a OPHTHALMOLOGY ORAL HISTORY SERIES A Link With Our Past An Interview with A. Edward Maumenee, MD * \/ *. V * \. c c OPHTHALMOLOGY ORAL HISTORY SERIES A Link With Our Past Portrait of A. Edward Maumenee II, MD Painted by Wayne Ingram, 1972 On display at the Portrait Room of the Wilmer Ophthalmology Institute at Johns Hopkins University A. Edward Maumenee, MD The Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute at the Johns Hopkins University and the Stanford Medical School An Interview Conducted by Sally Smith Hughes, PhD 1990 With Introductions by Lewis Ort Stephen J. Ryan, MD Sir John Wilson The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, San Francisco Regional Oral History Office, University of California at Berkeley It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: A. Edward Maumenee. MD. Ophthalmology Oral History Series, A Link With Our Past, an oral history conducted in 1990 by Sally Smith Hughes, Regional Oral History Office, University of California, Berkeley, in cooperation with The Foundation ofthe American Academy of Ophthalmology. Copyright 1994 by The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. All uses of this manuscript are covered by a legal agreement between A. Edward Maumenee, MD, and The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and The Bancroft Library of the University of California at Berkeley. No part may be reproduced, quoted, or transmitted in any form without written permission from the Executive Vice Chairman of The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology or the Director of The Bancroft Library of the University of California at Berkeley. Requests for permission to quote for publication should include identification of the specific passages to be quoted, anticipated use of the passages, and identification of the user. The legal agreement with A. Edward Maumenee, MD, requires that he be notified of the request and allowed thirty days in which to respond. Cover & Title Page Design: Romaniello Design Printed in the United States The Foundation of the American Regional Oral History Office Academy of Ophthalmology The Bancroft Library 655 Beach St University of California P.O. Box 429098 Berkeley, CA 94720 San Francisco, CA 94101-6988 San Francisco Chronicle 1/21/98 Alfred Maumenee Jr. Port Clear, Ala. Dr. Alfred Edward Maumenee Jr., a world-renowned ophthalmol the ogist and former director of Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Insti tute, died in his sleep Sunday at his home here. He was 84. Dr. Maumenee was considered both a pioneer in the treatment and prevention of eye disease and the foremost corneal transplant and cataract surgeon in the world, colleagues said. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, he managed to touch every facet of ophthalmolo gy. He made significant discover ies in the detection and treatment of retinal malfunctions, macular degeneration and several other eye diseases including glaucoma, the leading cause of blindness. During his tenure as director of the institute from 1955 to 1979, Dr. Maumenee trained more academi cians and future directors of de partments of ophthalmology than anyone else in the world. He was also instrumental in the the National founding, in 1968, of Insti Eye Institute at the National establish tutes of Health and the of ment of a nationwide system eye banks. In 1948 he was named profes sor of surgery in ophthalmology of and chief of the division oph Uni thalmology at the Stanford of Medicine, a posi versity School tion he held until being appointed Wilnrr in the third director of 1955. Baltimore Sun CATALOG INFORMATION MAUMENEE, Alfred Edward born 1913 Ophthalmologist A. Edward Maumenee, MD: The Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute at the Johns Hopkins University and the Stanford Medical School, 1994, xxx, 267pp. Ophthalmology Oral History Series. The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and The University of California at Berkeley. Born, Mobile, Alabama, 1913, to parents Alfred Edward Maumenee, ophthalmologist, and Lulie Radcliff Maumenee; undergraduate, University of Alabama, 1930-1934; University of Alabama Medical School, 1934-1936; Cornell University School of Medicine, 1936-1938; internship and residency, Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 1938-1943; early research projects; faculty member, Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, 1943-1948; World War II research; military service, U.S. Navy, 1944-1946; chairman, Division of Ophthalmology, Stanford Medical School, 19481955; chairman, Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, 1955-1979; raising funds for the Wilmer Institute; discussions on: basic scientists at Wilmer, history of surgical techniques for glaucoma, tonography, hypotony, congenital glaucoma, theories on loss of visual field, photocoagulation, the resident training program at Wilmer; contributions to research on the cornea; initiating vitreous surgery; discussions on cataract extraction, the intraocular lens, uveitis, eye donation, bleeding episodes in the eye; formation