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A Tribute to Rudolph Wieser Holmes*
RALPH
E.
CAMPBELL,
M.D.,
MADISON,
Wn;.
r A_~ app_earii~g- before you with conflicting emotions.
I feel a deep honor in giving the initial presentation of the Rudolph Wieser Holmes and Maria Bax:er Holmes Fund in memorial to their mothers, Paula Wieser Holmes and ~arab Moore Baxter, but I am very sorry that Dr. Holmes could not live for his meeting. Dr. Rudolph Wieser Holmes was known to many of you a.s collea-gue, to ;ome as teacher, but to ali as a friend. lie was born June 27', i810, in Chilago. He graduated from the Harvard School and Harvard Coll~ge, then ~raduated from Rush Medical College in 1893. He interned at Presbyterian tiospital in Chicago from 1894 to 1895. Following his marriage to Maria Bax;er in 1898, he studied in Dresden, Vielma, Prague, and Berlin. Attesting to his prominence in obstetrics, Dr. Holmes was Attending Obltetrician at the Chicago Lying-in Hospital and Dispensa.ry, Cook County tiospital, Passavant Memorial, and Augustana Hospitals. He was also Presilent of the Passavant Staff from 1908 to 1925. He was a consulting ob$te:rician at the Chicago Maternity Center from 1930 to 1940. Dr. Holmes was a professor of obstetrics at Rush Medical School, becomng an emeritus professor in 1927 due to ·ill health. In 1929 he became ~· liate Professor of Obstetrics at Northwestern Medical Sehool and Director lf Obstetrics at Passavant Hospital, posts he held until i936. He was reeaBed :rom retirement at Charlottesville, Virginia, by Dr. Irving S. Cutter, Detm. >f the Northwestern University Medical School, to orga11Jze a department of >bstetrics at Passavant Hospital. I would like to read his letter of acceptance ;o Dr. Cutter which was dated June 1, 1929, and reads as follows: "In accepting the medical school appointment, I had but one great desire. :hat I might do my utmost to make the obstetric department of the hospital -vorthy of the building which houses it and that I might ~gain have a period >f teaching. Have been slow in accepting the appointment in the medical ;chool, but my hesitation was based on the fear that my physical condition night militate against an adequa~e devotion for the t~ks set- befo~~-_m_~~ But tn accepting the place, I would have you know that my years of loyalty to :he hospital will be reflected in as great a loyalty to the school." Dr. Holmes was very active in medieal groups througllout the United jtates and was President of the Chicago Gynecological Society, 1912-1913; ~resident of the Central Association of Obstetricians and G~ts., which L
*Presented at a meeting of the Chicago Gynecol<>gical Society, Nov. 20, 1953.
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TRIBUTE '1'0 RUDOLPH WIESER HOLMES
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he had helped to found, 1930-1931. He was a director of the American Committee on Maternal Welfare and Treasurer of the American Congress on Ob~tetrics and Gynecology for many years. He was Chairman of the Committee on Graduate Teaching of the White House Conference. Dr. Holmes was among those very active in the formation of the Joint Committee of Maternal Welfare of Cook County in the early days. He was listed in Who's Who in America. Among his many contributions to the literature were: chapters on ''Puerperal Hemorrhages'' and ''Malposition of the Fetus'' in Davis' textbook, Obstetrics and Gynecology; articles on "The Maternal Ward of a General Hospital,'' ''A Survey o£ the Operative Incidence and Mortalities in Four Hunured Forty-Five Hospitals,'' ''Ablatio Placentae,'' ''Institutional Obstetrics,'' '' Cesarian Section, a Phase in the Unwise Modern Obstetric Trend," and" Obstetrics and Gynecology, Their Unity in Practice and Pedagogy,'' Presidential Address before the Central Association. 'l'here were many others, but this will show you what a varied interest he had, but always with one over-all theme, "Maternal Welfare." Before his death, Dr. Holmes had hoped to be present at the introduction of the fund in the memory of his mother and Mrs. Holmes' mother and we had many letters in regard to the subject. I would like to read his initial letter dated Nov. 15, 1952, on this matter so that you can better understand what he had in mind. It reads as follows: "I know not if you are aware that in 1947, after I lost Mrs. Holmes, I was settlor of a Trust, which, after my death, was to become effective for two purposes; primarily for the promulgation of matters pertaining to Maternal Vv elfare, as a memorial to our respective mothers, and secondly as a memorial to my father on matters especially pertaining to Ophthalmolgy. ''In our joint lives we had in our respective wills the provision that the Trust would be created through the will of the survivor. After her loss, I could not do else but to anticipate my o'vn death, and complete the indenture in my life, rather than let some other person do it for me. Over four years ago, under the auspices of the Institute of Medicine, I arranged for a presentation as a first tribute to my father. Lately, certain matters arose and I began to dwell on the plan of having the introductory presentation of the Maternal Welfare division as the memorial to our mothers. "I do not have an ironclad plan that either one or the other should be of material latitude-that first the incomes should be expended upon grants for investigation, awards to young men especially for original research, or original contributions to what was new. "As my father's share of the memorial was under the direction of the Institute of Medicine, so the primary part, the Maternal Welfare, should be directed by the Chicago Community Trust (and I add with the Northern '!'rust of Chicago as Trustee) with a medical committee organized by an ad vi-
11:!
