On Aug. 31, 1909, George W. McCoy published a preliminary report in “The Journal of Medical Research” that provided descriptions on 99 neoplasms found in 100,000 rats examined in the plaque control investigation in California.

While heading the U.S. Plague Laboratory in San Francisco from 1908 to 1911, he discovered that the California ground squirrel was responsible for the spread of the organism causing tularemia.

On November 20, 1915, he became fourth director of the Hygienic Laboratory, renamed “National Institute of Health” in 1930. During this period he conducted important studies in influenza, poliomyelitis, smallpox, tularemia, amoebic dysentery, and pneumonia. Dr. McCoy served as director until January 31, 1937.