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A Tribute
A Tribute
J
ohn Dutton Steele was ,born in Philadelphia on January 28, 1905. He attended Williams College, was graduated in Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania in 1932, and received the degree of Master of Science in Surgery from the University of Michigan in 1937. In 1933, after an internship at Bryn Mawr Hospital, he became surgical resident at the International Grenfell Hospital in Newfoundland. During the next two years he was inspired by the humanism and compassion of Sir Wilfred Grenfell, and he acquired a consuming interest in thoracic surgery. John Steele determined to make thoracic surgery his career and came to the University of Michigan as one of the early residents to work under John Alexander. In 1938 he established a practice in thoracic surgery in Milwaukee. He served as Chief of the Surgical Service at the Muirdale Sanatorium and as Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at Marquette University School of Medicine until 1955. The last fourteen years of his life were spent in Southern California as Chief of Surgery at the Veterans Administration Hospital at San Fernando. He served as Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Medical School of the University of California, Los Angeles, and as Consulting Thoracic Surgeon at Olive View Hospital and LaVina Sanatorium in Los Angeles. Dr. Steele was instrumental in establishing the Pembine Therapy Conference which has served as a model for evaluating clinical results in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. A member of many medical societies, John Steele was particularly active in the American Thoracic Society, serving as President of this organization from 1954 to 1955. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Tuberculosis Association and served as Vice President of the Association from 1953 to 1954. He was awarded the Association’s Trudeau Medal in 1962. In 1969 he received the California Gold Medal, presented by the Tuberculosis and Health Organization, and the Distinguished Service Award of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Dr. Steele made many major contributions to the medical literature on subjects ranging from pulmonary tuberculosis, his principal clinical interest, to bronchogenic carcinoma. As Editor of the John Alexander Monograph Series, he further developed his outstanding editorial talent. His great passion was The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. VOL.
8,
NO.
6,
DECEMBER,
1969
487
A Tribute
In 1964 he became the Founding Editor of the Society’s official publication, T h e Annals of Thoracic Surgery. The success achieved by this journal in so short a time is due to the vision, unequaled effort, and editorial skill of John Steele. The journal is a monument to him. This distinguished and dedicated surgeon and editor had broad interests. He was an avid dry fly fisherman whose fishing trips reflected the same orderly, energetic pursuit of excellence characteristic of all his undertakings. He was a culinary expert whose recipes have appeared in several magazines and books. He believed that bourbon has a place among the amenities of life. Above all he was a gentleman, a scholar, and a teacher in the best sense of these words. John discovered nodules in his liver while on a fishing trip in West Yellowstone in July, 1968. He did not mention his discovery until he and his companions had returned home. Because an exact diagnosis had not been made and because an orderly transfer of responsibility for T h e Annals was desirable, he arranged to undergo an exploratory operation prior to the 1969 meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons so that a new editor might be chosen if this proved necessary. For long months John fought a relentless malignancy with courage and self-discipline. His interest in T h e Annals never stopped. He continued to advise and assist the new Editor until the day before he died quietly in his sleep in the early morning hours of July 27, 1969.
488
THE ANNALS OF THORACIC S U R X k Y
J
ohn Dutton Steele was ,born in Philadelphia on January 28, 1905. He attended Williams College, was graduated in Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania in 1932, and received the degree of Master of Science in Surgery from the University of Michigan in 1937. In 1933, after an internship at Bryn Mawr Hospital, he became surgical resident at the International Grenfell Hospital in Newfoundland. During the next two years he was inspired by the humanism and compassion of Sir Wilfred Grenfell, and he acquired a consuming interest in thoracic surgery. John Steele determined to make thoracic surgery his career and came to the University of Michigan as one of the early residents to work under John Alexander. In 1938 he established a practice in thoracic surgery in Milwaukee. He served as Chief of the Surgical Service at the Muirdale Sanatorium and as Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at Marquette University School of Medicine until 1955. The last fourteen years of his life were spent in Southern California as Chief of Surgery at the Veterans Administration Hospital at San Fernando. He served as Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Medical School of the University of California, Los Angeles, and as Consulting Thoracic Surgeon at Olive View Hospital and LaVina Sanatorium in Los Angeles. Dr. Steele was instrumental in establishing the Pembine Therapy Conference which has served as a model for evaluating clinical results in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. A member of many medical societies, John Steele was particularly active in the American Thoracic Society, serving as President of this organization from 1954 to 1955. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Tuberculosis Association and served as Vice President of the Association from 1953 to 1954. He was awarded the Association’s Trudeau Medal in 1962. In 1969 he received the California Gold Medal, presented by the Tuberculosis and Health Organization, and the Distinguished Service Award of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Dr. Steele made many major contributions to the medical literature on subjects ranging from pulmonary tuberculosis, his principal clinical interest, to bronchogenic carcinoma. As Editor of the John Alexander Monograph Series, he further developed his outstanding editorial talent. His great passion was The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. VOL.
8,
NO.
6,
DECEMBER,
1969
487
A Tribute
In 1964 he became the Founding Editor of the Society’s official publication, T h e Annals of Thoracic Surgery. The success achieved by this journal in so short a time is due to the vision, unequaled effort, and editorial skill of John Steele. The journal is a monument to him. This distinguished and dedicated surgeon and editor had broad interests. He was an avid dry fly fisherman whose fishing trips reflected the same orderly, energetic pursuit of excellence characteristic of all his undertakings. He was a culinary expert whose recipes have appeared in several magazines and books. He believed that bourbon has a place among the amenities of life. Above all he was a gentleman, a scholar, and a teacher in the best sense of these words. John discovered nodules in his liver while on a fishing trip in West Yellowstone in July, 1968. He did not mention his discovery until he and his companions had returned home. Because an exact diagnosis had not been made and because an orderly transfer of responsibility for T h e Annals was desirable, he arranged to undergo an exploratory operation prior to the 1969 meeting of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons so that a new editor might be chosen if this proved necessary. For long months John fought a relentless malignancy with courage and self-discipline. His interest in T h e Annals never stopped. He continued to advise and assist the new Editor until the day before he died quietly in his sleep in the early morning hours of July 27, 1969.
488
THE ANNALS OF THORACIC S U R X k Y