| |
July 1996
Volume 60 |
Number 7
|
| |
|
| Lewis H. Wright
Memorial Lecture: 'From Symmetrical to Asymmetrical: An Historical
Perspective' |
Kathryn E. McGoldrick, M.D., Trustee
Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology
The Lewis H. Wright Memorial Lecture, sponsored annually by the
Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology, honors its namesake, an
indefatigable pioneer in American anesthesiology who was devoted
to enhancing the stature of anesthesiology as a clinical science
and medical specialty.
This year's distinguished Wright Memorial Lecturer is Joseph F.
Artusio, Jr., M.D., Professor and Chair Emeritus of the Department
of Anesthesiology at the New York Hospitalp;Cornell Medical
Center. His lecture, titled "From Symmetrical to Asymmetrical:
An Historical Perspective," will be delivered during the
ASA Annual Meeting on Tuesday, October 22, at 1 p.m. at the Morial
Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1917, Dr. Artusio received
his bachelor's in chemistry from St. Peter's College in 1939 and
was awarded his medical degree from Cornell University Medical
College in 1943. Intensely interested initially in pursuing a
career in internal medicine, Dr. Artusio completed his internship
at Bellevue Hospital in 1944. World War II, however, interrupted
Dr. Artusio's postgraduate training, and he soon found himself
transported from Bellevue Hospital to the Italian campaign. Much
to his initial dismay, Dr. Artusio was assigned to provide anesthesia
care rather than being allowed to develop as an internist.
It was in the field that his brilliant career in anesthesiology
germinated and blossomed. To his surprise and delight, the once-reluctant
anesthesiologist became fascinated and challenged by his new specialty.
One of the many intriguing wartime anecdotes Dr. Artusio tells
is of his meeting with Henry K. Beecher, M.D., who warned against
the dangers of administering sodium thiopental to volume-depleted
patients.
Dr. Artusio not only discovered his professional calling during
World War II, he also met his lifetime partner, Mary Louise, a
nurse anesthetist who became his devoted wife. The two enjoyed
an extremely happy, strong marriage that produced six children.
Mary Louise died in 1977 after a valiant struggle with rheumatoid
arthritis.
Dr. Artusio completed his residency training in 1947 at the New
York Hospital, where he won the admiration and loyalty of the
eminent Frank Glenn, M.D., Chief of Surgery. Dr. Glenn persuaded
Dr. Artusio to remain at Cornell, and in 1948, Dr. Artusio was
named Chief of the Division of Anesthesia in the Department of
Surgery. In 1967, anesthesiology became a separate department,
and Dr. Artusio served as Chair until 1989. His 41-year tenure
is the longest to date for a chair of a major academic department
of anesthesiology in the United States.
During his illustrious career, Dr. Artusio has proven himself
to be a superb teacher, an outstanding clinician, an excellent
administrator, an appealing lecturer and a gentle but strong leader
with a keen sense of family, community and institutional responsibility.
During the 1960s, Dr. Artusio served on the Board of Education
of the Pelham Public Schools and was named the Pelham Man of the
Year in 1967. He also served as President of the Medical Board
of the New York Hospital from 1982 to 1984 and was the 1985 recipient
of the Maurice R. Greenberg Distinguished Service Award of the
New York Hospitalp;Cornell Medical Center as well as the 1989
recipient of the Alumni Award of Distinction from Cornell University
Medical College.
Always modest, Dr. Artusio considers his forte to be teaching
and clinical care. This author had the good fortune to be a Cornell
medical student who studied under Dr. Artusio and can attest to
his consummate skills in these areas. Nonetheless, Dr. Artusio
understates his accomplishments by neglecting to highlight his
research contributions. Indeed, he was the first to define the
sequence of amnesia and analgesia with diethyl ether in patients
undergoing cardiac surgery. This proved to be a forerunner for
the important role that narcotics play in modern cardiac surgery.
Moreover, with W.F. Riker, M.D., and W.C. Wescoe, M.D., Dr. Artusio
developed and engaged in the initial clinical trials of edrophonium.
Along with his esteemed colleague, Alan Van Poznak, M.D., Dr.
Artusio also developed and tested methoxyflurane, the asymmetrical
ether that was the parent molecule for such modern inhalation
agents as enflurane, isoflurane and desflurane. In addition, he
has published extensively and has delivered several eponymous
lectures, including the Crawford W. Long Memorial Lectureship,
the Louis Orkin Lecture and the E.A. Rovenstine Lecture at the
New York State Society of Anesthesiologists Postgraduate Assembly.
The Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology is honored to have Dr.
Joseph F. Artusio, Jr. -- an extraordinary asset to our specialty
for almost 50 years -- as the 1996 Lewis H. Wright Memorial Lecturer.
Kathryn E. McGoldrick, M.D., is Professor
of Anesthesiology at Yale University School of Medicine and Medical
Director of Ambulatory Surgery at Yale-New Haven Hospital, New
Haven, Connecticut.
return to top
Home >Newsletters
>July 1996Home >Test
|