Herman Niels Bundesen

Herman Niels Bundesen (April 27, 1882 – August 25, 1960) was a German-American medical professional, politician, and author. He served two tenures as the chief health official of the city of Chicago, holding this role for more than 34 years in total. He also was elected Cook County coroner. In 1936, he ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party nomination for governor of Illinois.

Bundensen was respected in the field of public health. He noted not only for his experience and expertise, but also for his flamboyance. He was working for the health department during the time the Spanish Flu Pandemic impacted the city in 1918, playing a role in securing flu vaccine for the city. A 1921 Chicago Tribune article reported that, while in this role, an incident had occurred in which he happened upon a crew dumping trash into Lake Michigan and ordered them to stop. Instead of listening, a worker pulled out a pickaxe, in response to which Bundensen produced a pistol, which persuaded the pickaxe-wielding worker to flee. Clarence Darrow had been the lawyer representing Barmore. the Supreme Court of Illinois also found that the health commissioner lacked much authority, since the city had no board of health (as authorized by the state), but instead had itself established a Department of Health. The court decided that the Chicago City Council had no authority to delegate to the Department of Health authority equivalent to what the state would allow them to grant a board of health. He had been appointed because of his efforts in combatting the typhoid epidemic. Chicago newspapers and medical journals criticized this, arguing that it promoted "immoral" behavior.

Early into his tenure, Bundensen was informed of a child abuser impersonating a dentist and going to public schools claiming to have been sent to examine children. He tracked the imposter to a rooming house, where a woman told him that the man was out. He threatened to arrest the woman in his place, after which she admitted the abuser was hiding in a closet. The Chicago Tribune reported the story under the headline "Dr. Bundesen Nabs Moron Who Hoaxed School".

During his time in office, he acquired celebrity, often taking photo ops.

Bundensen became well known, particularly for his efforts related to milk. He received many national recognitions, enjoyed wide respect from the Chicago medical community, and was elected the President of the American Public Health Association. Northwestern University, his alma mater, awarded him an honorary degree in recognition of his work as a public health official. The firing soon after garner a vote of approval in the Chicago City Council. Bundensen had entered discussion with the Sanity Board's president, T. J. Crowe, in late 1927 about holding such a position. In this position, Bundensen was involved in talks between the district and Chicago steel plants to decrease their contribution Lake Michigan water pollution.

Cook County Coroner In November 1928, running as the Democratic nominee, Bundesen was elected Cook County Coroner. He defeated the incumbent Republican coroner, Oscar Wolff, by a three-to-one margin. He received in excess of one million votes.

Second tenure as Chicago City Health Commissioner and tenure as President of the Chicago Board of Health In the 1931 Chicago mayoral election, Bundesen was speculated as a potential independent candidate, but in early March 1931 he declined to run in the April election. Despite having been rivals of sorts with Democratic nominee Anton Cermak, Bundesen supported him over William Hale Thompson in the election. Later in 1931, he was hired by the newly elected mayor Cermak to again head serve as Health Commissioner of the City of Chicago.

After losing the Democratic primary for governor, Bundesen returned to his job as the chief health official of Chicago.

Bundesen supported Jonas Salk's efforts to eradicate polio.

Death Bundensen died of pancreatic cancer at Wesley Memorial Hospital in Chicago on August 25, 1960, at the age of 78. The cancer had been detected in April 1960, when Bundsen was having gallbladder operation. He had been in the hospital from then through July 8, when he was released and went to his summer home in Cedar Lake, Indiana. However, he returned to the hospital on July 24.

Books authored Our Babies (1925) Before the Baby Comes (1926) The Growing Child (1927) Progress in the Prevention of Needless Neonatal Deaths (1952)