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Western Laboratories was a medical and forensic testing lab from at least 1911. It was run by Dr. Robert Archibald, Dr. Pauline Nusbaumer and Dr. Gertrude Moore. As well as testing for a variety of court cases, Western Laboratories tested the water quality for Piedmont Baths and the East Bay Water Company.

Initially the labs were in the Thayer Building, on the southeast corner of 14th Street and Jefferson. By 1916, the labs had been moved to 2404 Broadway.

When Dr. Archibald died in 1923, he left his share in the lab, worth $4,550, to Dr. Nusbaumer and Dr. Moore. 1 When Dr. Nusbaumer died in 1926, she left her half share to her niece, Irene Schweer (Lawrence). Dr. Moore carried on until _[? - I believe she died in 1953], and her name appears frequently in relation to test results for court cases.

Dr. E. James Feeley was with the lab in 1965. 3,4

According to several websites:

The January 5, 1972, the Monclarion newspaper reported ("Whoosh-there went the school board") by a bare quorum that the white members of Oakland’s conservative Republican dominated school board approved a contract with Western Laboratories of Oakland to seize the blood of predominately Black and Brown students at Clawson, Durant, Melrose and Woodland elementary schools for covert mass genetic blood testing and screening.

1925 directory listing

Links and References

  1. Laboratory Head Leaves $105,000 Oakland Tribune March 13, 1923
  2. East Bay Water Co. ad Oakland Tribune​ September 6, 1922

  3. Plague Meningitis in an American Serviceman Journal of American Medicine (JAMA) February 1, 1965

  4. Eugene James Feeley obituary

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