to Atlanta; the VD team brought a grant program, regional office structure, field staff, and big budget. Despite faults of the times, Watson praised the PHS as a well-managed organization.

David J. Sencer CDC Museum