Ben Vaughan Branscomb
American physician (1924–2016) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Benjamin "Ben" Vaughan Branscomb (February 1, 1924 – July 4, 2016) was the first pulmonary physician at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a Distinguished Professor of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and influential in establishing the field of pulmonary medicine.[1][2][3][4][5]
![]() | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
Quick Facts Born, Died ...
Ben Vaughan Branscomb | |
---|---|
Born | Benjamin Vaughan Branscomb February 1, 1924 (1924-02) Durham, North Carolina, U.S. |
Died | July 4, 2016(2016-07-04) (aged 92) Alabama, U.S. |
Education | Duke University School of Medicine |
Spouse | Jane Long (Moreland) Branscomb (c. 1948-2010; her death) |
Children | 4 |
Relatives | Bennett Harvie Branscomb (father) |
Medical career | |
Profession | Physician |
Sub-specialties | Pulmonology |
Close
Branscomb was an early critic of smoking as a cause of lung disease before that fact was publicly acknowledged. Over his career he worked to educate the U.S. Congress, the medical profession, and the public about the health dangers of cigarettes and environmental pollution and the need to protect clean air. His research and advocacy were influential in the enforcement of the Clean Air Act of 1970 in Alabama.[2][4][3]