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The Early Years of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association
THE ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY Journal of T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association VOLUME
14
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NUMBER
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AUGUST
1972
The Early Years of the Southern
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Thoracic Surgical Association Hawley H. Seiler, M.D.
I
n the years immediately following World War 11, medical centers throughout the country were busy training and retraining young thoracic surgeons whose education had been delayed during the war years. After completing their training, many of these young men headed for the sunny South to set u p practice or to affiliate with our university centers. Prior to this influx of eager and well-trained young men, the southern states had relatively few thoracic surgeons, and these were well-established leaders in the field of thoracic surgery. Many of the young men had the desire to write papers, to talk, to discuss problems at medical meetings with their peers, and to enjoy the association and companionship of other surgeons in the area. There was only one national organization in existence at that time devoted to the field of thoracic surgery. This distinguished association had a limited membership, and the meeting halls were always overcrowded. It was next to impossible for the young men of the emerging generation to present new ideas or to discuss old ones, and a forum for this new group was badly needed. During the period 1950 through 1952, many discussions were held concerning the formation of a regional association for thoracic surgery. T h e first concrete gesture in this direction was a letter written to Dr. James D. Murphy of Oteen, North Carolina, one of the pioneer thoracic surgeons in our area. T h e letter suggested that the thoracic surgeons in the southern states form a regional association whose membership would be limited to qualified thoracic and cardiovascular surgeons. Although the matter had been discussed with Dr. Murphy in private conversations, his reply to this initial letter was less than encouraging. H e did not feel the time was right for launching such Presidential Address delivered at the Eighteenth Annual Meeting of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, Tampa, Fla., Nov. 4-6, 1971. Address reprint requests to Dr. Seiler, 517 Bayshore Blvd., Tampa, Fla. 33606.
SEILER
an enterprise. I n deference to his advice, the decision was made not to pursue the idea further. I t was somewhat of a surprise, therefore, to receive a letter from him a few months later that said, “The idea we discussed last fall of a local association for thoracic surgeons might be worth reviving.” This casual comment was all that was needed to accelerate activity, and a list was made of all thoracic surgeons in the South. Some 66 names were compiled, and on October 16, 1953, a letter over the signatures of Dr. Murphy, Dr. DeWitt Daughtry of Miami, and myself was sent to the 66 thoracic surgeons suggesting a meeting to discuss the formation of a regional society for thoracic surgery. Forty replies were received; 38 were in favor of the idea and 2 were opposed. T h e initial meeting was to be held in Atlanta on October 26, 1953, the time of the Southern Medical Association meeting. I n spite of the favorable response to the letter, however, only 7 men were present. They were Drs. Duane Carr, John S. Harter, Lewis H. Bosher, Jr., Sheldon E. Domm, L. Spires Whitaker, Dr. Murphy, and myself. Although the attendance was small, a second organizational meeting was set to be held in Montreal at the time of the annual meeting of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery. This meeting proved to be highly successful; 38 thoracic surgeons from the South attended (Table). Dr. Murphy presided at the luncheon meeting, and after a lively two-hour discussion it was agreed that a regional society was needed and would be formed. Dr. Murphy was elected president (Figure), and I was elected secretary-treasurer. Dr. John S. Harter was appointed chairman of the program committee. A constitution and bylaws committee was appointed, with Dr. Paul W. Sanger serving as chairman. I n the early days much discussion had centered around whether we should attempt to be a subsidiary group in one of the existing thoracic or surgical societies or whether we should be independent. T h e consensus at Original 38 Participants at Montreal Organizational Meeting, May 4, 1954 OSLERA. ABBOTT FOSTER HAMPTON, JR. LEWISH. BOSHER, JR. JAMESD. HARDY H. COLE LEOC. HARRIS, JR. FRANCIS FRANK P. COLEMAN JOHN S. HARTER FELIXA. HUGHES, JR. JEROME A. COPE RICHARD R. CRUTCHERCHARLES R. KESSLER JAMES A. DAILEY RICHARD KING DEWITTC. DAUGHTRYROYG. KLEPSER M. BEDFORD DAVIS,JR. LOUISF. KNOEPP W. BURFORD DAVIS NELSONH. KRAEFT PAULT. DECAMP JOHN E. MILLER EVERETT C. DRASH JULIAN A. MOORE TOHN R. Fox, TR.
