Basil O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Basil O'Connor was an American lawyer. In co-operation with US-President Franklin D. Roosevelt
he started two foundations for the rehabiltation of polio patients
and the research on polio prevention and treatment. From 1944 to 1949 he was Chairman and President of the American Red Cross
and from 1945 to 1950 he was Chairman of the League of Red Cross Societies
.
and graduated from Harvard Law School
, then was admitted to the bar to practice law in 1915. For one year he worked in New York for the law firm Cravath & Henderson and for the next three years for Streeter & Holmes in Boston. In 1919 he founded his own law firm in New York, where he met Franklin D. Roosevelt in the early 1920s and became his legal advisor. In 1924 the two men associated in their own law firm which existed until Roosevelt's first inauguration in 1933. Beginning in 1934 O'Connor was Senior Partner in the law firm O'Connor & Farber. Moreover he was executive manager of a number of companies, among them the New England Fuel Oil Corporation in the 1920s, the American Reserve Insurance Corporation and the West Indies Sugar Corporation in the 1940s.
In 1921 Franklin D. Roosevelt had developed flaccid paralysis of the upper and lower extremities, which was diagnosed as poliomyelitis. In the light of newer research
, however, Roosevelt's disease may have been Guillain-Barré Syndrome
(GBS), which was scarcely known at the time . In 1927 Roosevelt founded the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation, with O'Connor as his partner. After Roosevelt's death the foundation was renamed to Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation and gradually began taking care of patients with handicaps of all kinds. The foundation raised funds to support polio patients and Roosevelt himself was president of the foundation until his 1928 election as Governor of New York. Roosevelt's successor as foundation president was O'Connor, who had been the foundations treasurer at the outset. Ten years later, in 1938, the two men joined to initiate the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis
, which focused on supporting research on polio prevention and treatment. The foundation became notable because of its revolutionary fund raising radio campaign, called the March of Dimes, with its appeal to Americans to "Send your dime to President Roosevelt at the White House" for the fight against polio. The first campaign was a smashing success and revolutionized fundraising in America, with over $1,800,000 raised. Now, instead of appealing to a few large donors, as had been the practice with fundraising in the past, the new method was an appeal to the millions for small or very small donations. Since 1979 the foundation's name has been March of Dimes
. On April 12, 1955 – ten years after Roosevelt's death – the National Foundation published the successful results of Jonas Salk
s research on the development of a polio vaccine
.
from 1944 to 1947 and its President from 1947 to 1949. In this capacity he was also Chairman of the League of Red Cross Societies
from 1945 to 1950.
of the Lasker Foundation in recognition of his efforts in the fight against polio. On January 2, 1958 the National Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary at Warm Springs, Georgia
and Basil O'Connor was honored by having his bust inducted into the Polio Hall of Fame
next to FDR and fifteen polio scientists from two centuries.
The following undated quotation is attributed to Basil O'Connor:
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
he started two foundations for the rehabiltation of polio patients
Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route...
and the research on polio prevention and treatment. From 1944 to 1949 he was Chairman and President of the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
and from 1945 to 1950 he was Chairman of the League of Red Cross Societies
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a humanitarian institution that is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement along with the ICRC and 186 distinct National Societies...
.
Lawyer and businessman
Basil O'Connor did his undergraduate work at Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
and graduated from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, then was admitted to the bar to practice law in 1915. For one year he worked in New York for the law firm Cravath & Henderson and for the next three years for Streeter & Holmes in Boston. In 1919 he founded his own law firm in New York, where he met Franklin D. Roosevelt in the early 1920s and became his legal advisor. In 1924 the two men associated in their own law firm which existed until Roosevelt's first inauguration in 1933. Beginning in 1934 O'Connor was Senior Partner in the law firm O'Connor & Farber. Moreover he was executive manager of a number of companies, among them the New England Fuel Oil Corporation in the 1920s, the American Reserve Insurance Corporation and the West Indies Sugar Corporation in the 1940s.
Co-operation with Roosevelt in the fight against polio
Franklin D. Roosevelt's paralytic illness
Franklin D. Roosevelt's paralytic illness began in 1921 at age 39, when Roosevelt got a fever after exercising heavily at a vacation in Canada. While his bout with illness was well known during his terms as President of the United States, the extent of his paralysis was kept from public view. After...
