Jacques M. May was born in Paris, France on January 27, 1896. He had several careers,
including physician and surgeon, medical geographer, and nutritionist. He received his
medical degree from the University of Paris in 1925. After serving in World War II, May was
asked to lead the newly formed Department of Medical Geography at the American Geographical
Society in 1948. The main effort made by this department was to publish the Atlas of Disease. May left the society in 1960, and began to focus
his attention on global food deficiencies. He wrote a number of books about malnutrition in
the years after he left the society. In 1946 May married for the second time and had twin
boys. Because of his two sons' condition, May became involved in the League for Emotionally
Disturbed Children and founded the May Institute for Autistic Children. He died on July 3,
1975 in an automobile accident in Tunisia.
