Frederick T. Kraus, MD: an Interview with Thomas M

International Journal of Gynecological Pathology 35:482–496, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore r 2016 International Society of Gynecological Pathologists Other Frederick T. Kraus, MD: An Interview With Thomas M. Ulbright Frederick T. Kraus, M.D. and Thomas M. Ulbright, M.D. Key Words: FT Kraus—LV Ackerman—Surgical pathology—History. Frederick T. Kraus, Fred to his many friends, is a institutions. He developed an extensive consultation still-active pathologist at the age of 86 yr with a practice in the St. Louis area, not only for lesions special interest in gynecologic and placental pathol- related to gynecologic pathology but also covering ogy. He has practiced his entire career in the environs numerous areas of surgical pathology. His diagnostic of St. Louis, Missouri, both at Washington Univer- acumen and understated, modest demeanor made sity and at 2 large private hospitals. For those of my him a sought-after advisor for members of that generation, his book, Gynecologic Pathology, pub- pathology community but his influence has been felt lished in 1967, clarified what at that time was an much further afield. I first became acquainted with especially confusing area of pathology that had Fred when he willingly gave teaching conferences to hitherto been mostly in the province of gynecologists residents in pathology at Washington University, with limited experience in pathology. It remains a fine probably about 1976. These were challenging affairs, example of lucidity and clinicopathologic correlation. requiring not only knowledge of the morphology of Early in his career Fred worked as a faculty member various lesions but their clinical significance and at Washington University in the illustrious Division differential diagnosis. I remember thinking that this is of Surgical Pathology headed by Dr Lauren V a person I can really learn something from, and I Ackerman. He later moved to the private sector but happily was able to do just that during my carried on his academic interests, with publications subsequent fellowship with him. Today, 16 yr after and participation in teaching courses for several his formal retirement, Dr Kraus continues to study national pathology societies. His career illustrates placental pathology, returning once more to Wash- that the ‘‘divide’’ between private practice and ington University. He is an author of the AFIP academic pathology is one that can be bridged to nontumor atlas devoted to placental pathology. I am the benefit of both. He initiated one of the earliest sure readers of the journal will enjoy the reminis- fellowships devoted to the training of pathologists cences of this superb pathologist and fine gentleman wishing for in-depth exposure to gynecologic and whose career spans many years from the days when obstetric pathology. Many of his former fellows went surgical pathology was largely dependent upon on to successful academic careers at a variety of hematoxylin and eosin–stained slides and a few other histochemical stains to the modern era in which a number of other sophisticated modalities are From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wash- available. – T.M.U. ington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (F.T.K.); and Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN (T.M.U.). T.M.U.: As I recall you are originally from The authors declare no conflict of interest. Oklahoma. Could you tell us a little about your Address correspondence and reprint requests to Thomas M. Ulbright, MD, IU Health Pathology Laboratory, Room 4014, 350 family background and early life and particularly W. 11th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202. E-mail: [email protected]. what influences may have caused you to attend DOI: 10.1097/PGP.0000000000000299 482 Copyright r 2016 International Society of Gynecological Pathologists. INTERVIEW WITH FREDERICK T. KRAUS, MD 483 medical school and later choose to train in days. Her name was Dr Elizabeth Chamberlain, pathology? recently retired from the faculty at the Women’s Medical College in Philadelphia, and also a good F.T.K.: My paternal grandfather had learned the friend of my mother. I was very curious to know what trade of making jewelry in Germany, and emigrated she did and why, which she took time to explain very around 1880 to avoid military conscription. He well. She also regaled me with stories about her arrived in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to find a flourish- pathology studies at Johns Hopkins under the ing community of German immigrants, where he famous William H. (Popsie) Welch and lent me her founded a jewelry manufacturing company, and copy of ‘‘Miss Susie Slagle’s,’’ a popular novel about married a young lady with a similar background. the education and boarding house lives of medical Soon after, my father was born in Pittsburgh and students at Johns Hopkins around the time of World went