In memoriam: Dr Abram S. Benenson

The Centre was saddened to receive the news of the death, at 89, of Dr. Abram S. Benenson, who died on 15 December 2003. Dr Benenson had recently contributed to the Smriti Project and was featured in the book Smriti: ICDDR,B in memory, which was published in December.

Dr. Abram S. Bud Benenson was the second Director of the Pakistan-SEATO Cholera Research Laboratory, from 1962-1965. Originally from the U.S. Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Benenson served on the original 1959 ad hoc committee that established the CRL in East Pakistan where cholera was endemic. His goal throughout a very productive life was to promote the public's health, locally as well as globally[1].

In addition to mentoring some of the first young American scientists at CRL (Stockard, Oseasohn, Gordon, Greenough, Hirschhorn, Reiner, Mosley, McCormack), Bud was responsible for seconding Rafiqul Islam, Majid Molla, and A.K. Jamiul Alam. Benenson worked closely with M. Fahimuddin to establish a clinic care facility at Matlab Bazaar that was to be a model for Bangali doctors for successful treatment of cholera. After 1964, many of these foreign scientists were assigned from the Communicable Disease Center (CDC) and later they became leaders in schools of public health across the USA. With inspiration from Dr. Benenson, Greenough and Gordon successfully used tetracycline and vitamins, combined with the isotonic rehydration IVS, to treat severely ill cholera patients. Further collaborative work in Calcutta at the Johns Hopkins ICMRT (RB Sack and Charles Carpenter) established the efficacy of orally administered antibiotic to shorten the purging and halve the volume of replacement fluid. Benenson also insisted on making his own IV fluids from materials locally available so that Pakistani physicians could be taught to cope with cholera with simple means at their disposal.

When Benenson returned to the US in 1965, he soon became the Editor of the 11th edition of the Control of Communicable Diseases Manual and continued for 30 years, up through the 16th edition. Benenson pointed out that patients who traveled to distant spots on the globe might bring back diseases or disease organism that their doctors had never seen & and that eradication of communicable diseases would have to be global in scope[2]. When he retired from the US Army, Benenson took a position at the San Diego State University School of Public Health. Since 2001 he and his wife lived in Lenox, Massachusetts. Their son, Tim Benenson, consults at AFRIMS in Bangkok.

At a farewell for Dr. Benenson in 1965, Matlab Field Staff proclaimed[3]:

Beloved Sir, it need hardly be mentioned that the Matlab SEATO Cholera Project owes its birth to you. Matlab was a hotbed of cholera and it was with rare insight that you kindly selected this area for the prevention and care of this fatal disease. Since the inception of the Matlab project you had been guiding the activities of the project in a scientific way and your method has already yielded most encouraging results. The people of this area in the past were greatly scared by cholera. But the success gained so far by your project here has infused in the people a new confidence and freedom from the fear of cholera. It is no wonder that the attention of the whole world has been focused on your achievements here.

Revered Sir, the remarkable progress gained under this project has been possible because of your personal touch and close guidance to all the activities here. You spared no pains to pay visits even to the remotest corners of the project area though sometimes you had to walk on foot in sun and shower and cross narrow bamboo bridges at great personal inconvenience. The villagers of the area were charmed by your personal contact with them in times of their dire distress. Your absence will be keenly felt by many of the villagers who are your great admirers.

I do have to say this, we planted a seed here 32 years ago. When you plant a seed & there have been so many lives saved by the work done here. I think that any other measure, other than Jenner demonstrating that you can protect people immunologically against disease - Im sure that immunization has saved more lives - but I think oral rehydration is right behind it.Bud Benenson at the 1994 ORS Celebration.

Adapted from Smriti: ICDDR,B in memory

[1],[2], In Appreciation: Abram S. Bud Benenson, MD in American Journal of Public Health , v. 90 no.2, February 2000 p. 179-180

[3] Shared by Dr Benensons son, Tom Benenson, of Columbiaville, New York