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JAMESD. MURPHY ROBERT D. NEWMAN EDWARD F. PARKER JOHNW. POLK HERBERT T. RANSDELL, JR. S. GWINROBBINS PAULA. SANGER WILLC. SEALY HAWLEY H. SEILER EDWARD F. SKINNER WILLIAM K. SWANN M. LAWRENCE WHITE,JR. MARKW. WOLCOTT
T h e Early Years of the STSA
the meeting in Montreal was that we should have our own autonomous society, and it was proposed that we occasionally meet in resort areas and that there be prominent social overtones to our society. The first annual meeting was held at the Hollywood Beach Hotel in Hollywood, Florida, December 5-6, 1954, and was an outstanding success. Fifty-four surgeons were present, and there were seventeen scientific presentations, all of excellent quality. The session concluded with Dr. Osler Abbott moderating a panel discussion entitled “The Management of Obstructive Lesions of the Esophagus.” The minutes of the first annual meeting recorded 95 charter members, and it was decided that the Founders Group would remain open until the second annual meeting. The general sentiment was expressed that papers presented at the annual meeting should be informal in nature and that no attempt should be made to prepare them for publication. This philosophy has, of course, changed during subsequent years. It was decided that dues should be kept to a minimum, and the first annual assessment was the magnificent sum of $5.00. Officers elected for the second year were Dr. Sanger, president, Dr. Paul Decamp, vice-president, and I was reelected secretarytreasurer. The second year for our association was a busy one. T h e membership committee had to formulate the requirements for membership, screen new candidates, and establish the roster which would comprise the Founders Group. The guidelines and qualifications for membership set by this committee form the basis of our present membership requirements. No numerical limitation was placed on membership, but each applicant had to be highly qualified. Certification or eligibility for certification by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery was required, and at least half of the applicant’s practice had to be in the field of thoracic surgery. The second annual meeting, which was held at the Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, was certainly less successful than the first, although not a complete disaster. The enthusiasm that had marked the first meeting seemed to be lacking due to several factors. The program committee had received only nine papers to consider. Dr. Don Paulson conceived the idea of having a guest speaker, a practice which has been followed in subsequent years. Two guest speakers were invited, but one of them cancelled at the last moment. Eleven papers were presented, including Dr. Sanger’s presidential address, and there was a session devoted to informal case presentations and medical movies. The worst disappointment of all was the attendance of only 39. Considerable progress of an organizational nature was made at the Greenbrier meeting, however. The constitution was approved, requirements for membership were formulated, and the Council came into being as the governing body of the organization. The first official Council meeting was held on December 4, 1955, and a great deal was accomplished. Primarily VOL.14,
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Dr. James D. Murphy, first president of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association.
there was much soul-searching concerning the usefulness of the society and whether to continue it in view of the poor attendance. Happily, the unanimous decision was to keep building our organization and to double our efforts at rekindling the enthusiasm shown at the first meeting. Suggestions were made to hold subsequent meetings in more accessible areas and to go to resort centers occasionally. T h e decision was reached to hold meetings in November rather than December, which was considered too late in the year. There was some discussion regarding the publication of scientific papers read at the annual meeting. Correspondence had already been initiated with T h e American Surgeon toward effecting some arrangement, but the efforts were unsuccessful. A final count of charter members showed 120, and this list, known as the Founders Group, was closed officially on December 5, 1955. Renewed enthusiasm resulted from the vigorous work of our committees and the Council during the third year. Confidence was restored. T h e program committee under the leadership of Dr. Lawrence H. Strug was an example of this new life. T h e third annual meeting, held at the Fontaine-
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bleau Hotel in Miami Beach, was a tremendous success-135 surgeons attended. Thirty papers had been submitted for consideration, and the final program consisted of twenty outstanding presentations including a presidential address and one by a guest speaker. Six of the papers were concerned with cardiac or great vessel surgery, and, as would be expected, the proportion devoted to this field has continued to increase each year. T h e success of the 1956 meeting put to rest any fear concerning the future of our organization. T h e scientific program contained papers of the highest order. Discussion was lively and unrestrained. T h e social evening gave an indication of the many such occasions to be enjoyed in future years. T o quote from a letter written by Dr. Murphy shortly thereafter, “The meeting in Miami Beach removed any questions as to the prominent position this Association will occupy in thoracic surgery fields. I had no idea so much could be accomplished in such a short space of time.” Many letters were received during that year and the year following expressing encouragement and confidence in the new baby, now 3 years old. Dr. Duane Carr wrote on February 26, 1957, “My own original skepticism as to the need of forming such a group has been abolished completely and converted into enthusiasm.” T h e fourth annual meeting, held at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans November 29-30, 1957, was attended by 116 surgeons. T h e rapid growth and maturity of our organization was reflected in this highly successful meeting, which received local press coverage. Twenty-seven excellent papers were presented at the scientific session. T h e printed program was no longer a small leaflet but a 24-page booklet containing abstracts of the scientific papers, and it was sent to the members in advance. T h e Council meeting and the executive session adhered strictly to prepared agendas. T h e constitution was amended to correct the inadvertent omission of Oklahoma when our geographic area was defined. Following a lavish cocktail party, the society held its first formal banquet, which has subsequently become a Southern Thoracic tradition to which all of us look forward annually. T h e 1959 meeting at the Edgewater Gulf Hotel in Edgewater Park, Mississippi, was poorly attended. I n retrospect, it was thought that this was due again to the relative inaccessibility of the area. T h e scientific presentations were of exceptionally good quality, however, and of the twenty-five papers presented, eleven were in the field of cardiac and cardiovascular surgery. T h e year preceding our seventh annual meeting, held in the Bahamas, was full of planning and anticipation. Since this was our first Caribbean venture and somewhat of an experiment, the Council members were concerned whether this departure would be well received and whether attendance would suffer. Everyone who attended the Nassau meeting will remember the tremendous success of our first venture outside the continental United States. More than 100 members and guests attended, most of