on to study geology and petroleum engineering War I. I was thoroughly entranced and inspired to at the University of Pittsburgh and at Carnegie follow the track to become a pathologist. Other School of Technology. My mother’s family, who had books that further stimulated my interest in medicine Scots-Irish origins, had settled in western Pennsylva- during my high school days included The Microbe nia in the late 18th century. My mother was also born Hunters, by Paul De Kruif, The Life of Osler, by in Pittsburgh and graduated from the Pennsylvania Harvey Cushing, and Arrowsmith, by Sinclair Lewis. College for Women, now called Chatham College. I enjoyed school, including several years of Latin, and The 2 families became neighbors. After their mar- played the oboe in the high school orchestra. riage, my parents moved first to California and then I attended the College of William and Mary in to Oklahoma, where the discovery of vast oilfields Williamsburg, Virginia, where my science interests was changing the country. involved especially a major in chemistry, but included I was born in interesting times in Oklahoma City several courses in biology, physics, and mathematics. on the first of May, 1930, where my father was a As long as I was there I took languages, including petroleum engineer working in the oil industry. French and German, but also ancient Greek and as About the time I was born the famous ‘‘Mary Sudik’’ many courses in English, economics, and art history oil gusher blew, spewing tons of oil more than a as I could get into. This took the usual 4 yr, but I quarter mile into the air for many days, making spent every summer there as well. You could say that national news and entertaining my mother, who I really did like school! could watch the towering smoky spectacle from her While I really enjoyed to the fullest all the window in the hospital even though it was a few miles educational steps along my way through college and away. (She claimed that this dramatic event might medical school, my pathology-oriented goal never have portended potential accomplishment for her changed. This focus may have been a compelling little baby.) My mother did social work assisting factor in the success of my medical school applica- migrant workers headed for California, as Steinbeck tion, which included my enthusiastic determination described in The Grapes of Wrath. Oklahoma was a just as I tell it now. My admission to Washington colorful place in those days, full of exciting things for University in St Louis was accompanied with a children to see. My parents took us to visit cattle Jackson Johnson Scholarship, for which I will be ranches and Indian reservations for rodeos and forever grateful. Indian dances. My younger brother and older sister Washington University and its pathology depart- and I grew up mainly in the town of Bartlesville, ment turned out to be a wonderland for me. Our Oklahoma, headquarters of the Phillips Petroleum professor and chairman during my student years was Company. My brother and I spent many hours riding Robert A. Moore, whose lectures told an interesting, our bikes all around the countryside, playing cowboy. well-organized, and authoritative story about lesion I also enjoyed making rubber band–powered model after lesion while he puffed on one cigarette after airplanes, which I flew around the neighborhood and another. His Textbook of Pathology provided a also at our small local airport. thorough grounding in general pathology. By the About the time I was 13, my parents prompted me time my residency began, we had a new chairman, W. to take my idle hands to work at a Saturday job Stanley Hartroft, known especially for his studies of washing the crockery in the pathology laboratory at nutritional injury to the liver. The major highlight of the local hospital. The hospital actually had a learning during my pathology residency was Margaret pathologist, unusual for such a small town in those G. Smith, an outstanding, almost magical, gross Int J Gynecol Pathol Vol. 35, No. 5, September 2016 Copyright r 2016 International Society of Gynecological Pathologists. 484 KRAUS AND ULBRIGHT pathologist and teacher. Dr Smith managed to make Dr Ackerman has some favorite anecdotes concern- her extremely detailed gross reviews of my autopsies ing him. What are your most vivid memories of Dr so richly educational for me that I spent an extra year, Ackerman during this period, or even later in your doing autopsies as well as supervising junior residents, career? in a newly created office of chief resident. A talented virologist, Dr Smith also cultured the virus for St F.T.K.: Dr Ackerman was a strongly charismatic Louis encephalitis and identified its curious multi- teacher and leader. The learning day began at 7 AM. generational chicken mite reservoir, a tour de force of There would be case presentations with all of the staff virologic investigation (1).

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