- Email: [email protected]
Seymour Ochsner
THEY WERE GIANTS
OTHA LINTON, MSJ
Seymour Ochsner Seymour Fiske Ochsner was destined for medicine from the time of his birth. Had it not been for that fated path, he would have most likely become a politician of some note in Virginia, where he was raised, or Louisiana, where he made his home. As it was, he brought a grace of manner, a softness of speech, a keen insight into people around him, a manifest concern for his patients, and a willingness to invest in his profession that brought him to national prominence in radiology. Dr Ochsner was born in Chicago and grew up in Virginia. His grandfather, Albert John Ochsner, was a founder of the American College of Surgeons. His cousin, Alton Ochsner, was 1 of 5 founders of the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. Most other male members of the family also chose careers in medicine. Ochsner attended Dartmouth College and was admitted to its 2-year medical school. In 1938, he transferred as a junior to the University of Pennsylvania. The next year, he contracted pulmonary tuberculosis. Exposure to that dread disease was an occupational hazard for medical students, who were exposed to highly contagious tuberculosis patients. There was no curative drug available in the 1930s, and the common approach was bed rest and isolation in sanatoriums established for that purpose. He was sent to one of the oldest sanatoriums, Stony Wold in Saranac Lake, New York. For 7 years, he rested, read books, and began to write. Then he was pronounced cured and returned to complete his medical training at Pennsylvania. “It took me eight years to finish one year of training,” he recalled. “The school kept a place for me and I
graduated with classmates who had been in high school when I started.” Shortly after his graduation, Ochsner married Helen Keith, whom he met when she, too, was a patient at Stony Wold. Because of his tuberculosis, Dr Ochsner could not follow his kinsmen into surgery. He chose radiology. He applied first to the Mayo Clinic and was rejected because of his tuberculosis. Then he was accepted for a residency at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, where his brother was an anesthesiologist. On the completion of his training, he joined the clinic staff, where he remained for the rest of his career. Dr Ochsner started a section of radiation therapy. He earned a reputation as a very caring doctor, displaying a knack for comforting patients he could not cure. He was later made chief of radiology and served on various management boards and committees of the clinic. He was appointed to the clinical faculty of the Tulane University School of Medicine, where he taught residents and medical students for 32 years. He also taught residents at the Ochsner Clinic and was responsible for founding a residency program in radiation therapy. Dr Ochsner continued to cultivate his flair for writing while he was in practice. He ultimately contributed more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, as well as countless essays and presentations. Seymour Ochsner channeled his political talents into medical organizations, first at the local level and then into radiology groups at the national level. He chose to work in the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) and the ACR. He served on various committees of
© 2006 American College of Radiology 0091-2182/06/$32.00 ● DOI 10.1016/j.jacr.2006.05.003
both organizations and then as a member of their boards, holding responsibilities in both during the same years. He served as chairman of the ACR Board of Chancellors and then as president in 1972. He was president of the ARRS in 1977. Dr Ochsner was named by the ACR as radiology’s delegate to the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates. When the AMA expanded specialty representation from 1 delegate per specialty to several representing major societies, he remained as the ARRS delegate. Shortly, he also became chairman of the Radiology Section Council. During his decade in that voluntary post, the radiology group grew to include radiologists representing their specialty societies plus radiologists who served as members of state medical society delegations. With Dr Ochsner’s leadership, the radiology section became a political power structure within the AMA. He knew most of the members of the House of Delegates by first name and exerted gentle influence with many of them on issues of importance to radiology. He deserved much credit for preventing the AMA from taking positions contrary to the best interests of his specialty. As chairman of the ACR board and president of the ARRS, Dr Ochsner displayed the same quiet leadership in managing the affairs of both groups. He received the ACR gold medal in 1981 and the ARRS gold medal in 1986, recognitions by both groups for his many years of leadership. He also received awards from the AMA, the Southern Medical Association, and the New Orleans Radiological Society. In 1999, the Ochsner Clinic established an annual radiology lecture in his honor. In addition to his radiology orga721
722 They Were Giants
nization activities, Dr Ochsner represented the Ochsner Clinic on the board of the American Association of Medical Clinics. As a New Orleans resident in good standing, he was a member of the Rex Crewe, one of the dozens of societies that held parades
and dances during annual Mardi Gras celebrations. After the death of his first wife, Dr Ochsner remarried. The great tragedy of his later years was the death of his second wife following her aspiration of food during a dinner party.
Otha Linton, MSJ, 11128 Hurdle Hill Dr, Potomac, MD 20854.
Until his final years, he attended annual sessions of the ACR and the ARRS, often accompanied by one of his daughters. He died in May 2005 at the age of 89, having triumphed over tuberculosis to become a doctor and a leader of doctors.
