Ernest Wende was an American dermatologist and health official.
Background
Ernest Wende was born at Millgrove, Erie County, N. Y. , the eldest son in a family of ten children born to Bernard Philip and Susan (Kirk) Wende; Grover William Wende was a younger brother. His father was an enterprising and successful farmer.
Education
Ernest was able to attend school regularly until he graduated from high school. After teaching for two years at Alden, he began the study of medicine at the University of Buffalo but his course was interrupted when he passed an examination for and entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, July 1, 1875. In a year's time, however, he returned to his medical studies, graduating with the degree of M. D. from the University of Buffalo in 1878. For a thesis on influenza, at graduation, he received honorable mention. He practised at Alden for a short time; then attended Columbia University (1881 - 82) and later the University of Pennsylvania, from which institution he received the degrees of M. D. in 1884 and B. S. in 1885. The next year and a half he spent in Europe, where he studied skin diseases and microscopy at Berlin and Vienna.
Career
Returning to Buffalo in 1886, he established himself in practice there. In 1887 he was appointed to the staff of the University of Buffalo as clinical lecturer in dermatology and the following year was made clinical professor; he was also appointed in 1890 professor of botany and microscopy in the Buffalo College of Pharmacy. In 1892 he received the appointment of health commissioner, which position he held for thirteen years. Soon after taking office he investigated the high death rate in infants and found, from bacteriological studies, that the milk became infected because the imperfect construction of the tubes in the then commonly used long-tube nursing bottles afforded a lodging for bacteria. By city ordinance this type of bottle was abolished, in spite of the opposition of druggists and the indifference of others. He also developed methods for the inspection of the source of the city's milk supply; introduced modern ways of handling contagious diseases; instituted systematic examination, both bacteriological and chemical, of the city's water supply; and brought about periodic inspection of the markets, hotels, and restaurants. The death rate was reduced from twenty-four to fourteen per thousand within one year of his taking office. From 1895 until his death he was associate editor of the Buffalo Medical Journal. Civic and other interests claimed his attention and he was the active head of the Municipal League for many years.
Achievements
Membership
In addition to local and state medical societies, he was a member of the American Dermatological Association, the American Microscopical Society, and the Pan-American Medical Congress. He was at one time vice-president of the American Public Health Association, and was a Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society and of the American Electro-Therapeutic Association.
Personality
Wende was a man of original ideas and had a forceful personality. He wielded a powerful influence for good in his community.
Interests
His interests and accomplishments were varied; he was an amateur ethnologist, archeologist, and botanist; his hobbies included fishing and hunting.
Connections
On August 25, 1881, he married Frances Harriett Cutler of Omaha, by whom he had three children.