CAMPBF.JLL
\n:, J,
Obn . .'I:Gynec. Jcmuary. 195'
sory board, as I firmly believe that the choice of annual award should be selected by an obstetric board, as such a board will better appreciate thr needs than will a layman. ''As my first paper on Obstetrics was presented before the Chicago Gynecological Society in 1901, as a matter of sentiment I have felt it appropriate that the introductory presentation on Maternal Welfare should be prese11ted before the same society. Also, as a very personal desire, I would like to have this session in the May meeting of the above Society, which takes place 011 the third Friday of the month. ln a tentative way I have asked Doctor DeCosta to reserve time that evening.'' It was Dr. Holmes' intent to be present at a meeting scheduled for May 15, 1953, before the Chicago Gynecological Society; however, he died on April 25, 1953, and it was decided that the meeting should be postponed to a later· date inasmuch as his death would change the character of the meeting. Dr. Holmes wished for no eulogy for himself and I would like to read from one of his letters: ''You have stated that May 15th has been set aside by The Chicago Gynecological Society in my honor. That thought were far from my desires: my one idea has been that I might live long enough to see the dream which Mrs. Holmes and I had had for many years come true : on that occasion I would wish to have a very incidental part-I necessarily, must appear in the picture that it would be complete; I would beg of you not to let 'there be any obtruding thought to mar the main issues that the occasion is a memorial to our Mothers and the beginning of a contribution to enhance benefits for all motherhood. Beyond that I would not desire to appear. "If the turn of events should come upon me that would preclude my coming to the meeting I have asked the Chicago Community 'frust, and so ask you that the plan we have made shall be consummated. I trust that such an exigency shall not arise, for all the years I was in residence in Chicago, the Third Friday of the month booked no interference.'' In paying tribute to Dr. Holmes, it is necessary to tell something of the women who were RO loved by him that he wished to h
'J'RIBU'J'E TO RUDOLPH WIESER HOLMES
Volume 69 Number l
113
Dr. Holmes gave to many worth-while youth movements and wished in most eases to remain anonymous. He was particularly interested in the Young Peoples Group of St. Chrysostom 's Chureh of Chicago and often gave them contributions. Dr. and Mrs. Holmes established the Paula Wieser Holmes and Sarah }Ioore Baxter ::vremorial in the Rush Medical College Library. When Dr. and Mrs. Holmes lived in Chicago, they had freqmmt open house for residents. interns, and students. Dr. Holmes helped many students when they were financially unable to continue their medical work without sueh aid. Dr. Holmes was a living example of one of his father's remarks to a graduating class of Rush Memorial School: "May each of you grow old and wear out in the services of others.'' On one of my visits to his home, shortly before hi:-: death. I found him still actively engaged in assembling charts and reports on maternal statistics. During the last two years of his life he attended medical meetings in Yirginia. Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, and Texas. He also gave a postgraduate lecture in South Carolina. Incidentally, he drove his own car to all of these meetings. Dr. Holmes at one time wrote an article entitled, "Names That Can Tji ve"; I would like to write an article on "Names That ·will Livf'" anil plAce Dr. Rudolph Wieser Holmes at the hf'ad of the list. 4133
MANITOU WAY
MADISON
5,
WIS.
