
Descriptive Summary
	Collection Number:	MS C 363
	Creator:	Shannon, James A. (James Augustine), 1904-
	Title:	James A. Shannon Papers
	Dates:	1924-1975
	Quantity:	30 MS boxes
	Abstract:	Correspondence, talks, articles, reports and documents, photographs, certificates and diplomas. Dr. Shannon was on the faculty of the New York University College of Medicine from 1929-46. In 1946 he joined the National Institutes of Health, and from 1955-68 Dr. Shannon was Director of the NIH. In 1970 he became Professor and Special Assistant to the President of the Rockefeller University.

Biographical Note

James Augustine Shannon (1904-1994) was born in New York City. He graduated from College of the Holy Cross in 1925, and received his M.D. (1929) and Ph.D. (1935) from New York University. From 1935 to 1941, he worked primarily in the Physiological Laboratories at NYU, while also working at Bellevue Hospital. He then moved to Goldwater Hospital as director of medical research, and then to Squibb Institute for Medical Research in 1946. Shannon began his public health service in 1949 when he became Associate Director of the newly formed National Heart Institute at the National Institutes of Health. Three years later he was appointed Associate Director for Intramural Affairs at NIH, finally becoming NIH Director in 1955, a post he held until 1968. He spent the next two years with the National Academy of Sciences. In 1970 he became Professor and Special Assistant to the President of the Rockefeller University. Shannon retired to Portland, OR. in 1975.

Shannon's contributions to scientific research were in the field of kidney physiology. Between 1931-1941, he was the primary figure in the transformation of renal physiology from a qualitative observational science to a highly precise quantitative one. Shannon's experiments produced a number of fundamental chemical procedures to quantitatively measure exogenous compounds in both blood and urine. His research techniques and methodology also had a much broader impact, finding their way into other areas of basic and clinical physiology. During World War II, Shannon played a large role in the military's malaria research activities, working with the National Research Council and as a consultant on tropical diseases for the Secretary of War. Atabrine was administered in a dosage program developed by Shannon that successfully suppressed malaria in millions of troops throughout the South Pacific, becoming a more effective drug than quinine.

Shannon's administrative career began as director of the Squibb Institute for Medical Research, where he developed strong research programs in pharmacology, neuro-muscular physiology, and in the chemistry of proteins and amino acids. He then moved to start a research program for the newly formed National Heart Institute, where after three years he had established a balanced basic and clinical research program covering a spectrum of activities, ranging from studies of mechanisms of protein synthesis to clinical investigations of surgical treatments for congenital heart problems. Shannon's personal leadership played a significant role in the enormous expansion of NIH's operating expenditures, personnel and laboratory space during the 1950s and 1960s. In his various NIH leadership positions, he exerted a dominant influence on the orientation and shaping of all NIH program areas, while at the same time insisting that NIH support and solidify its relationship with academic institutions. During Shannon's tenure as NIH Director, often referred to as NIH's "golden years," the Institutes expanded the Federal government's role, and ability, to be the largest supporter of independent medical research in the country.

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Collection Summary

Correspondence, talks, articles, reports and documents, photographs, certificates and diplomas primarily document Shannon's career after leaving the NIH's Directorship, although portions also reflect his teaching career at the New York Academy of Medicine and his early NIH research days. A sizable portion of the collection relates to Dr. Shannon's work with organizations and committees.

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Restrictions

Collection is not restricted. Contact the Reference Staff for information regarding access. For online customer service, please visit http://www.nlm.nih.gov/contacts/custserv-email.html.

Copyright

NLM does possess copyright to the collection. Contact the Reference Staff for details regarding rights. For online customer service, please visit http://www.nlm.nih.gov/contacts/custserv-email.html.

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Index Terms
	These terms are indexed in the National Library of Medicine's online catalog LocatorPlus. Researchers wishing to find related materials should search the catalog using these terms.
	MeSH Subjects
		Public Health
		Research
	Corporate Names
		Rockefeller University
		United States. National Institutes of Health

