John A. Wessinger

Dr. John Augustus Wessinger (1860-1954) was Ann Arbor’s public health officer from 1905 until 1950. He graduated from Detroit College of Medicine in 1880. He started in private practice in his hometown of Howell before moving to Ann Arbor in 1891. In his early years as a country doctor, he made his rounds in a horse-drawn carriage or sleigh. In 1905, he became the city’s public health officer. The position was part-time, so he also continued in private practice.

Dr. Wessinger was widowed twice before marrying Alice B. Walker of Ann Arbor in 1901. He had three children by Clara Wright (Louis J., Harry T., and Glen J.), two by Frances Crawford (Mary and Helen Louise), and two by Alice (John L. and Francis E.).

Typhoid and Smallpox Outbreaks

Dr. Wessinger’s first test as Ann Arbor’s public health officer was during a typhoid epidemic in August 1916. Fourteen cases of typhoid appeared in Ann Arbor within the space of a week. The doctor worked quickly to narrow down possible sources of infection. His team discovered that all affected families had received milk deliveries from the Currie creamery. But milkman George Currie was not at fault. It was one of his dairy suppliers, Charles Schwab, who failed to disclose his daughter’s case of typhoid. They traced over 50 cases to the same source. Six people died. Mr. Schwab was arrested for contaminating the city’s milk supply. The Currie creamery shut down for thorough sanitization.

Soon after he solved the local typhoid mystery, Toledo had a smallpox outbreak. In 1917, Ohio reported 11,000 cases and 14 deaths. Dr. Wessinger ordered police to turn away train passengers from Toledo. Looking back, he suspects that many went north to Whitmore Lake and took a southbound train back. Still, the city remained safe. The Toledo Blade ran the tongue-in-cheek headline, “Who wants to go to Ann Arbor, anyway?” (Ann Arbor News, June 29, 1950).

Dr. Wessinger conducted the city’s first health survey in September 1916. The City Council funded it. His team inspected dairy farms, creameries, restaurants, hotels, groceries, meat markets, and bakeries. They implemented measures for removing unauthorized privies, which spread disease.

James W. Follin, Assistant Sanitary Engineer for the Michigan State Board of Health, praised Dr. Wessinger’s efforts. “Ann Arbor is doing pioneer work… Lucky will be those who undertake such a study before they are forced to.” It would not be long before Ann Arbor’s public health measures were put to the test by the 1918 influenza pandemic.

Influenza Pandemic of 1918

The influenza pandemic of 1918 was known as the Spanish Flu. The virus first appeared in the spring, but did not reach Michigan until late September. Soldiers at Camp Custer initiated a quarantine after a sudden outbreak. Soon, the Students’ Army Training Corps (S. A. T. C.) at the University of Michigan faced a similar crisis. A handful of cases turned into hundreds within a matter of days. By October 8, 171 S. A. T. C. personnel and 20 civilian students had been hospitalized. Within a few days, hundreds more cases appeared in town.

Dr. John A. Wessinger faced a difficult decision. How could he protect Ann Arbor’s citizens from further catastrophe? On October 16, he banned all public gatherings. He closed theaters, dance halls, and churches. An announcement in the Daily Times News explained his goal of “eradicating the disease as speedily as possible.” The preventative measure came two days before Michigan’s governor issued a similar order. It was a crucial step in the city’s battle against influenza.

By October 24, the death toll in Ann Arbor had climbed to 66. It would continue to rise to over 100 by the end of the year. Schools closed for two weeks. Dr. Wessinger advised citizens and business owners to wear masks. Eventually, his public health directives paid off and the rate of new cases declined. The city reopened on November 9, just in time to celebrate the end of World War I.

45 Years as Ann Arbor’s Public Health Officer 

The typhoid and influenza outbreaks of 1917 and 1918 led to greater support for public health programs across the country. Dr. Wessinger was among those early supporters. In the 1920s, he led a vaccination program for school children. The vaccines protected against infectious diseases such as typhoid and smallpox. A forward thinker, he established one of the first immunization clinics in the state. He served as treasurer and president of the Washtenaw County Department of Health, founded in 1926. The Detroit College of Medicine awarded him a doctorate in public health in 1933.

By the time he retired in 1950, Dr. Wessinger had been on the job for 45 years. When he started in 1905, public health was a one-man department in Ann Arbor. The position was part-time, and he continued private practice on the side. By 1950, he had a full-time salary and the department of public health had grown to six staff members. He was a pioneer in Ann Arbor’s public health and sanitation.

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