E.
CAMPBELL,
M.D.,
MADISON,
Wn;.
r A_~ app_earii~g- before you with conflicting emotions.
I feel a deep honor in giving the initial presentation of the Rudolph Wieser Holmes and Maria Bax:er Holmes Fund in memorial to their mothers, Paula Wieser Holmes and ~arab Moore Baxter, but I am very sorry that Dr. Holmes could not live for his meeting. Dr. Rudolph Wieser Holmes was known to many of you a.s collea-gue, to ;ome as teacher, but to ali as a friend. lie was born June 27', i810, in Chilago. He graduated from the Harvard School and Harvard Coll~ge, then ~raduated from Rush Medical College in 1893. He interned at Presbyterian tiospital in Chicago from 1894 to 1895. Following his marriage to Maria Bax;er in 1898, he studied in Dresden, Vielma, Prague, and Berlin. Attesting to his prominence in obstetrics, Dr. Holmes was Attending Obltetrician at the Chicago Lying-in Hospital and Dispensa.ry, Cook County tiospital, Passavant Memorial, and Augustana Hospitals. He was also Presilent of the Passavant Staff from 1908 to 1925. He was a consulting ob$te:rician at the Chicago Maternity Center from 1930 to 1940. Dr. Holmes was a professor of obstetrics at Rush Medical School, becomng an emeritus professor in 1927 due to ·ill health. In 1929 he became ~· liate Professor of Obstetrics at Northwestern Medical Sehool and Director lf Obstetrics at Passavant Hospital, posts he held until i936. He was reeaBed :rom retirement at Charlottesville, Virginia, by Dr. Irving S. Cutter, Detm. >f the Northwestern University Medical School, to orga11Jze a department of >bstetrics at Passavant Hospital. I would like to read his letter of acceptance ;o Dr. Cutter which was dated June 1, 1929, and reads as follows: "In accepting the medical school appointment, I had but one great desire. :hat I might do my utmost to make the obstetric department of the hospital -vorthy of the building which houses it and that I might ~gain have a period >f teaching. Have been slow in accepting the appointment in the medical ;chool, but my hesitation was based on the fear that my physical condition night militate against an adequa~e devotion for the t~ks set- befo~~-_m_~~ But tn accepting the place, I would have you know that my years of loyalty to :he hospital will be reflected in as great a loyalty to the school." Dr. Holmes was very active in medieal groups througllout the United jtates and was President of the Chicago Gynecological Society, 1912-1913; ~resident of the Central Association of Obstetricians and G~ts., which L
*Presented at a meeting of the Chicago Gynecol<>gical Society, Nov. 20, 1953.
110
Volume 69 Number l
TRIBUTE '1'0 RUDOLPH WIESER HOLMES
111
he had helped to found, 1930-1931. He was a director of the American Committee on Maternal Welfare and Treasurer of the American Congress on Ob~tetrics and Gynecology for many years. He was Chairman of the Committee on Graduate Teaching of the White House Conference. Dr. Holmes was among those very active in the formation of the Joint Committee of Maternal Welfare of Cook County in the early days. He was listed in Who's Who in America. Among his many contributions to the literature were: chapters on ''Puerperal Hemorrhages'' and ''Malposition of the Fetus'' in Davis' textbook, Obstetrics and Gynecology; articles on "The Maternal Ward of a General Hospital,'' ''A Survey o£ the Operative Incidence and Mortalities in Four Hunured Forty-Five Hospitals,'' ''Ablatio Placentae,'' ''Institutional Obstetrics,'' '' Cesarian Section, a Phase in the Unwise Modern Obstetric Trend," and" Obstetrics and Gynecology, Their Unity in Practice and Pedagogy,'' Presidential Address before the Central Association. 'l'here were many others, but this will show you what a varied interest he had, but always with one over-all theme, "Maternal Welfare." Before his death, Dr. Holmes had hoped to be present at the introduction of the fund in the memory of his mother and Mrs. Holmes' mother and we had many letters in regard to the subject. I would like to read his initial letter dated Nov. 15, 1952, on this matter so that you can better understand what he had in mind. It reads as follows: "I know not if you are aware that in 1947, after I lost Mrs. Holmes, I was settlor of a Trust, which, after my death, was to become effective for two purposes; primarily for the promulgation of matters pertaining to Maternal Vv elfare, as a memorial to our respective mothers, and secondly as a memorial to my father on matters especially pertaining to Ophthalmolgy. ''In our joint lives we had in our respective wills the provision that the Trust would be created through the will of the survivor. After her loss, I could not do else but to anticipate my o'vn death, and complete the indenture in my life, rather than let some other person do it for me. Over four years ago, under the auspices of the Institute of Medicine, I arranged for a presentation as a first tribute to my father. Lately, certain matters arose and I began to dwell on the plan of having the introductory presentation of the Maternal Welfare division as the memorial to our mothers. "I do not have an ironclad plan that either one or the other should be of material latitude-that first the incomes should be expended upon grants for investigation, awards to young men especially for original research, or original contributions to what was new. "As my father's share of the memorial was under the direction of the Institute of Medicine, so the primary part, the Maternal Welfare, should be directed by the Chicago Community Trust (and I add with the Northern '!'rust of Chicago as Trustee) with a medical committee organized by an ad vi-
11:!
