Explorations in Pathology (1944-2000)

Explorations in Pathology A Medical Autobiography 1944–2000 • A yellow atherosclerotic plaque, seen in a cross-section of a pulmonary artery of a rabbit lung, was produced experimentally as the result of the organization of an in vitro thrombus introduced into the lumen of the artery three weeks previously (see Chapter Four). Explorations in Pathology A Medical Autobiography 1944–2000 • A. Bleakley Chandler, M. D. new oconee press Watkinsville, Georgia 2012 Published 2012 by New Oconee Press Watkinsville, Georgia © 2012 by Arthur Bleakley Chandler All rights reserved Text design by Erin Kirk New Set in 11 on 16 Adobe Minion Printed and bound by Thomson-Shore, Inc. The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources Printed in the United States of America 13 14 15 16 c 4 3 2 1 isbn 978-0-615-69514-3 contents Acknowledgements vii Introduction ix part one Academic and Professional Life chapter one Medical School in the Forties, 1944–1948 3 chapter two Graduate and Early Faculty Years, 1948–1975 29 chapter three Pathology Chairmanship, 1975–2000 61 part two Research chapter four Research Initiatives, 1949–1963 95 chapter five The Year in Norway, 1963–1964 123 chapter six Research and Related Activities, 1964–1994 145 Epilogue 187 Appendices Credits for Illustrations 191 Bibliography 193 acknowledgements It is a truism that no one walks alone, not least when one is in the ever present company of those who went before. Lives impinge upon one another. The influ- ences that first propelled me along from my earliest days are found in my family, teachers, and friends. As a young child, I was a passenger on a journey of discov- ery with Mr. Tom Sherman, assistant superintendent of schools in Richmond County. He took me along on his visits to the schools and nurtured my develop- ment as we rode around the county. Henry C. (Pop) Pearson took me under his wing at the Augusta YMCA, as he did countless other youngsters, always making sure that at one time or another we brought home a prize from sporting competi- tions. After he moved to the YMCA in Athens, I followed, and lived and worked there while attending the university. Many of the others who influenced my life are in the present volume. This account was written with the advice and contributions of friends and colleagues who provided records and pictures as well as assisted in reviewing, correcting, and editing the manuscript. Over the past ten years this work has been in progress, helpful suggestions were received from classmates, in particular Drs. Harvey Newman, Alex Murphey, and Joe Chastain, and from several colleagues including Drs. Robert Baisden, Joe Bailey, Walter Brown, Alva Faulkner, and Helge Stormorken. From the very beginning of this endeavor, Nora Freeman has assisted enor- mously by typing and formatting the manuscript, offering sound and useful advice along the way. This project could not have gotten underway without her contributions. Renee Sharrock, curator of historical collections and archives of the Robert B. Greenblatt Library, kindly facilitated access to numerous documents and other materials held by the section. vii viii explorations in pathology My older grandson, Bleak, III, did a magnificent job in digitizing the many photos that illustrate this volume. He then arranged the pictures into plates with exceptional skill and attention to detail. Phillip Jones, medical photographer at the college, utilized advanced technology to retouch some of the pictures and further enhance the plates. Dr. Walter Brown, a fervent supporter of the college and treasured friend, reviewed an early version of the manuscript and made valuable suggestions. Walter had a keen eye and knew well how to express his thoughts. A superb phy- sician, his premature death cut short an extraordinary life and career. Dr. Helge Stormorken reviewed the account of my year at the Institute for Thrombosis Research in Oslo, Norway, where he was the director of research. We have had a happy reunion through correspondence, each exchanging thoughts and news about our projects, his being a history of the Institute. Kathy Steele, an author in her own right, critiqued a later stage of the manuscript. Her admonition to “keep the narrative moving” helped me gather the courage to weed out the surplus, extraneous material. Hugh Connolly, erudite, long-time friend, and former board member of the Medical College of Georgia Foundation, was satisfied that the narrative carried the same tone and voice throughout. I am grateful to Ellen Harris for editing the final manuscript. Her ability to rearrange my words to make them more readable is remarkable. It was amazing to see how a small change here and there could make such a big difference! Erin New capped off the project with her beautiful, elegant design and professional production of the book by her New Oconee Press. