Who’s Who in Orthopedics
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Winthrop M. PHELPS
1894–1971
Winthrop M. Phelps graduated from Princeton University in 1916 and from the Johns Hopkins Medical School in 1920. After serving a year of internship at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and another at Massachusetts General Hospital, he began his orthopedic training in the Harvard program at Boston’s Children’s Hospital in 1923.
After his training, he joined the faculty of Yale University in 1926, becoming chairman of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery in 1931.
Because of his interest in the problems of patients with cerebral palsy, he gave up this position and in 1936 went to Baltimore to establish the Chil- dren’s Rehabilitation Institute. He remained asso- ciated with this Institute for the rest of his career.
As a founding member of the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and through his work in the Institute, he had great influence in bringing the problems of these patients to the attention of the orthopedic community. He pointed out the importance of a holistic approach, i.e. looking at each individual as a whole person rather than con- centrating on specific mechanical or neurologic deficiencies. Phelps’ paper on the classification and treatment of cerebral birth injuries, written early in his career, is considered by orthopedic historian Edgar M. Bick to be the most important publication on the subject since the original description of cerebral palsy by Little in 1862.
Dallas Burton PHEMISTER
1882–1951
Born on a farm near Carbondale in Southern Illi- nois, Dr. Phemister attended a country school and, after graduation from high school, continued his education at the Normal School of Northern Indiana. While there he decided to become a physician, and entered Rush Medical College of the University of Chicago, thus beginning an association with the university that was to be life- long. After graduation from Rush in 1904, he served an internship at Cook County Hospital. He then entered private practice in LaGrange, Illi- nois, continuing at the same time his interest in teaching and research as a member of the Rush Faculty. In this period of American medicine, advanced training was available only abroad; so, after 5 years of practice, Dr. Phemister went to Vienna. Here began what became the most absorbing interest of his career—the study of the pathology of bone diseases. In 1911 he returned to Chicago to resume his teaching position at Rush, and established an association with Arthur Dean Bevan.
During World War I, Dr. Phemister served with the Presbyterian Hospital Unit, and at the end of the war returned to Rush Medical College, where he soon became professor of surgery. Although he carried on a large private practice, he devoted much time to teaching and laboratory research.
Many of his contributions to the knowledge of
bone and joint diseases, as well as to the field of
general surgery, owe their inception to this period
in his life.
With the organization of the new medical school at the University of Chicago in 1927, Dr. Phemister entered upon the most significant work of his career. The university asked him to undertake the task of organizing a department of surgery, whose members were to devote all their time to teaching and investigation as well as to clinical work. Convinced that this concept of a full-time medical faculty was an important new principle, Dr. Phemister accepted the challenge.
While awaiting the completion of the buildings of the university clinics, he went to Europe for further study. In London he began his work on operative shock, a subject to which he made contributions of the greatest importance through the subsequent years.
With the opening of the University of Chicago School of Medicine, came the most productive years of his career. Not only did he make many contributions to knowledge, but by his example, he stimulated others who came under his influ- ence to do likewise. His research on bone tumors, infections, bone growth and repair, bone trans- plantation and aseptic necrosis of bone radically altered the surgical care of patients with skeletal disorders. Although bone and joint disease remained his primary interest throughout his life, other fields too were affected by his investiga- tions. He was the first successfully to remove the esophagus, in case of carcinoma, with re- establishment of continuity by anastomosis with the stomach. His studies on the formation and constituents of gallstones were fundamental. His early recognition of the need for blood replace- ment in surgical shock helped to revolutionize the surgical management of patients injured or con- valescent from operation and made possible the greatly expanded surgical treatment that we know today.
Dr. Phemister’s own accomplishments in the medical sciences would alone be sufficient to earn him a high place in medical history. He was most profoundly influential, however, as a teacher. His personal qualities of intellectual honesty, tireless energy, generosity, dignity, and simplicity deeply affected all who came in contact with him. He taught always by example, whether dealing with undergraduate students, residents, or staff doctors. His forthright honesty and con- stant striving for improvement in knowledge and methods stimulated generations of students.
To the many scientific societies in which he took an active part, he brought the same high qualities.
Dr. Phemister’s achievements won him every recognition in the medical world. He occupied positions of distinction in the surgical societies of the United States and in international associa- tions. Many foreign societies conferred honorary memberships upon him. These honors he received with characteristic humility and always with a deep sense of obligation. His greatest personal satisfaction was to observe the growth and success of a student or an associate.
On December 28, 1951, the medical world was saddened by the death of Dallas B. Phemister.
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