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Walter Herbert Pritchard
International
Journal
of
123
Cardiology, 4 (1983) 123-125
Elsevier
Obituary Walter Herbert Pritchard Dr. Walter H. Pritchard, formerly Director of Cardiology at the University Hospitals of Cleveland, died of leukemia on 31 August 1982 at the age of 72. Dr. Pritchard was the Argyl J. Beams Professor of Medicine at Case-Western Reserve University.
Walter
0167-5273/83/$03.00
H. Pritchard,
0 1983 Elsevier Science Publishers
M.D.
B.V.
124
Dr. Pitchard was born in Hancock, New York and received his A.B. degree at Hamilton College, Clinton, New York and his M.D. from the Harvard Medical School. He then began an association which lasted for the remainder of his career with the University Hospitals of Cleveland and Western Reserve University. Dr. Pritchard trained there in medicine, cardiology and physiology (in the laboratory of Dr. Donald Gregg) from 1936 to 1942 when he was appointed to the faculty as an instructor. He became Professor of Medicine in 1960 and was appointed to the Beams chair in 1965. Dr. Pritchard was Acting Director of the Department of Medicine from l970 to 1971 and Chief of Staff of the University Hospitals from 1971 to 1978. He was a member of the American College of Physicians, the Association of American Physicians, the Association of University Cardiologists (founding member and president in 1973), the American Society for Clinical Investigation, Sigma Xi and the Central Society of Clinical Research. He was Chairman of the Council of Clinical Cardiology and a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Heart Association from 1970 to 1972. In 1975 he received the Heart Association’s Award of Merit for distinguished service. Dr. Pritchard was elected an Alumni Trustee of Hamilton College in 1973. Dr. T.W. Moir, University Ohio 44106 writes:
Hospitals
of Cleveland,
University
Circle, Cleveland,
Walter Pritchard was the ideal embodiment of the academic physician - a superb clinician, a creative researcher and a dedicated teacher. Most noteworthy in his personality was his self-effacing style which hid from general view two dissimilar but outstanding events in his life. At Hamilton College, in addition to being a top scholar, he was an outstanding track athlete and successfully competed for a place on the U.S. Olympic Track Team in the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He reached the finals of the Games in the 3000 meter steeple chase and in spite of falling at the first hurdle he finished high among the finalists. Few of the people who knew Dr. Pritchard were aware of this accomplishment. Another outstanding event, and one of great clinical significance, occurred in 1947 at which time Dr. Pritchard together with Drs. Claude Beck and Harold Feil performed the first successful defibrillation of the human heart with long-term survival [l]. In spite of these and other accomplishments Dr. Pritchard’s greatest pride was in his family. Marian Pritchard, his wife of 43 years, their 6 children, two of whom are surgeons and one a nurse, and 7 grandchildren survive him. With their support Dr. Pritchard’s former students and friends have received permission from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the University Hospitals of Cleveland to establish the Walter H. Pritchard Professorship in Cardiology. The goal of the endowment is one million dollars and the fund raising effort is already well on its way. Dr. Robert C. Schlant, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30335 writes: Many of Walter Pritchard’s early research studies were done with Dr. Donald Gregg and were concerned with blood flow and arteries, an interest he continued to have all of his life. His early studies on the determination of cardiac output by a continuous recording system using 113’ human serum albumin led the way to many subsequent clinical investigations using
125 this technique and others subsequently developed without arterial sampling. He was one of the leaders in the United States in the development of radionuclide techniques to study the circulation. Walter was Chairman of the American Heart Association Research Study Committee for a number of years and had a very significant effect upon the growth and development of cardiovascular research in the United States during these years. He also was Chairman of the Committee for the selection of the Herrick Award and on the Committee on Teaching Scholarships in Cardiology of the American Heart Association. Walter’s participation on the 1932 U.S. Olympic Track Team was an activity of which he was intensely proud but seldom spoke. This typified the character of Walter Pritchard. He maintained an active interest in all aspects of amateur sports throughout his life but would occasionally express mild disdain for modern day so-called professional athletes. Walter’s warm and gracious manner together with his sincere interest in both friends and acquaintances brought him many friends throughout medicine. Whether serving with him on a committee or visiting at an annual meeting, Walter was ever the warm and open friend. He was especially exuberant if he had just heard a new and exciting presentation by a young resident or fellow, perhaps much more so than by a tried and true old pro. Cardiology will miss him as an investigator, physician, teacher and friend. Our lives and the lives of innumerable patients have been made better because of him.
Reference 1 Beck DS, Pritchard WH, Feil HS. Ventricular fibrillation of long duration abolished by electric shock. J Am Med Assoc 1947;135:985-986.
