Los
Angeles County
Biographies
JOHN LARRABEE POMEROY, M. D.
For eighteen years health officer
for Los Angeles County, Dr. John L. Pomeroy, of Los Angeles, has pioneered in
his particular field of public service and is nationally known by reason of his
noteworthy achievements therein. He was
born in Louisville, Kentucky, December 19, 1883, a son of Danforth
Wetherbee and Martha Buchanan (Norris) Pomeroy, and
acquired most of his education in his native city. He received the A. B. degree from the
Louisville Male High School in 1900 and in preparation for the profession of
his choice entered the Louisville Hospital College of Medicine which bestowed
upon him the M. D. degree in 1903. Later
he was a post-graduate student at the Bellevue College of Medicine in New York
City, where he won the M. D. degree in 1909.
Dr. Pomeroy first made practical use
of his scientific knowledge as an interne of Charity Hospital on Blackwell’s
Island, New York, from 1903 to 1905, and for two years thereafter was resident
physician at the New York State Hospital on Ward’s Island. Entering the medical corps of the United
States Army, he was sent to Spokane, Washington, where he was assistant surgeon
during 1907 and 1908. From January until
April, 1912, he was connected with the Bottenger Sanatorium at Monrovia,
California, in the capacity of resident physician, resigning that post to
accept the appointment of health officer of Monrovia, and served acceptably
until 1915, while he also engaged in the practice of medicine during that
period. Since 1915 he has
conscientiously and efficiently discharged the duties of health officer for Los
Angeles, his retention in this connection denoting his exceptional
qualifications for such public service.
For nearly two decades he has occupied the office, and was for many
years the only full time county health officer in the western states. The first county health center in the United
States was built by Dr. Pomeroy in 1925.
Untiring in his efforts in behalf of humanity, he drafted and sponsored
the passage of the first metropolitan sewage disposal bills in the California
legislature, and his knowledge and experience have made him a recognized
authority on matters relative to the safeguarding of public health. He is the author of “The Public Health
Nurse,” written in 1919; “County Health Administration in Los Angeles County,”
published in 1920; “Information for Physicians—Manual of Laws and Regulations,”
which appeared in 1928; and “Manual of Food Laws for Los Angeles County,”
issued in the same year.
Dr. Pomeroy is professor of public
health at the Loma Linda School of Medicine and president of the Mutual Water
Company of Topanga, California. In 1924
he formed the Los Angeles County Public Health Association, of which he is a
director, and in 1927 organized the Southern California Public Health Association,
which he headed as president in 1927-28.
He is a member of the American Hospital Association, the Los Angeles
County Medical Society and the California State Medical Society as well as a
fellow of both the American Medical Association and the American Public Health
Association. He was elected president of
the Western branch of the American Public Health Association in 1933.
On the 16th of March,
1907, Mr. Pomeroy was married to Lillian Ketchum Breman, of New York City, and
they had one son, Stanley Norris. Since
the death of his first wife, three years ago, Dr. Pomeroy married Lucile Jones
of Los Angeles. There is a daughter,
Joan Lee, by this marriage. The family
home is at 1515 North Ogden Street, Hollywood, and the Doctor’s office is in
the Hall of Justice at Los Angeles. A
veteran of the World War, he saw eighteen months of active service as a captain
in the medical corps of the United States Army.
His political support is given to the Republican Party and in religious
belief he is a Presbyterian. He is a
Mason and also belongs to the Phi Chi medical fraternity, the Potrero Country
Club, and the University Club at Los Angeles.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. IV, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 207-209, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES