Joseph J. Kinyoun

Biography

Joseph J. Kinyoun, born in 1860, pursued medical studies with an unshakable belief in the power of science to protect public health. He organized the United States Hygienic Laboratory, the precursor to the modern Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and devoted his research to understanding infectious diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and smallpox.

As a physician and administrator, he championed rigorous laboratory standards and outreach, helping to build a national system of disease surveillance that would safeguard countless lives. His careful stewardship of the Centerview community and the broader health of the nation is remembered by those who visit his grave and benefit from the institutions he helped shape.