Journal
of
123
Cardiology, 4 (1983) 123-125
Elsevier
Obituary Walter Herbert Pritchard Dr. Walter H. Pritchard, formerly Director of Cardiology at the University Hospitals of Cleveland, died of leukemia on 31 August 1982 at the age of 72. Dr. Pritchard was the Argyl J. Beams Professor of Medicine at Case-Western Reserve University.
Walter
0167-5273/83/$03.00
H. Pritchard,
0 1983 Elsevier Science Publishers
M.D.
B.V.
124
Dr. Pitchard was born in Hancock, New York and received his A.B. degree at Hamilton College, Clinton, New York and his M.D. from the Harvard Medical School. He then began an association which lasted for the remainder of his career with the University Hospitals of Cleveland and Western Reserve University. Dr. Pritchard trained there in medicine, cardiology and physiology (in the laboratory of Dr. Donald Gregg) from 1936 to 1942 when he was appointed to the faculty as an instructor. He became Professor of Medicine in 1960 and was appointed to the Beams chair in 1965. Dr. Pritchard was Acting Director of the Department of Medicine from l970 to 1971 and Chief of Staff of the University Hospitals from 1971 to 1978. He was a member of the American College of Physicians, the Association of American Physicians, the Association of University Cardiologists (founding member and president in 1973), the American Society for Clinical Investigation, Sigma Xi and the Central Society of Clinical Research. He was Chairman of the Council of Clinical Cardiology and a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Heart Association from 1970 to 1972. In 1975 he received the Heart Association’s Award of Merit for distinguished service. Dr. Pritchard was elected an Alumni Trustee of Hamilton College in 1973. Dr. T.W. Moir, University Ohio 44106 writes:
Hospitals
of Cleveland,
University
Circle, Cleveland,
Walter Pritchard was the ideal embodiment of the academic physician - a superb clinician, a creative researcher and a dedicated teacher. Most noteworthy in his personality was his self-effacing style which hid from general view two dissimilar but outstanding events in his life. At Hamilton College, in addition to being a top scholar, he was an outstanding track athlete and successfully competed for a place on the U.S. Olympic Track Team in the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He reached the finals of the Games in the 3000 meter steeple chase and in spite of falling at the first hurdle he finished high among the finalists. Few of the people who knew Dr. Pritchard were aware of this accomplishment. Another outstanding event, and one of great clinical significance, occurred in 1947 at which time Dr. Pritchard together with Drs. Claude Beck and Harold Feil performed the first successful defibrillation of the human heart with long-term survival [l]. In spite of these and other accomplishments Dr. Pritchard’s greatest pride was in his family. Marian Pritchard, his wife of 43 years, their 6 children, two of whom are surgeons and one a nurse, and 7 grandchildren survive him. With their support Dr. Pritchard’s former students and friends have received permission from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the University Hospitals of Cleveland to establish the Walter H. Pritchard Professorship in Cardiology. The goal of the endowment is one million dollars and the fund raising effort is already well on its way. Dr. Robert C. Schlant, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30335 writes: Many of Walter Pritchard’s early research studies were done with Dr. Donald Gregg and were concerned with blood flow and arteries, an interest he continued to have all of his life. His early studies on the determination of cardiac output by a continuous recording system using 113’ human serum albumin led the way to many subsequent clinical investigations using
125 this technique and others subsequently developed without arterial sampling. He was one of the leaders in the United States in the development of radionuclide techniques to study the circulation. Walter was Chairman of the American Heart Association Research Study Committee for a number of years and had a very significant effect upon the growth and development of cardiovascular research in the United States during these years. He also was Chairman of the Committee for the selection of the Herrick Award and on the Committee on Teaching Scholarships in Cardiology of the American Heart Association. Walter’s participation on the 1932 U.S. Olympic Track Team was an activity of which he was intensely proud but seldom spoke. This typified the character of Walter Pritchard. He maintained an active interest in all aspects of amateur sports throughout his life but would occasionally express mild disdain for modern day so-called professional athletes. Walter’s warm and gracious manner together with his sincere interest in both friends and acquaintances brought him many friends throughout medicine. Whether serving with him on a committee or visiting at an annual meeting, Walter was ever the warm and open friend. He was especially exuberant if he had just heard a new and exciting presentation by a young resident or fellow, perhaps much more so than by a tried and true old pro. Cardiology will miss him as an investigator, physician, teacher and friend. Our lives and the lives of innumerable patients have been made better because of him.
Reference 1 Beck DS, Pritchard WH, Feil HS. Ventricular fibrillation of long duration abolished by electric shock. J Am Med Assoc 1947;135:985-986.