Dowling, Oscar, M. D.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Dowling, Oscar, M. D., president Louisiana state board of health, New Orleans, La., was born at Montgomery, Ala., Oct. 29, 1866; son of Rev. Angus and Laura L. (Boswell) Dowling, the former of whom was a native of Dale county, Ala., and the latter of the locality in which the son was born. The Dowling family contributed largely to the cause of the Southern Confederacy during the Civil war. Four of the paternal grandfather's sons served in the Confederate army throughout the period of the war, and one of these uncles, John W. Dowling, was advanced to the rank of captain for gallant conduct in action. Another of the father's brothers, G. P. Dowling, now president of the First National Bank of Ozark, Ala., served the people of Dale county as probate judge during four years. The paternal great-grandfather, John Dowling, did heroic service as a soldier of the Colonial army during the Revolutionary war. Some years after the death of Dr. Thomas C. Boswell, father of the subject's mother, the grandmother was married to Hon. Julius C. Alford, who represented a Georgia district in the National house of representatives, where he became known as "War Horse Alford."

Oscar Dowling received his early education at the public schools of Alabama. Later he attended Athens Collegiate institute, of Ramer, Ala. When his academic education had been completed he entered the medical department of Vanderbilt university, Nashville, Tenn., from which institution he in due time graduated with the degree of M. D. Following his graduation, Dr. Dowling did post-graduate work in New York, New Orleans, and Chicago polyclinic, the New York Eye and Ear infirmary, and clinics of London, Berlin, Paris, and the City of Mexico. He served as house surgeon of the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat hospital at New Orleans from 1896 to 1897, as senior resident surgeon from 1897 to 1898, and as assistant to surgeon in charge from 1898 to 1899. He has served as oculist and aurist of the Shreveport Charity hospital during a term of 10 years. The doctor maintains an office at Shreveport, and is senior member of the medical firm of Dowling & Scales, in the latter city. He served as a member of the Louisiana state hoard of health from 1906 to 1908, inclusive, and was appointed president of that board in Nov., 1910. He discharged the duties of his office with distinguished ability, and in Nov., 1912, was reappointed to succeed himself, being at this time incumbent of the important station of president of the state hoard of health. The doctor is associated with the democratic party. He is a trustee of the American Medical association, a director in the Southern Commercial Congress, a member of the International Sanitation Bureau, associate editor of the Southern Medical Journal, and a member of the New Orleans Association of Commerce. During his incumbency of the office of president of the Louisiana state board or health, Dr. Dowling has been very active in bringing about improved conditions in sanitation through out the state. Indeed, the effects of his rigorous campaign in the interest of sanitation have been co-extensive with a very large part of the United States, if, in fact, the beneficial results of his thorough and tireless work in that direction have not covered the whole country. Shortly after his inauguration as president of the state board of health he began a most unique, thorough, and far-reaching "clean-up campaign," which was promulgated throughout all parts of the state and a large part of the country by means of two exhibit cars equipped with apparatus for the education of the people in hygiene and sanitation. Since touring Louisiana with this equipment Dr. Dowling has been invited to various parts of the United States, with these cars, and has everywhere been enthusiastically received and his work accorded the most hearty commendation. Without doubt, Dr. Oscar Dowling is at this time the best-known health officer in the South, and one among the most noted in the United States. The doctor is not married.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, volume 3, pp. 755-756. Edited by Alcee Fortier, Lit. D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.