Dr Brock Chisholm, Director-General
Dr George Brock Chisholm served as WHO’s first Director-General from 1948 to 1953.
Born in Oakville, Ontario (Canada), on 18 May 1896, Dr Chisholm died in Victoria, British Columbia (Canada) on 4 February 1971.
After fighting in the First World War, Dr Chisholm studied medicine at the University of Toronto. He focused his post-graduate work on psychiatry, interning at several hospitals in London, later pursuing further studies on the mental health of children at Yale University. Dr Chisholm also practised psychological medicine in Toronto.
During the Second World War, Dr Chisholm held various military posts, ending as Director of Medical Services and Chief of Personnel Selection, with rank of Major General. He was the first psychiatrist to head the medical services of any army.
The Canadian Government created the position of Deputy Minister of Health in 1944, and Chisholm was first the person to occupy the post until being elected as Executive Secretary of the WHO Interim Commission in July 1946.
Succeeding the League of Nations' Health Organization, the World Health Organization was established in April of 1948, with Chisholm as its Director-General.
It was Chisholm who proposed the name "World Health Organization", with the intent of emphasizing that the Organization would be truly global, serving all nations. Chisholm’s vision of WHO was a determining factor in the election for the post of Director-General. Parts of WHO’s constitution, including the definition of health as "…a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity", were first heard in Chisholm’s speech to the final meeting of WHO’s technical planning committee.
The WHO constitution also declares health to be a fundamental right of every human being, and recognizes that “the heath of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security.” Chisholm believed that the well-being of humanity is dependent on the world’s emotional health.
Under Chisholm’s leadership WHO dealt successfully with a cholera epidemic in Egypt, malaria outbreaks in Greece and Sardinia, and introduced a global shortwave epidemic-warning system for ships at sea. WHO also launched 2 long-term projects to standardize the names, descriptions, and strengths of drugs throughout the world.
Dr Chisholm did not seek re-election at the end of his term in 1953, and returned to Canada to settle with his family in British Columbia. Dr Chisholm was the author of numerous publications. He was also made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1967, and received many honorary degrees.
Awards included the Medal of the Pasteur Institute, and the Lasker Award (1945 and 1953). After his time as WHO’s Director-General, Chisholm was Honorary President of the World Federalists of Canada and President of the World Federation for Mental Health. Dr Chisholm was an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, of the American Psychiatric Association, The American Public Health Association and several other organizations.