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them with their wives. It has proved true since then that the majority of members are accompanied by their wives when our meetings are held in glamorous and exotic places. Probably the most significant development resulting from the Nassau meeting was the initiation of the Osler Abbott award, the brainchild of a “secret committee” that roamed the streets of Old Town in Nassau in search of a suitable prize to be awarded the member who excelled in discussionmanship and who was the most voluble during the scientific sessions. T h e first Osler Abbott award was won handily by Dr. Joseph W. Peabody, Jr., a distinguished member from Washington, D.C. Subsequently it became the habit for the previous winner to present the award to the new recipient at the time of the annual banquet, and over the years the presentation speeches have become more and more caustic and hilarious. Some have required more preparation and slides than the scientific papers. Memphis was selected for our 1961 meeting. This city has always been well represented in our society because of the large number of outstanding thoracic surgeons in the area; two of our presidents have been from Memphis. There was some concern on the part of the local arrangements committee that it would be impossible to sustain the level of interest which had been aroused at the meeting in Nassau. This fear was not realized, however, because what they lacked in beaches, blue water, and calypso, the Memphis group more than compensated for in hospitality, and attendance was the highest in our history. During the Memphis meeting the custom was inaugurated of awarding a certificate and gavel to the president annually. I n view of the quality of papers being presented at the scientific sessions, the desirability of having manuscripts published was discussed again. During the years 1961 and 1962 there was considerable correspondence with Dr. Hiram Langston, secretary of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, and with Dr. Emile Holman, editor of the Journal of Thorack and Cardiovascular Surgery, concerning publication of our papers. It was not possible to arrive at a satisfactory agreement, however, and the idea was abandoned. Because of our enjoyable experience in Nassau, it was decided to venture again to some island paradise. Ninety percent of the members voted at the annual business session to hold the 1962 meeting in Jamaica. This attitude reflected the temperament and philosophy of our society at that time and has been retained to a great degree to the present. T h e Jamaica meeting was scheduled for November 15-17, 1962, at the Arawak Hotel, Ocho Rios. Preparations continued smoothly until the sudden advent of an international crisis in mid-October, namely, the overthrow of the Cuban government by Fidel Castro. Immediately the office of the secretary was deluged with letters and telephone calls expressing concern about going to the Caribbean in view of the unstable political atmosphere in the area. An emergency Council meeting was held to decide the proper 1 18
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The Early Years of the STSA
course of action. The political situation had cooled to some degree by this time, so it was decided to continue our plans to go to Jamaica. During the preceding months the program committee had received seventy abstracts from which to choose, and this resulted in scientific papers of exceptionally high quality. The technical aspects of the program, however, presented many problems, culminating in the complete breakdown of the projection equipment during the first scientific session. Who will ever forget Jed Dailey’s wild ride across the mountains to Kingston to get the only other projector on the island? Mr. Alan Bland, our convention manager, accompanied Jed to continuously remind him to drive on the left side of the road and to watch for wild Jamaican drivers as they came around hairpin turns. Fortunately, the trip was accomplished with only a few minor incidents. The Jamaica meeting will long be remembered as a hectic but fun-filled experience. Comments made by Dr. Lewis H. Bosher, president when our society reached 10 years of age, in a letter dated August 12, 1963, indicated well the progress that had been made during these early years. He wrote, “The growth of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association undoubtedly has surprised even its founding fathers. There is a growing sentiment that other regional thoracic organizations would play a useful role in the development of thoracic surgery throughout the nation.” Dr. Bosher suggested inviting prominent thoracic surgeons to our tenth annual meeting in San Antonio, Texasmen who would be interested in organizing regional thoracic surgical associations in the western, central, and possibly northeastern areas of the country. The Council meeting in San Antonio proved to be a very important one. First, we were badly in need of a new constitution. Our society, small and informal at first, had grown and matured beyond original expectations, and this necessitated a number of changes. A constitution and bylaws committee was appointed which, after a year of hard work, submitted a revised document to the membership for approval at the 1964 meeting. Second, the president was authorized to appoint a publications committee to review the question of publishing scientific papers presented at the annual meetings and to make definite recommendations for our future course of action in this matter. Finally, it became the quasi-official policy to meet at resort areas in alternate years. This experiment had proved so popular on previous occasions that the Council believed it should remain a continuing philosophy of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association. Our meeting in San Antonio was saddened by the tragedy of President Kennedy’s assassination, which occurred on the second day, Friday, November 22, 1963. The afternoon session continued as planned, but in an atmosphere of gloom at this national catastrophe. The social program planned by Dr. Larry Shefts and his arrangements committee was cancelled, although the banquet and awards presentation proceeded as usual. VOL.
