Bertlyn Bosley Papers

Collection

Identifier: EBL-0008

Staff Only

Collection Scope and Content Summary

Personal papers of Bertlyn Bosley, dietitian and nutritionist active in the United States Public Health Service, especially with respect to Native Americans. Materials include: correspondence, biographical material, diaries (1922-1985), photographs, slides, manuscripts, reprints, and dissertations. Major topics include: Public Health Nutrition, Nutrition of American Indians, Pan American Health Organization, North Carolina Board of Health, and Division of Indian Health. Correspondents include: George Washington Carver, Mary S. Rose, E. Neige Todhunter, W.P. Jacocks, Clara M. Taylor, Thomas C. Desmond, Betty E. Briggs, and Barbara Ann Hughes. Correspondence is arranged chronologically and is divided into professional and personal correspondence.

Dates

1922 - 1988

Creator

Bosley, Bertlyn (Person)

Notes about Access to this Collection

All collections are subject to applicable Vanderbilt University privacy and confidentiality policies. Collection specific restrictions: No Restrictions.

Reproduction Rights

Copyright is retained by History of Medicine Collections, Eskind Biomedical Library, Vanderbilt University or is retained by the authors of specific published items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Historical or Biographical Note

Bertlyn Bosley (1908-1988) was a researcher, author, and administrator in the field of nutrition. She was active in the United States Public Health Service, especially with respect to Native Americans.

Dr. Bosley was born on March 11, 1908 in Mannington, West Virginia. She received her B.A. from Western College in 1929, and her B.S. from Simmons College in 1931. Later she earned her M.S. from the Teachers College at Columbia University in 1936. She received her PhD in 1944 from Columbia University.

After finishing her studies Dr. Bosley began a career spent mostly working for government agencies. She was the Principal Nutritionist for the North Carolina State Board of Health (NCSBH) from 1944-1947. She planned, organized and developed the first public health nutrition program at the North Carolina State Board of Health. Then she was a Professor of Nutrition and Director of Nutrition Research at the Women's College of the University of North Carolina, Greensboro from 1947-1958. Dr. Bosley then became the Chief of the Nutrition Section of the NCSBH from 1948-1956. After working for the state government of North Carolina, Dr. Bosley went to work for the federal government. She was the Chief of the Nutrition and Dietetics Branch of the Division of Indian Health, which was part of the U.S. Public Health Service from 1956-1964. Then she worked as a Regional Nutrition Advisor for the Pan American Health Organization (a regional office of the World Health Organization) from 1964-1973. She died in Marietta, Ohio on January 22, 1989.

Extent

25.01 Cubic Feet (29 Hollinger boxes, 6 half Hollinger box, 10 Paige boxes, 1 oversize flat storage box 1 (17"x21"x1.5") 5 Card file boxes. )

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Personal papers of Bertlyn Bosley, dietitian and nutritionist active in the United States Public Health Service, especially with respect to Native Americans. Materials include: correspondence, biographical material, diaries, photographs, slides, manuscripts, reprints, and dissertations. Major topics include: Public Health Nutrition, Nutrition of American Indians, Pan American Health Organization, North Carolina Board of Health, and Division of Indian Health. Correspondents include: George Washington Carver, Mary S. Rose, E. Neige Todhunter, W.P. Jacocks, Clara M. Taylor, Thomas C. Desmond, Betty E. Briggs, and Barbara Ann Hughes.