OTHA LINTON, MSJ
Seymour Ochsner Seymour Fiske Ochsner was destined for medicine from the time of his birth. Had it not been for that fated path, he would have most likely become a politician of some note in Virginia, where he was raised, or Louisiana, where he made his home. As it was, he brought a grace of manner, a softness of speech, a keen insight into people around him, a manifest concern for his patients, and a willingness to invest in his profession that brought him to national prominence in radiology. Dr Ochsner was born in Chicago and grew up in Virginia. His grandfather, Albert John Ochsner, was a founder of the American College of Surgeons. His cousin, Alton Ochsner, was 1 of 5 founders of the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. Most other male members of the family also chose careers in medicine. Ochsner attended Dartmouth College and was admitted to its 2-year medical school. In 1938, he transferred as a junior to the University of Pennsylvania. The next year, he contracted pulmonary tuberculosis. Exposure to that dread disease was an occupational hazard for medical students, who were exposed to highly contagious tuberculosis patients. There was no curative drug available in the 1930s, and the common approach was bed rest and isolation in sanatoriums established for that purpose. He was sent to one of the oldest sanatoriums, Stony Wold in Saranac Lake, New York. For 7 years, he rested, read books, and began to write. Then he was pronounced cured and returned to complete his medical training at Pennsylvania. “It took me eight years to finish one year of training,” he recalled. “The school kept a place for me and I
graduated with classmates who had been in high school when I started.” Shortly after his graduation, Ochsner married Helen Keith, whom he met when she, too, was a patient at Stony Wold. Because of his tuberculosis, Dr Ochsner could not follow his kinsmen into surgery. He chose radiology. He applied first to the Mayo Clinic and was rejected because of his tuberculosis. Then he was accepted for a residency at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, where his brother was an anesthesiologist. On the completion of his training, he joined the clinic staff, where he remained for the rest of his career. Dr Ochsner started a section of radiation therapy. He earned a reputation as a very caring doctor, displaying a knack for comforting patients he could not cure. He was later made chief of radiology and served on various management boards and committees of the clinic. He was appointed to the clinical faculty of the Tulane University School of Medicine, where he taught residents and medical students for 32 years. He also taught residents at the Ochsner Clinic and was responsible for founding a residency program in radiation therapy. Dr Ochsner continued to cultivate his flair for writing while he was in practice. He ultimately contributed more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, as well as countless essays and presentations. Seymour Ochsner channeled his political talents into medical organizations, first at the local level and then into radiology groups at the national level. He chose to work in the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) and the ACR. He served on various committees of
© 2006 American College of Radiology 0091-2182/06/$32.00 ● DOI 10.1016/j.jacr.2006.05.003
both organizations and then as a member of their boards, holding responsibilities in both during the same years. He served as chairman of the ACR Board of Chancellors and then as president in 1972. He was president of the ARRS in 1977. Dr Ochsner was named by the ACR as radiology’s delegate to the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates. When the AMA expanded specialty representation from 1 delegate per specialty to several representing major societies, he remained as the ARRS delegate. Shortly, he also became chairman of the Radiology Section Council. During his decade in that voluntary post, the radiology group grew to include radiologists representing their specialty societies plus radiologists who served as members of state medical society delegations. With Dr Ochsner’s leadership, the radiology section became a political power structure within the AMA. He knew most of the members of the House of Delegates by first name and exerted gentle influence with many of them on issues of importance to radiology. He deserved much credit for preventing the AMA from taking positions contrary to the best interests of his specialty. As chairman of the ACR board and president of the ARRS, Dr Ochsner displayed the same quiet leadership in managing the affairs of both groups. He received the ACR gold medal in 1981 and the ARRS gold medal in 1986, recognitions by both groups for his many years of leadership. He also received awards from the AMA, the Southern Medical Association, and the New Orleans Radiological Society. In 1999, the Ochsner Clinic established an annual radiology lecture in his honor. In addition to his radiology orga721
722 They Were Giants
nization activities, Dr Ochsner represented the Ochsner Clinic on the board of the American Association of Medical Clinics. As a New Orleans resident in good standing, he was a member of the Rex Crewe, one of the dozens of societies that held parades
and dances during annual Mardi Gras celebrations. After the death of his first wife, Dr Ochsner remarried. The great tragedy of his later years was the death of his second wife following her aspiration of food during a dinner party.
Otha Linton, MSJ, 11128 Hurdle Hill Dr, Potomac, MD 20854.
Until his final years, he attended annual sessions of the ACR and the ARRS, often accompanied by one of his daughters. He died in May 2005 at the age of 89, having triumphed over tuberculosis to become a doctor and a leader of doctors.