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During the spring of 1964, the matter of publishing our annual meeting papers was resolved in a most satisfactory manner. T h e Annals of Thoracic Surgery, the journal sponsored by the newly formed Society of Thoracic Surgeons, was designated our official publication. During 1964, due to the efforts of Dr. Bosher, a five-year grant of $100 annually was donated by Smith Kline & French Laboratories, to be awarded to the author of the best scientific paper. This is now known as the president’s award. Money has been received on several occasions from Merck Sharp & Dohme Laboratories, largely through the efforts of Dr. Milton Davis. This grant has been used to obtain honorary guest speakers for our annual meetings. T h e 1964 meeting in Atlanta proved to be another fine achievement. Despite the fact that the hotel had to be changed a few weeks before the meeting, everything went smoothly and attendance was good. T h e long-tobe-remembered social evening culminated in a hula dance by four of our baldheaded members-Osler Abbott, Larry Strug, Alex Haller, and Ed Munnell-plus the poor secretary, who had to fill in because the lady impresario, Margie Walker, could not find the necessary fifth bald man. From 1965 through 1970, the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association continued to mature and grow in stature among the surgical societies in this country. T h e scientific presentations continued at a high level of excellence, and the social aspects of our meetings left nothing to be desired. Our new constitution and bylaws that were adopted at the Atlanta meeting included a number of important changes. A senior membership category was established, provisions were made for a president-elect, and the annual dues were increased to cover the cost of subscription to T h e Annals of Thoracic Surgery. A proviso was also added that applicants for membership must have resided a minimum of two years in the area where they were currently practicing before being eligible for membership. By 1965 there had been seven deaths among our membership, and we were saddened that year by the death of our first president, Dr. Murphy. At the meeting held in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, in 1965, our membership exceeded 250 for the first time. A small group of older and less active members were elevated to senior membership. T h e same star performer received both the Smith Kline & French award for the best scientific presentation and the annual Osler Abbott award for discussionmanship. This brilliant performance was by our current and affable vice-president, Dr. Bert Glass. It was fitting that a meeting of the society be held in Asheville, North Carolina, the home of our first president, and in 1966 our meeting was held at the beautiful Grove Park Inn. Even though there was snow during the first few days of the meeting, attendance was excellent. During the Council session the matter of Southern Thoracic Surgical Association representation on the Board of Governors of the American College of Surgeons was discussed. Correspondence had already been initiated by the secretary,
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and it appeared that a favorable decision could be reached if a sufficient number of our members were also Fellows of the American College of Surgeons. Following further correspondence and discussions with officials of the College, word was received that our association would be represented beginning with the 1968 Clinical Congress. The honorary and corresponding membership categories were also discussed at the 1966 Council meeting, and Dr. Francis Cole was named to head a committee to review this matter. At the Dallas meeting in 1967, a seal prepared by Dr. Robert Ellison was chosen from several designs to be the official seal for our society. A report was received from the committee studying the matter of corresponding and honorary membership, and the proposed changes were adopted at the 1968 annual meeting. In retrospect, it is now universally believed that this was a favorable action. It has allowed us to take into our organization certain outstanding thoracic surgeons from this country and abroad, resulting in mutual benefit to the society and to these new members. At the 1968 executive session in San Juan, Puerto Rico, our first three honorary members were accepted. These were Dr. John W. Steele, editor of The Ann& of Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Francis X. Byron, secretary of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and Dr. Max Chamberlain, a long-time friend of our association who had attended many previous meetings. Despite the usual hotel problems encountered with meetings held in the Caribbean area, the 1968 meeting in Puerto Rico was highly successful. Membership reached a total of more than 300, and attendance was the highest ever at a resort area. The society took a giant step forward in electing a new secretary, our current capable and hard-working secretary-treasurer, Dr. Jim Brooks. A beautiful tribute was given to the outgoing secretary (H.H.S.) at the annual banquet, and for the first time in his life he was speechless with surprise and humility. T h e 1969 meeting in Washington, D.C., marked another highlight in the career of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association. Although the peace demonstration against the Vietnam war occurred simultaneously with the meeting, attendance was the highest in the history of our organization. For the first time, four friends of the association were taken in as corresponding members, representing the finest in thoracic surgical practice in Venezuela, Mexico, Paraguay, and Puerto Rico. Honorary membership was also conferred on Drs. Alton Ochsner and Herbert Sloan. Who will ever forget our wonderful 1970 meeting in Bermuda? The Castle Harbour Hotel, magnificent in every respect; members dashing around the island on bicycles and motor scooters; shopping sprees; not to mention an exceptionally fine scientific program-all of these are fresh in our memory and contributed to probably the finest meeting our society has experienced in its eighteen-year history. And what about the future of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association? With the many outstanding young men taken into membership each VOL.