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Personal and Biographical, 1924-1975
Box
1		Biographical data
1		Personal data, 1950-1954
1		Bibliography
1		Professional positions
1		Rockefeller appointment, 1970
1		Membership in scientific societies
1		Newspaper clippings about J.A.S., 1924 - 1969
1		Magazine articles about Shannon
1		Tribute to Shannon
1		NIH retirement letters
1		Daily calendars, 1970 - 1974
1		Interview with J.A.S., Dec. 1968
1		"Random Thoughts", 1967 - 1970
1		Newspaper clippings - LBJ's tour of NIH, 1967
1		Magazine articles about NIH
1		Newspaper clippings of interest to J.A.S.
2		Photographs
3		Family correspondence
3		Alice Waterhouse - Biographical data
3		Alice Waterhouse - Certificates
3		Alice Waterhouse - Personnel actions
3		Alice Waterhouse - Correspondence, 1935-1953, 1973
3		Alice Waterhouse - Reprints, programs, and clippings
3		Awards and Certificates, correspondence, 1946- 1970
3		Brown University - Honorary Degree, 1971
3		Dartmouth College - Honorary Degree, 1970
3		Harvard University - Honorary degree, 1972
3		Ohio State University - Honorary Degree, 1970
3		Distinguished Service Award - Correspondence
3		National Academy of Sciences - Public Welfare Medal, 1969 - 1970
3		National Medal of Science - Correspondence
3		National Medal of Science Award - Correspondence and Data, 1968
3		National Medal of Science - Data
3		Rockefeller Public Service Awards, 1964, 1968 - 1974
3		Stouffer Prize - Correspondence and minutes

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Correspondence, 1967-1975
Box
	General Correspondence

3		A
4		Baer, Albert M. - Marston, Robert Q.
5		Ma - T
6		U - Z
	Organizations and Subjects

6		American Academy of Arts and Sciences - Correspondence and reports, 1967-1968
6		American Association for the Advancement of Science - Correspondence, Symposium, 1968-1970, 1972-1974; 1974
6		American College of Physicians - Correspondence, 1968-1970
6		American Medical Association - Correspondence, 1968-1970
6		American Philosophical Society - Correspondence and data, 1967-1975
6		Annual Review of Physiology - Correspondence, 1939
6		Association of American Medical Colleges, 1970-1974
6		Brookings Institution, 1968-1969
6		Brotherhood Awards Dinner Honoring Lister Hill, 1973
6		Commonwealth Fund, 1970-1974
6		Cosmos Club, 1970-1974
6		Dupont Institute of the Nemours Foundation, 1974
7		French-Polyclinic Fund - Correspondence and data, 1968-1969
8		French-Polyclinic Fund - Correspondence and data, 1970-1973
8		Graduate Journal, 1969-1970
8		Grant Foundation, 1970-1975
8		HEW Appropriations, 1969
8		Harvard - MIT Program in Health Sciences, 1972-1975
8		HEW - Senate Committee on Appropriatioins, 1969
8		IBM Medical Symposia, 1968-1971
8		Interurban Clinical Club, 1968-1975
8		John E. Fogarty International Center, 1968-1971
8		Johns Hopkins ... Pharmacology Department, 1972-1973
9		Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation, 1969-1974
9		Joseph E. Smadel Memorial Lecture, 1974
9		Josiah Macy Foundation, 1969-1975
9		Jurzykowski Memorial Committee, 1969-1970
9		Lowell Lecture, 1969-1972
9		Markle Foundation - 14th Annual Meeting, 1966
9		Merck, Sharp and Dohme Research Labs, 1968-1975
9		National Academy of Sciences - Data and correspondence - various committees, 1968-1975
10		National Academy of Sciences - Correspondence and data - various committees, 1968-1974
10		National Institute of General Medical Sciences - 10th Anniversary, 1973
10		NIH and the Bureau of Health Manpower, 1968
10		NIH/NAS Conflict of Interest
10		NIH Organization and Program Development - Notes
10		NIH Special Programs Reports, 1968
10		NLM Ceremonies Honoring Lister Hill, 1968
10		National Research Council, 1968-1972
10		National Science Foundation, 1969-1974
10		New England Journal of Medicine, 1969-1972
11		New York Board of Health, 1969-1971
11		NIH Office of Program Planning, 1965-1967
11		Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, 1966-1969
11		Pakistan - SEATO Cholera Research Lab - Correspondence
11		President's Cancer Panel, 1973-1974
11		Ribicoff: Senate Subcommittee of Executive Reorganization, 1969-1973
11		Robert W. Johnson Foundation, 1972-1974
11		Rockefeller Foundation, 1968-1974
11		Rockefeller University, 1970-1975
11		Seattle Mental Health Institute, 1968
11		Seminar on the Economics of Pharmaceutical Innovation, 1968
11		Southern Illinois University - Correspondence
11		Technicon International Congress, 1969
11		University of California, 1968-1969
11		University of Colorado Medical Center, 1969
11		University of North Carolina, 1969
11		University of Oregon - Correspondence and data
11		University of Texas - Correspondence and data, 1970-1971
11		University of Wisconsin - Sigma Chi Lecture, 1968
11		U.S. - Australian Scientific Cooperation - Correspondence and data, 1968-1969
12		U.S. - Japan Cooperative Medical Program
12		VA Medical Research Symposium, April 1972
12		Western Design Engineering Conference, 1969
12		Whitehead Institute - Correspondence and data, 1973-1975
13		Whitehead Institute - Correspondence and data, 1972-1975
13		WHO Conference on Schistosomiasis, Dec., 1972