CAMPBF.JLL
\n:, J,
Obn . .'I:Gynec. Jcmuary. 195'
sory board, as I firmly believe that the choice of annual award should be selected by an obstetric board, as such a board will better appreciate thr needs than will a layman. ''As my first paper on Obstetrics was presented before the Chicago Gynecological Society in 1901, as a matter of sentiment I have felt it appropriate that the introductory presentation on Maternal Welfare should be prese11ted before the same society. Also, as a very personal desire, I would like to have this session in the May meeting of the above Society, which takes place 011 the third Friday of the month. ln a tentative way I have asked Doctor DeCosta to reserve time that evening.'' It was Dr. Holmes' intent to be present at a meeting scheduled for May 15, 1953, before the Chicago Gynecological Society; however, he died on April 25, 1953, and it was decided that the meeting should be postponed to a later· date inasmuch as his death would change the character of the meeting. Dr. Holmes wished for no eulogy for himself and I would like to read from one of his letters: ''You have stated that May 15th has been set aside by The Chicago Gynecological Society in my honor. That thought were far from my desires: my one idea has been that I might live long enough to see the dream which Mrs. Holmes and I had had for many years come true : on that occasion I would wish to have a very incidental part-I necessarily, must appear in the picture that it would be complete; I would beg of you not to let 'there be any obtruding thought to mar the main issues that the occasion is a memorial to our Mothers and the beginning of a contribution to enhance benefits for all motherhood. Beyond that I would not desire to appear. "If the turn of events should come upon me that would preclude my coming to the meeting I have asked the Chicago Community 'frust, and so ask you that the plan we have made shall be consummated. I trust that such an exigency shall not arise, for all the years I was in residence in Chicago, the Third Friday of the month booked no interference.'' In paying tribute to Dr. Holmes, it is necessary to tell something of the women who were RO loved by him that he wished to h
'J'RIBU'J'E TO RUDOLPH WIESER HOLMES
Volume 69 Number l
113
Dr. Holmes gave to many worth-while youth movements and wished in most eases to remain anonymous. He was particularly interested in the Young Peoples Group of St. Chrysostom 's Chureh of Chicago and often gave them contributions. Dr. and Mrs. Holmes established the Paula Wieser Holmes and Sarah }Ioore Baxter ::vremorial in the Rush Medical College Library. When Dr. and Mrs. Holmes lived in Chicago, they had freqmmt open house for residents. interns, and students. Dr. Holmes helped many students when they were financially unable to continue their medical work without sueh aid. Dr. Holmes was a living example of one of his father's remarks to a graduating class of Rush Memorial School: "May each of you grow old and wear out in the services of others.'' On one of my visits to his home, shortly before hi:-: death. I found him still actively engaged in assembling charts and reports on maternal statistics. During the last two years of his life he attended medical meetings in Yirginia. Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, and Texas. He also gave a postgraduate lecture in South Carolina. Incidentally, he drove his own car to all of these meetings. Dr. Holmes at one time wrote an article entitled, "Names That Can Tji ve"; I would like to write an article on "Names That ·will Livf'" anil plAce Dr. Rudolph Wieser Holmes at the hf'ad of the list. 4133
MANITOU WAY
MADISON
5,
WIS.