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year, there can be no doubt that the destiny of our society as a leading thoracic surgical organization will remain secure. There will be problems to face in the future, of course, as there have been in the past. A major one relates to the continuously increasing size of our society. We have reached the point at which it is difficult to select a site for our annual meetings-only a few resort hotels in the Caribbean are of sufficient size to accommodate our 400 members. Also, we can now meet only in the larger cities of our geographical area if we are to obtain adequate hotel facilities. T h e Council has discussed the matter of limiting membership, but this idea has always been discarded since it is contrary to the original concepts of the organization -to provide a forum for younger thoracic surgeons. Despite minor difficulties such as those just described, there is no question that the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association now exerts a dynamic impact in the field of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery in this country. This influence will continue to grow and will be a major factor in the advancement of our specialty. A wise philosopher said, “If a man has but one great idea in his lifetime, his having lived may be considered worthwhile.” I am grateful for having had the opportunity of sharing with you in a great idea-the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association.
NOTICE FROM THE SOUTHERN THORACIC SURGICAL ASSOCIATION The Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association will be held at the Trinidad Hilton Hotel, Port of Spain, Trinidad, November 2 4 , 1972. Reservations may be made by writing to the Reservations Manager, Trinidad Hilton Hotel, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Application for membership in the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, on forms provided by the Association, should be sent directly to John L. Sawyers, M.D. (Chairman of the Membership Committee), Nashville General Hospital, Nashville, Tenn. 37210. The deadline for application to membership is September 1, 1972. Papers that are accepted for the program and are to be considered for publication in The Annals should be submitted to the Editor by October 15, 1972. W. BROOKS, M.D. Secretary-Treasurer JAMES
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THE ANNALS OF ‘THORACICSURGERY
14
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NUMBER
z
-
AUGUST
1972
The Early Years of the Southern
. .
Thoracic Surgical Association Hawley H. Seiler, M.D.
I
n the years immediately following World War 11, medical centers throughout the country were busy training and retraining young thoracic surgeons whose education had been delayed during the war years. After completing their training, many of these young men headed for the sunny South to set u p practice or to affiliate with our university centers. Prior to this influx of eager and well-trained young men, the southern states had relatively few thoracic surgeons, and these were well-established leaders in the field of thoracic surgery. Many of the young men had the desire to write papers, to talk, to discuss problems at medical meetings with their peers, and to enjoy the association and companionship of other surgeons in the area. There was only one national organization in existence at that time devoted to the field of thoracic surgery. This distinguished association had a limited membership, and the meeting halls were always overcrowded. It was next to impossible for the young men of the emerging generation to present new ideas or to discuss old ones, and a forum for this new group was badly needed. During the period 1950 through 1952, many discussions were held concerning the formation of a regional association for thoracic surgery. T h e first concrete gesture in this direction was a letter written to Dr. James D. Murphy of Oteen, North Carolina, one of the pioneer thoracic surgeons in our area. T h e letter suggested that the thoracic surgeons in the southern states form a regional association whose membership would be limited to qualified thoracic and cardiovascular surgeons. Although the matter had been discussed with Dr. Murphy in private conversations, his reply to this initial letter was less than encouraging. H e did not feel the time was right for launching such Presidential Address delivered at the Eighteenth Annual Meeting of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, Tampa, Fla., Nov. 4-6, 1971. Address reprint requests to Dr. Seiler, 517 Bayshore Blvd., Tampa, Fla. 33606.
