She worked in the medical publishing industry in New York until 1918 and served as a contract surgeon in the United States Army Medical Corps from 1918 to 1921.[1] McAfee was one of fifty-five women who signed on to serve as contract surgeons during World War I.[4] She earned a salary equivalent to that of first lieutenant, though she did not hold an official rank.[2] She was assigned to the Office of the Surgeon General on May 17, 1918, and served as the secretary to the Board of Publication.[2][5] This position was in the Library of the Surgeon General's Office, the forerunner to the National Library of Medicine.[6][7] At the Library, McAfee worked as a bibliographer and compiler for the Index-Catalogue.[6][8] After 1921, McAfee worked in a civilian post and continued working on similar tasks.[1]
McAfee started working towards her law degree at the National Law School in Washington, D.C., in the 1920s, earning her LLB in 1926.[1]
Research and publications
Loy McAfee led the effort to document the activities of the Army Medical Department during World War I.[4] She provided editorial direction for "The Medical Department of the United States Army in the World War", a 15-volume work completed in 1930.[1][9] Several parts were reviewed in JAMA.[10]
^Reznick, Jeffrey S. (Jeffrey Stephen) (2017). US National Library of Medicine. Koyle, Kenneth M.,, National Library of Medicine (U.S.). Charleston, South Carolina. ISBN9781467126083. OCLC973111951.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^"The Medical Department of the United States Army in the World War. Volume I: The Surgeon General's Office. Prepared under the Direction of Major Gen. M. W. Ireland, M.D., Surgeon General of the Army". JAMA. 81 (12): 1043–1044. 1923. doi:10.1001/jama.1923.02650120075036.