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July 1996
Volume 60 |
Number 7
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TO THE MEMBERSHIP
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| History 101 |
Erwin Lear, M.D.
Editor
One of the most successful elements of the ASA Annual Meeting
has been the Refresher Course Lectures Program. The concept was
introduced at the 1950 Annual Meeting held in Houston, Texas (November
7). There were 31 lectures, ranging from "Clinical Aspects
of Intravenous Pentothal Anesthesia" by R. Charles Adams,
M.D., to "Cyclopropane Anesthesia" by Ivan B. Taylor,
M.D.
A few other topics of note included lectures on analgesic drugs
by Henry K. Beecher, M.D., on curare by Stuart C. Cullen, M.D.,
on the geriatric patient by Paul H. Lorhan, M.D., and on pediatric
anesthesia by M. Digby Leigh, M.D. Various aspects of regional
anesthesia were covered by Emery A. Rovenstine, M.D., John S.
Lundy, M.D., and John Adriani, M.D. The cardiovascular system
was addressed by E.M. Papper, M.D., O. Sidney Orth, M.D., and
Robert D. Dripps, M.D., while lectures on the respiratory system
were given by Harvey C. Slocum, M.D., and Meyer "Mike"
Saklad, M.D. A host of "giants" completed the list of
speakers.
By the 1960 ASA Annual Meeting in New York City, there were 77
lectures and an 11th Annual Refresher Lecture Course booklet,
which measured 5-1/2 by 8-1/2 inches and was a quarter-inch thick.
The1996 Annual Refresher Course Lectures book measures
7-3/8 by 9-1/8 inches and is approximately 1-1/2 inches thick;
it contains 84 Refresher Course lectures and 15 Clinical Update
lectures. Alexander W. Gotta, M.D., and the Committee on Refresher
Courses are to be commended on the quality of the 1996 program
content. Ever the gourmet, Dr. Gotta has provided an intellectual
smorgasbord capable of satiating every appetite.
On a more serious note, it is indeed regrettable that our members
failed to learn a lesson from history. In the 1960 lectures, Howard
M. Ausherman, M.D., of Charlotte, North Carolina, spoke on the
"Economics of Anesthesia." Strangely enough, the Refresher
Course did not deal directly with the business of billing and
collecting. The key to his lecture is abstracted for the reader:
"The most important single factor in the economics of anesthesia
is a sound patient-physician relationship." He further commented
on the need to be recognized by fellow physicians "as a fellow
physician and not merely as a technician of anesthesia."
Finally, he stated that "the anesthesiologist should grasp
every opportunity to speak before lay groups."
All of the above recommendations apparently went largely unheeded
when, 20 years later, ASA embarked on a multithousand-dollar public
relations campaign to improve our image.
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