SEILER
an enterprise. I n deference to his advice, the decision was made not to pursue the idea further. I t was somewhat of a surprise, therefore, to receive a letter from him a few months later that said, “The idea we discussed last fall of a local association for thoracic surgeons might be worth reviving.” This casual comment was all that was needed to accelerate activity, and a list was made of all thoracic surgeons in the South. Some 66 names were compiled, and on October 16, 1953, a letter over the signatures of Dr. Murphy, Dr. DeWitt Daughtry of Miami, and myself was sent to the 66 thoracic surgeons suggesting a meeting to discuss the formation of a regional society for thoracic surgery. Forty replies were received; 38 were in favor of the idea and 2 were opposed. T h e initial meeting was to be held in Atlanta on October 26, 1953, the time of the Southern Medical Association meeting. I n spite of the favorable response to the letter, however, only 7 men were present. They were Drs. Duane Carr, John S. Harter, Lewis H. Bosher, Jr., Sheldon E. Domm, L. Spires Whitaker, Dr. Murphy, and myself. Although the attendance was small, a second organizational meeting was set to be held in Montreal at the time of the annual meeting of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery. This meeting proved to be highly successful; 38 thoracic surgeons from the South attended (Table). Dr. Murphy presided at the luncheon meeting, and after a lively two-hour discussion it was agreed that a regional society was needed and would be formed. Dr. Murphy was elected president (Figure), and I was elected secretary-treasurer. Dr. John S. Harter was appointed chairman of the program committee. A constitution and bylaws committee was appointed, with Dr. Paul W. Sanger serving as chairman. I n the early days much discussion had centered around whether we should attempt to be a subsidiary group in one of the existing thoracic or surgical societies or whether we should be independent. T h e consensus at Original 38 Participants at Montreal Organizational Meeting, May 4, 1954 OSLERA. ABBOTT FOSTER HAMPTON, JR. LEWISH. BOSHER, JR. JAMESD. HARDY H. COLE LEOC. HARRIS, JR. FRANCIS FRANK P. COLEMAN JOHN S. HARTER FELIXA. HUGHES, JR. JEROME A. COPE RICHARD R. CRUTCHERCHARLES R. KESSLER JAMES A. DAILEY RICHARD KING DEWITTC. DAUGHTRYROYG. KLEPSER M. BEDFORD DAVIS,JR. LOUISF. KNOEPP W. BURFORD DAVIS NELSONH. KRAEFT PAULT. DECAMP JOHN E. MILLER EVERETT C. DRASH JULIAN A. MOORE TOHN R. Fox, TR.
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JAMESD. MURPHY ROBERT D. NEWMAN EDWARD F. PARKER JOHNW. POLK HERBERT T. RANSDELL, JR. S. GWINROBBINS PAULA. SANGER WILLC. SEALY HAWLEY H. SEILER EDWARD F. SKINNER WILLIAM K. SWANN M. LAWRENCE WHITE,JR. MARKW. WOLCOTT
T h e Early Years of the STSA
the meeting in Montreal was that we should have our own autonomous society, and it was proposed that we occasionally meet in resort areas and that there be prominent social overtones to our society. The first annual meeting was held at the Hollywood Beach Hotel in Hollywood, Florida, December 5-6, 1954, and was an outstanding success. Fifty-four surgeons were present, and there were seventeen scientific presentations, all of excellent quality. The session concluded with Dr. Osler Abbott moderating a panel discussion entitled “The Management of Obstructive Lesions of the Esophagus.” The minutes of the first annual meeting recorded 95 charter members, and it was decided that the Founders Group would remain open until the second annual meeting. The general sentiment was expressed that papers presented at the annual meeting should be informal in nature and that no attempt should be made to prepare them for publication. This philosophy has, of course, changed during subsequent years. It was decided that dues should be kept to a minimum, and the first annual assessment was the magnificent sum of $5.00. Officers elected for the second year were Dr. Sanger, president, Dr. Paul Decamp, vice-president, and I was reelected secretarytreasurer. The second year for our association was a busy one. T h e membership committee had to formulate the requirements for membership, screen new candidates, and establish the roster which would comprise the Founders Group. The guidelines and qualifications for membership set by this committee form the basis of our present membership requirements. No numerical limitation was placed on membership, but each applicant had to be highly qualified. Certification or eligibility for certification by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery was required, and at least half of the applicant’s practice had to be in the field of thoracic surgery. The second annual meeting, which was held at the Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, was certainly less successful than the first, although not a complete disaster. The enthusiasm that had marked the first meeting seemed to be lacking due to several factors. The program committee had received only nine papers to consider. Dr. Don Paulson conceived the idea of having a guest speaker, a practice which has been followed in subsequent years. Two guest speakers were invited, but one of them cancelled at the last moment. Eleven papers were presented, including Dr. Sanger’s presidential address, and there was a session devoted to informal case presentations and medical movies. The worst disappointment of all was the attendance of only 39. Considerable progress of an organizational nature was made at the Greenbrier meeting, however. The constitution was approved, requirements for membership were formulated, and the Council came into being as the governing body of the organization. The first official Council meeting was held on December 4, 1955, and a great deal was accomplished. Primarily VOL.14,
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Dr. James D. Murphy, first president of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association.
