Waldo Nelson

Waldo Emerson "Bill" Nelson (August 17, 1898 – March 2, 1997) was an American pediatrician who was sometimes referred to as "the father of pediatrics". He graduated from University of Cincinnati Medical School in 1926.

Career After completing an internship and residency in the same city, Nelson joined the staff of Cincinnati Children's Hospital in 1929. He left to work for the medical school at Temple in 1940, where he chaired the pediatrics department until 1964. He also spent time as medical director for St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia from 1947 to 1964.

Nelson was well known for the textbook that he authored for half a century, the Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. The journal's circulation tripled during his tenure. Nelson practiced medicine into his eighties and continued to attend and speak at meetings in his nineties.

He received the John Howland Award, the highest honor given by the American Pediatric Society (APS).