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Publications, Papers, Talks and Research Notes, 1931-1975
Box
13	Science and Public Policy - Correspondence, 1970-1974
13	James A. Shannon reprints, 1968-1971
	Volumes, 1931-1965

Volume		Science and the Evolution of Public Policy, edited by J.A.S.
v.1-2		Scientific Papers of J.A.S., 1931-1962
v.I-III		Nontechnical speeches and articles of J.A.S., 1955-1965
14	Magazine articles by J.A.S., 1962-1974
14	Talks by J.A.S., 1953-1966
15	Talks by J.A.S., 1967-1969
16	Talks by J.A.S., 1969-1972
17	Talks by J.A.S., 1973-1975, n.d.
18	Early papers by J.A.S.
19	Laboratory notes
19	NIH Budget, 1967
19	Research and Development Speech by William D. Carey, 1968
19	"Health in America", Report by William Cohen, 1968
19	NIH Proposed Reorganization Plan, 1968
19	Foundations: Proposals, 1969
19	Paper by Murtaugh
19	Papers by Haggerty, Himsworth, McElroy, Morrison, Shannon
19	Papers by Tishler
19	Discussions of Papers, 1971-1972

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Diplomas and Certificates
Box
20		Brown University - Honorary Degree
20		New York University - Honorary Degree
20		New York University - Citation for Distinguished Alumni lecturer in medicine
20		Ohio State University - Honorary Degree
20		University of Washington - Honorary Degree
20		New York Heart Association - Homer W. Smith Award in Renal Physiology
20		American College of Physicians - John Phillips Memorial Award
20		College of Mount Saint Vincent - Honorary Degree
21		American Hospital Association - Honorary Membership
21		Jefferson Medical College - Honorary Degree
21		American College of Hospital Administrators - Honorary Fellowship
21		University of Colorado - Honorary Degree
21		Programs - Awards and Dedications, 1957-1969
21		Programs - Honorary Degrees, 1952-1971
21		Awards, Certificates, and Diplomas, 1929-1968

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Subject Files
Box
22		Reports and Publications, re: National Institutes of Health
23		Reports and Publications, re: National Institutes of Health
24		Reports and Publications, re: National Institutes of Health and Department of Health, Education and Welfare
25		Congressional Documents
26		Congressional Documents
26		Federal Budgets
27		Misc. National Science Foundation and Government reports
28		Reports and Publications, re: National Academy of Sciences
29		Reports, re: Rockefeller University
29		Books on Medical Education
30		Books on Medical Research, Institutions, and Administration
30		Cassette tapes of Cal Tech discussion, 1974

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Case Items

Diplomas, awards, photographs

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Other Descriptive Information

Index to correspondence in Box 18

Frank R. Winton (8 letters); pump lung kidney, 1937-1940

J. Murray Luck (7 letters); Annual Review of Physiology, 1939

M.H. Jacobs (4 letters); Annual Review of Physiology, 1939

E. Newton Harvey (4 letters); The Renal Excretion of Phenol Red by the Aglomerlaur Fishes, Opsanus tau, and Lophius piscatorius, 1938

Detlev W. Bronk ( 1 letter); Creatinine in the Dogfish, 1940

A.J. Goldforb (3 letters); Excretion of Urea and Creatinine, 1935

A.J. Goldforb (1 letter); Sulfanilamide in the measurement of body water in the dog, 1942

Donald R. Hooker (1 letter); Inulin/creatinine at low urine vol., 1935

Dr. Smith (1 letter); Inulin/creatinine at low urine vol., 1935

A.C. Ivy (1 letter); "The Kinetics of Tubular Excretion", 1937

J. McKeen Cattell (1 letter); "The Normal Rate of Formation of the Antidiuretic Hormone", 1941

George A. Carden (1 letter); Malaria work in Cairns, 1945

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Last updated: 29 June 2004
First published: 29 June 2004
Metadata| Permanence level: Permanent: Dynamic Content

Finding Aid to the James A. Shannon Papers, 1924 - 1975

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Descriptive Summary

Biographical Note

Collection Summary

Restrictions

Restrictions

Copyright

Index Terms

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Provenance

Series Descriptions

Personal and Biographical, 1924-1975

Correspondence, 1967-1975

Publications, Papers, Talks and Research Notes, 1931-1975

Diplomas and Certificates

Subject Files

Case Items

Other Descriptive Information

Index to correspondence in Box 18