there was much soul-searching concerning the usefulness of the society and whether to continue it in view of the poor attendance. Happily, the unanimous decision was to keep building our organization and to double our efforts at rekindling the enthusiasm shown at the first meeting. Suggestions were made to hold subsequent meetings in more accessible areas and to go to resort centers occasionally. T h e decision was reached to hold meetings in November rather than December, which was considered too late in the year. There was some discussion regarding the publication of scientific papers read at the annual meeting. Correspondence had already been initiated with T h e American Surgeon toward effecting some arrangement, but the efforts were unsuccessful. A final count of charter members showed 120, and this list, known as the Founders Group, was closed officially on December 5, 1955. Renewed enthusiasm resulted from the vigorous work of our committees and the Council during the third year. Confidence was restored. T h e program committee under the leadership of Dr. Lawrence H. Strug was an example of this new life. T h e third annual meeting, held at the Fontaine-
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bleau Hotel in Miami Beach, was a tremendous success-135 surgeons attended. Thirty papers had been submitted for consideration, and the final program consisted of twenty outstanding presentations including a presidential address and one by a guest speaker. Six of the papers were concerned with cardiac or great vessel surgery, and, as would be expected, the proportion devoted to this field has continued to increase each year. T h e success of the 1956 meeting put to rest any fear concerning the future of our organization. T h e scientific program contained papers of the highest order. Discussion was lively and unrestrained. T h e social evening gave an indication of the many such occasions to be enjoyed in future years. T o quote from a letter written by Dr. Murphy shortly thereafter, “The meeting in Miami Beach removed any questions as to the prominent position this Association will occupy in thoracic surgery fields. I had no idea so much could be accomplished in such a short space of time.” Many letters were received during that year and the year following expressing encouragement and confidence in the new baby, now 3 years old. Dr. Duane Carr wrote on February 26, 1957, “My own original skepticism as to the need of forming such a group has been abolished completely and converted into enthusiasm.” T h e fourth annual meeting, held at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans November 29-30, 1957, was attended by 116 surgeons. T h e rapid growth and maturity of our organization was reflected in this highly successful meeting, which received local press coverage. Twenty-seven excellent papers were presented at the scientific session. T h e printed program was no longer a small leaflet but a 24-page booklet containing abstracts of the scientific papers, and it was sent to the members in advance. T h e Council meeting and the executive session adhered strictly to prepared agendas. T h e constitution was amended to correct the inadvertent omission of Oklahoma when our geographic area was defined. Following a lavish cocktail party, the society held its first formal banquet, which has subsequently become a Southern Thoracic tradition to which all of us look forward annually. T h e 1959 meeting at the Edgewater Gulf Hotel in Edgewater Park, Mississippi, was poorly attended. I n retrospect, it was thought that this was due again to the relative inaccessibility of the area. T h e scientific presentations were of exceptionally good quality, however, and of the twenty-five papers presented, eleven were in the field of cardiac and cardiovascular surgery. T h e year preceding our seventh annual meeting, held in the Bahamas, was full of planning and anticipation. Since this was our first Caribbean venture and somewhat of an experiment, the Council members were concerned whether this departure would be well received and whether attendance would suffer. Everyone who attended the Nassau meeting will remember the tremendous success of our first venture outside the continental United States. More than 100 members and guests attended, most of
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them with their wives. It has proved true since then that the majority of members are accompanied by their wives when our meetings are held in glamorous and exotic places. Probably the most significant development resulting from the Nassau meeting was the initiation of the Osler Abbott award, the brainchild of a “secret committee” that roamed the streets of Old Town in Nassau in search of a suitable prize to be awarded the member who excelled in discussionmanship and who was the most voluble during the scientific sessions. T h e first Osler Abbott award was won handily by Dr. Joseph W. Peabody, Jr., a distinguished member from Washington, D.C. Subsequently it became the habit for the previous winner to present the award to the new recipient at the time of the annual banquet, and over the years the presentation speeches have become more and more caustic and hilarious. Some have required more preparation and slides than the scientific papers. Memphis was selected for our 1961 meeting. This city has always been well represented in our society because of the large number of outstanding thoracic surgeons in the area; two of our presidents have been from Memphis. There was some concern on the part of the local arrangements committee that it would be impossible to sustain the level of interest which had been aroused at the meeting in Nassau. This fear was not realized, however, because what they lacked in beaches, blue water, and calypso, the Memphis group more than compensated for in hospitality, and attendance was the highest in our history. During the Memphis meeting the custom was inaugurated of awarding a certificate and gavel to the president annually. I n view of the quality of papers being presented at the scientific sessions, the desirability of having manuscripts published was discussed again. During the years 1961 and 1962 there was considerable correspondence with Dr. Hiram Langston, secretary of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, and with Dr. Emile Holman, editor of the Journal of Thorack and Cardiovascular Surgery, concerning publication of our papers. It was not possible to arrive at a satisfactory agreement, however, and the idea was abandoned. Because of our enjoyable experience in Nassau, it was decided to venture again to some island paradise. Ninety percent of the members voted at the annual business session to hold the 1962 meeting in Jamaica. This attitude reflected the temperament and philosophy of our society at that time and has been retained to a great degree to the present. T h e Jamaica meeting was scheduled for November 15-17, 1962, at the Arawak Hotel, Ocho Rios. Preparations continued smoothly until the sudden advent of an international crisis in mid-October, namely, the overthrow of the Cuban government by Fidel Castro. Immediately the office of the secretary was deluged with letters and telephone calls expressing concern about going to the Caribbean in view of the unstable political atmosphere in the area. An emergency Council meeting was held to decide the proper 1 18