, however, Roosevelt's disease may have been Guillain-Barré Syndrome
Guillain-Barré syndrome
Guillain–Barré syndrome , sometimes called Landry's paralysis, is an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy , a disorder affecting the peripheral nervous system. Ascending paralysis, weakness beginning in the feet and hands and migrating towards the trunk, is the most typical symptom...
(GBS), which was scarcely known at the time . In 1927 Roosevelt founded the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation, with O'Connor as his partner. After Roosevelt's death the foundation was renamed to Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation and gradually began taking care of patients with handicaps of all kinds. The foundation raised funds to support polio patients and Roosevelt himself was president of the foundation until his 1928 election as Governor of New York. Roosevelt's successor as foundation president was O'Connor, who had been the foundations treasurer at the outset. Ten years later, in 1938, the two men joined to initiate the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis
March of Dimes
The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
, which focused on supporting research on polio prevention and treatment. The foundation became notable because of its revolutionary fund raising radio campaign, called the March of Dimes, with its appeal to Americans to "Send your dime to President Roosevelt at the White House" for the fight against polio. The first campaign was a smashing success and revolutionized fundraising in America, with over $1,800,000 raised. Now, instead of appealing to a few large donors, as had been the practice with fundraising in the past, the new method was an appeal to the millions for small or very small donations. Since 1979 the foundation's name has been March of Dimes
March of Dimes
The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
. On April 12, 1955 – ten years after Roosevelt's death – the National Foundation published the successful results of Jonas Salk
Jonas Salk
Jonas Edward Salk was an American medical researcher and virologist, best known for his discovery and development of the first safe and effective polio vaccine. He was born in New York City to parents from Ashkenazi Jewish Russian immigrant families...
s research on the development of a polio vaccine
Polio vaccine
Two polio vaccines are used throughout the world to combat poliomyelitis . The first was developed by Jonas Salk and first tested in 1952. Announced to the world by Salk on April 12, 1955, it consists of an injected dose of inactivated poliovirus. An oral vaccine was developed by Albert Sabin...
.
Chairman of the Red Cross
On Roosevelts advice O'Connor was Chairman of the American Red CrossAmerican Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
from 1944 to 1947 and its President from 1947 to 1949. In this capacity he was also Chairman of the League of Red Cross Societies
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a humanitarian institution that is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement along with the ICRC and 186 distinct National Societies...
from 1945 to 1950.
Awards
After his activities for the Red Cross O'Connor devoted much of his time to the work in the two foundations which he presided over until his death. His efforts in fundraising were much more successful than those of other foundations. For example, the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis succeeded in collecting $66.9 million in 1954 for 100,000 new patients, while in the case of about 10 million patients with heart diseases only $11.3 million were donated. In 1958 O'Connor received the Mary Woodard Lasker Award for Public ServiceMary Woodard Lasker Award for Public Service
The Mary Woodard Lasker Award for Public Service is awarded by the Lasker Foundation. It was previously known as the Albert Lasker Public Service Award, but was renamed in 2000 in honour of his wife. Past Winners include:*2009 Michael Bloomberg...
of the Lasker Foundation in recognition of his efforts in the fight against polio. On January 2, 1958 the National Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary at Warm Springs, Georgia
Warm Springs, Georgia
Warm Springs is a city in Meriwether County, Georgia, United States. The population was 478 at the 2010 census.-History:Warm Springs first came to prominence in the 19th century as a spa town, due to its mineral springs which flow constantly at nearly 32 °C...
and Basil O'Connor was honored by having his bust inducted into the Polio Hall of Fame
Polio Hall of Fame
The Polio Hall of Fame consists of a linear grouping of sculptured busts of fifteen scientists and two laymen who made important contributions to the knowledge and treatment of poliomyelitis...
next to FDR and fifteen polio scientists from two centuries.
The following undated quotation is attributed to Basil O'Connor:
- “The world cannot continue to wage war like physical giants and to seek peace like intellectual pygmies.“
Further reading
- David M. Oshinsky: Polio – An American Story – The Crusade That Mobilized the Nation Against the 20th century's Most Feared Disease. Oxford University Press, Oxford and New York 2005, ISBN 0-19-515294-8
- Timothy Takaro: The Man in the Middle. In: Dartmouth Medicine. 29(1)/2004. DMS Publications, p. 52–57; also online: PDF file, ca. 390KB