of Spectra Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.; origins of the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness; founding of the National Eye Institute; activities in Ophthalmological organizations. Introductions by Lewis Ort, Stephen J. Ryan, MD, and Sir John Wilson. Interviewed in 1990 and 1991 by Sally Smith Hughes, PhD. ISBN 1-56055-068-6 VI OPHTHALMOLOGY ORAL HISTORY SERIES Dohrmann Kaspar Pischel, MD 1988 Phillips Thygeson, MD 1988 Harold Glendon Scheie, MD 1989 Thomas David Duane, MD 1989 David Glendenning Cogan, MD 1990 Paul Boeder, PhD 1990 DuPont Guerry III, MD 1993 A. Edward Maumenee, MD 1994 The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology , San Francisco, California Oral Histories Committee: Stanley M. Truhlsen, MD, Chairman Arnall Patz, MD William H. Spencer, MD H. Stanley Thompson, MD Staff: Jill Hartle David J. Noonan Donna Seism Litia Wells Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, California Project Staff: Willa K Baum Sally S. Hughes, PhD Chris DeRosa Elizabeth Kim Shannon Page Vll DONOR REGISTRY The oral history of A. Edward Maumenee, MD, has been made possible through the generosity of the following contributors: Thomas E. Acers, MD Oklahoma City, OK Charles J. Blair, MD Richmond, VA Thomas F. Carey, MD Seattle, WA Francisco Contreras, MD Lima, Peru Monte A. Del Monte, MD, and Kristen G. Del Monte Ann Arbor, MI Joseph Dessoff, MD, and Augusta S. Dessoff Washington, DC John E. Eisenlohr, MD Dallas, TX Jared M. Emery, MD, and Juliet B. Emery Houston, TX Daniel Finkelstein, MD Baltimore, MD Robert N. Frank, MD, and Kami W. Frank, MD Bloomfield Hills, MI J. Donald M. Gass, MD, and Margy Ann Gass Key Biscayne, FL Herman K. Goldberg, MD Baltimore, MD vm Morton F. Goldberg, MD Baltimore, MD Rufus C. Goodwin, MD San Francisco, CA David L. Guyton, MD, and Janet Singletary Guyton Baltimore, MD Allan D. Jensen, MD Baltimore, MD Robert E. Kennedy, MD Rochester, NY AH Khodadoust, MD Guilford, CT Irving H. Leopold, MD Newport Beach, CA George F. Magee, MD Reno, NV Enrique S. Malbran, MD, and Ana Maria E. de Malbran Buenos Aires, Argentina Frank E. OT)onnell, Jr., MD St. Louis, MO Lewis J. Ort LaVale, MD David Paton, MD New York, NY Arnall Patz, MD Baltimore, MD Walter C. Petersen, MD Seattle, WA Frederick H. Reeser, MD Milwaukee, WI David A. Rosen, MD, and Gloria Rosen Roslyn Heights, NY Stephen J. Ryan, MD Los Angeles, CA Robert N. Shaffer, MD, and Virginia M. Shaffer Greenbrae, CA IX Ronald E. Smith, MD Los Angeles, CA Robert C. Snip, MD San Antonio, TX Alfred Sommer, MD Baltimore, MD Bradley R. Straatsma, MD, and Ruth Straatsma Los Angeles, CA Albert Strauss, MD, and Stella G. Strauss North Palm Beach, FL Gunter K. von Noorden, MD, and Betty L. von Noorden Houston, TX C. P. Wilkinson, MD Oklahoma City, OK Stewart MacKay Wolff, MD Baltimore, MD Dr. and Mrs. William J. Wood, MD Lexington, KY Alfred Edward Maumenee, MD CONTENTS PREFACE xv INTRODUCTION by Lewis J.Ort xvii INTRODUCTION by Stephen J. Ryan, MD xix INTRODUCTION by Sir John Wilson xxiii INTERVIEW HISTORY by Sally S. Hughes, PhD xxvii BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION xxx I. FAMILY BACKGROUND AND EDUCATION 1 Family Background 1 Maumenee Family Roots 1 Grandparents and Parents 1 Parents 3 Growing Up in Mobile, Alabama 4 The Move to Birmingham, Alabama, 1927 5 Undergraduate, University of Alabama, 1930-1934 7 Shipping Out, 1933 8 University of Alabama Medical School, 1934-1936 10 Cornell University School of Medicine, 1936-1938 11 Extern at Various New York Medical Institutions 12 II. THE WILMEROPHTHALMOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, 1938-1948 . 17 Intern and Resident, 1938-1948 17 The Physical Setup of the Institute 18 Research on Retinal Lesions 20 Prominent Ophthalmologists at Wilmer 21 Jonas S. Friedenwald 21 Alan C. Woods 22 Frederick H. Verhoeff 26 Early Research Projects 27 The Halsted Residency System 29 John McLean 30 William H. Wilmer 33 Monday and Thursday Rounds 35 Pressure to Publish 37 Dr. Woods's Cataract Operation 38 The Wilmer Meetings 39 Focal Point 40 Taking the American Board of Ophthalmology Examination .... 41 XII 43 III. WORLD WAR II RESEARCH, 1944-1946 Chemical Warfare 43 Bacterial Warfare 44 Serving on a Hospital Ship 46 IV. PROFESSOR AT THE WILMER INSTITUTE, 1946-1948 49 V. CHAIRMAN, DIVISION OF OPHTHALMOLOGY, STANFORD MEDICAL SCHOOL, 1948-1955 51 Offer of the Chairmanship 51 Changing Procedures in the Division 53 Stanford Faculty Members 56 San Francisco Ophthalmologists 58 The Eye Bank 60 Eye Pathology 61 Treating Epithelial Invasions 62 Fluorescein Angiography 67 Macular Degeneration 70 Treating Glaucoma with Goniotomy 72 The Possibility of an Eye Institute on the Stanford Campus, PaloAlto 73 Marriage (July 1949) and Children 74 PHOTOGRAPHS 77 VI. CHAIRMAN, WILMER OPHTHALMOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, 1955-1979 87 Return 87 Policies Regarding Race and Sex 88 Debate over the Use of Profits from Clinical Care 89 Departmental Fellowships 91 Rounds and Conferences 92 Administrative Work 94 Basic Scientists 95 Maurice E.