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the support of the Department of Pathology of the Medical College of Georgia while this work was underway, and that of Dr. Stephen Peiper, my successor in the chair of pathology, Dr. Amyn Rojiani, who succeeded him, and Dr. John Steele, who served as interim chair. The guiding light throughout this undertaking has been my wife, Jane Downing Chandler, whose astute mind and wise insight kept it on track. But more important, through her love and exuberant spirit she has kept me afloat and taught me what it means to serve. —A.B.C., July, 2012 introduction My career in medicine and pathology began in the 1940s and extended over the second half of the twentieth century, primarily at the Medical College of Georgia. I witnessed and took part in the transition of the institution from a small provincial medical school to a full-fledged academic medical center with its own teaching hospital and associated schools, including a school of dentistry. There are no physicians in my heritage; however, my attraction to teaching comes naturally, as many members of my family were in that profession. Pathology seemed to suit best my curiosity, love of books and history, and the opportunity to contribute to medical knowledge and society through research and teaching. When this project was undertaken, I decided to write the last part first and the first part last out of respect for my short-term and long-term memory. As the manuscript progressed, it appeared that my hunch was correct. My short-term memory relied heavily on notes and documents, whereas my recall of medical school in the ’40s was vivid and nearly flawless. My early start in research was due entirely to the support and encourage- ment of my mentor, Dr. Edgar R. Pund, who succeeded Dr. Lombard Kelly as the second president of the college in 1953. The professors who taught me, Drs. Pund, Kelly, Hamilton, Sydenstricker, and their colleagues, paved the way for the Medical College to become what it is today. Dr. Leland D. Stoddard followed Pund as the head of pathology and was part of the next generation of leaders who actually wrought the changes envisioned. I worked with Stoddard and others during this period of transformation and succeeded him as chair of pathology some twenty years later. The account that fol- lows provides a glimpse from the inside by one of the spokes in the wheel. ix “The time has come,” the Walrus said, “To talk of many things: Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax— Of cabbages—and kings— And why the sea is boiling hot— And whether pigs have wings.” —Lewis Carroll, 1872 part one Academic and Professional Life • chapter one Medical School in the Forties • 1944–1948 The nation was still at war in 1944, and most of the University of Georgia School of Medicine’s Class of 1948 was in uniform, enrolled in one of the military training programs. A few of us were civilians in possession of draft deferral cards. Dean Lombard Kelly brought us together in July of 1944 at the University of Georgia in Athens, where we were registered. At that time, the medical school was officially a part of the university, even though it was located in Augusta, where we moved that September. I had been at the university in a premed program since March of 1943, shortly after completing all requirements for graduation from the Academy of Richmond County. At that time, there were only eleven years of grade school in Georgia. I applied to the medical school in the spring of 1944, at the age of seventeen, and was interviewed by Dr. Kelly, who sent me a letter of acceptance a few weeks later. As did the others who were from Augusta, I lived at home but frequently joined in the activities of my fraternity, Phi Rho Sigma. The military students originated from widely scattered parts of the country and gave the classes a welcome diversity. Many of them remained in Georgia after graduation. Standards were set inordinately high for those in uniform. If one of them failed a course, even in midyear, he was immediately shipped off to active duty. One other group of older students had transferred from the ill-fated medical school at Oglethorpe University, which closed for lack of a teaching hospital. They started over and repeated many courses. Only three women were in our class, which reflected the general attitude toward women in the profession at that time. Not only were they smart, they added to the spice of life in the class and were involved in all activities. The heart of the school was the Newton Building, a wondrous place that almost had a life of its own.

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