Fernando E. Rodríguez Vargas

Infobox Military Person
name=Fernando E. Rodríguez Vargas
lived= February 24, 1888–October 21, 1932
placeofbirth= Adjuntas, Puerto Rico
placeofdeath=Washington, D.C.


caption=Major Fernando E. Rodríguez Vargas Discovered the bacteria which causes dental caries
nickname=
branch=
serviceyears=1917-1932
rank= Major
commands=
unit= Army Dental Corps
battles=
awards=
laterwork=

Major Fernando E. Rodríguez Vargas, DDS (February 24, 1888–October 21, 1932) was an odontologist (dentist), scientist and a Major in the U.S. Army who discovered the bacteria which causes dental caries. [Highlights in the History of U.S. Army Dentistry. See "16 March 1940" entry.] [http://sanfranciscocosmeticdentistry.blogspot.com/2003/05/dental-carie-causes.html San Francisco Cosmetic Dentistry] ]

Early years

Fernando Emilio Rodríguez Vargas was born in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico to Luciano Rodriguez and Dolores Vargas. There he received both his primary and secondary education. After he graduated from high school, he applied and was accepted in the University of Puerto Rico where he took paramedic courses and earned his teachers certificate. "Fernando E. Rodiriguez, Major, Dental Corps, U.S. Army"; By: James B. Mann, DDS,MD, Washington DC, US Army Medical Museum, Page 33] He then went to work as a United States Internal Revenue Service inspector and later as a Spanish translator for the United States War Department. In 1910, Rodríguez Vargas applied and attended Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C. where he earned his DDS degree in 1913. From 1913 to 1915, Rodríguez Vargas had his private practice in Washington, D.C. In 1915, he joined the United States Indian Medical Services, and was assigned to Tucson, Arizona located in the southwest region of the United States. During this time he studied the mottled enamel situation which was affecting Native Americans.

Military service

On August 16, 1917, he joined the United States Army and on September 14th, he was commissoned a First Lieutenant. Rodríguez Vargas was assigned to the Army Dental Reserve Corps and attended a course at the Medical Officer's Training Camp at Camp Greenleaf, Georgia before being sent overseas.

The U.S. Congress had already declared war on Germany when Rodríguez Vargas was sent to the United Kingdom. On August 1919, he was reassigned to San Juan, Puerto Rico and served in Camp Las Casas. During his service in Puerto Rico he met and married Maria Anita Padilla. Rodríguez Vargas, who promoted to Captain on September 8, and his wife had a son which they named Roberto."Asuntos Historicos: Tributo Al Extinto Comandante Fernando E. Rodriguez"; by Dr. Jose Munoz Barait, Page 29]

cientific work

On February 18, 1921, Rodriguez Vargas was sent to Washington, D.C. and assigned to the Army Dental Corps where he continued his investigations in the field of bacteriology. Rodríguez Vargas was there as an educator and investigator of the bacteriological aspects of dental diseases. His research led him to discover the bacteria which causes dental caries. According to his investigations, three types of the Lactobacillus species, during the process of fermentation, are the causes of cavities. In December 1922, he published an original and fundamental work on the specific bacteriology of dental caries. His findings were published in the December issue of the "Military Dental Journal" titled "The Specific Study of the Bacteriology of Dental Cavities". Rodríguez Vargas also developed the techniques and methods of analysis. On September 28, 1928, Rodriguez Vargas published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" his findings in the effectiveness of Iodine and other chemical agents as disinfectants of the mucous membranes of the mouth. Since then, other scientists have used the findings of his investigations as the basis in the study of the bacteriology of dental caries.

Rodríguez Vargas earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University, in 1924 where he was an Associate Professor of Bacteriology in the Ental School. On September 14, 1929 , he was promoted to the rank of Major.cite book|title=Rodriguez General Hospital|author=G. Scheiser |date=September 19, 1944|pages=1,2|publisher=Armed Forces Medical Library|id=Ref. No. #WZ1009R696]

Later years

Rodríguez Vargas was a member of the District of Columbia Dental Society, the International Association of Dental Research and a fellow of the American College of Dentists. In 1925, he was assigned to the General Dispensary, U.S. Army in Boston, Massachusetts until August 1926, when he was reassigned to Holabird Quartermaster Depot, Baltimore, Maryland, which would turn out to be his last assignment. [http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/ferodriguez.htm Arlington National Cemetery] ]

Major Fernando E. Rodríguez Vargas became ill with pneumonia and was hospitalized at the Walter Reed Hospital for treatment. On October 21, 1932, Rodríguez Vargas died of complications at the age of 44. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Section 6 Site 8429. He was survived by his widow and son.

Honors

Rodríguez Vargas is the only Puerto Rican honored with a plaque and bust situated in front of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington, D.C.

On March 16, 1940, the American College of Dentists presented a plaque to the Army Medical Service Graduate School (now Walter Reed Army Institute of Research) in memory of Army dental officer Major Fernando E. Rodriguez for his pioneer research showing the relationship between the Lactobacillus acidophilus and dental caries. [ [http://home.coqui.net/sjoaquin/resumen.htm Vargas] ]

On August 31, 1944, the War Department of the United States issued General Order No. 71 which renamed the Army General Hospital of Fort Brooke located in the Ballaja grounds of the Castillo San Felipe del Morro (Fort San Felipe del Morro) in Old San Juan, the Rodriguez (161st) General Hospital, in honor of Major Rodriguez Vargas.

In the 1950s, the Puerto Rico College of Dental Surgeons honored Rodriguez Vargas with the establishment of the "Dr. Fernando E. Rodriguez Scientific Contest".

Military decoration

ee also

*List of famous Puerto Ricans - Military
*Puerto Rican scientists and inventors

References

External links

*cite web|url=https://www.dencom.army.mil/adcs/history3.asp
title=Highlights in the History of U.S. Army Dentistry
work=History of U.S. Army Dentistry
publisher=Army Dental Care System, U.S. Army
accessdate=2006-08-29

*cite journal
title=Tribute to Major Fernando E. Rodriguez. The life and scientific works of Major Fernando E. Rodriguez USA (D.C.)
author=Baralt J. Munoz
journal=Rev Odontol P R.|date=August 1969|volume=1|issue=2|pages=29–36
id= [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=5263555&dopt=Abstract PMID: 5263555]

* [http://www.ccdpr.org/?pg=colegio&section=2&PHPSESSID=b3d3c4b2a0d8e4f290b4e6119028a697 Puerto Rico College of Dental Surgeons]