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course of action. The political situation had cooled to some degree by this time, so it was decided to continue our plans to go to Jamaica. During the preceding months the program committee had received seventy abstracts from which to choose, and this resulted in scientific papers of exceptionally high quality. The technical aspects of the program, however, presented many problems, culminating in the complete breakdown of the projection equipment during the first scientific session. Who will ever forget Jed Dailey’s wild ride across the mountains to Kingston to get the only other projector on the island? Mr. Alan Bland, our convention manager, accompanied Jed to continuously remind him to drive on the left side of the road and to watch for wild Jamaican drivers as they came around hairpin turns. Fortunately, the trip was accomplished with only a few minor incidents. The Jamaica meeting will long be remembered as a hectic but fun-filled experience. Comments made by Dr. Lewis H. Bosher, president when our society reached 10 years of age, in a letter dated August 12, 1963, indicated well the progress that had been made during these early years. He wrote, “The growth of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association undoubtedly has surprised even its founding fathers. There is a growing sentiment that other regional thoracic organizations would play a useful role in the development of thoracic surgery throughout the nation.” Dr. Bosher suggested inviting prominent thoracic surgeons to our tenth annual meeting in San Antonio, Texasmen who would be interested in organizing regional thoracic surgical associations in the western, central, and possibly northeastern areas of the country. The Council meeting in San Antonio proved to be a very important one. First, we were badly in need of a new constitution. Our society, small and informal at first, had grown and matured beyond original expectations, and this necessitated a number of changes. A constitution and bylaws committee was appointed which, after a year of hard work, submitted a revised document to the membership for approval at the 1964 meeting. Second, the president was authorized to appoint a publications committee to review the question of publishing scientific papers presented at the annual meetings and to make definite recommendations for our future course of action in this matter. Finally, it became the quasi-official policy to meet at resort areas in alternate years. This experiment had proved so popular on previous occasions that the Council believed it should remain a continuing philosophy of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association. Our meeting in San Antonio was saddened by the tragedy of President Kennedy’s assassination, which occurred on the second day, Friday, November 22, 1963. The afternoon session continued as planned, but in an atmosphere of gloom at this national catastrophe. The social program planned by Dr. Larry Shefts and his arrangements committee was cancelled, although the banquet and awards presentation proceeded as usual. VOL.
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During the spring of 1964, the matter of publishing our annual meeting papers was resolved in a most satisfactory manner. T h e Annals of Thoracic Surgery, the journal sponsored by the newly formed Society of Thoracic Surgeons, was designated our official publication. During 1964, due to the efforts of Dr. Bosher, a five-year grant of $100 annually was donated by Smith Kline & French Laboratories, to be awarded to the author of the best scientific paper. This is now known as the president’s award. Money has been received on several occasions from Merck Sharp & Dohme Laboratories, largely through the efforts of Dr. Milton Davis. This grant has been used to obtain honorary guest speakers for our annual meetings. T h e 1964 meeting in Atlanta proved to be another fine achievement. Despite the fact that the hotel had to be changed a few weeks before the meeting, everything went smoothly and attendance was good. T h e long-tobe-remembered social evening culminated in a hula dance by four of our baldheaded members-Osler Abbott, Larry Strug, Alex Haller, and Ed Munnell-plus the poor secretary, who had to fill in because the lady impresario, Margie Walker, could not find the necessary fifth bald man. From 1965 through 1970, the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association continued to mature and grow in stature among the surgical societies in this country. T h e scientific presentations continued at a high level of excellence, and the social aspects of our meetings left nothing to be desired. Our new constitution and bylaws that were adopted at the Atlanta meeting included a number of important changes. A senior membership category was established, provisions were made for a president-elect, and the annual dues were increased to cover the cost of subscription to T h e Annals of Thoracic Surgery. A proviso was also added that applicants for membership must have resided a minimum of two years in the area where they were currently practicing before being eligible for membership. By 1965 there had been seven deaths among our membership, and we were saddened that year by the death of our first president, Dr. Murphy. At the meeting held in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, in 1965, our membership exceeded 250 for the first time. A small group of older and less active members were elevated to senior membership. T h e same star performer received both the Smith Kline & French award for the best scientific presentation and the annual Osler Abbott award for discussionmanship. This brilliant performance was by our current and affable vice-president, Dr. Bert Glass. It was fitting that a meeting of the society be held in Asheville, North Carolina, the home of our first president, and in 1966 our meeting was held at the beautiful Grove Park Inn. Even though there was snow during the first few days of the meeting, attendance was excellent. During the Council session the matter of Southern Thoracic Surgical Association representation on the Board of Governors of the American College of Surgeons was discussed. Correspondence had already been initiated by the secretary,
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and it appeared that a favorable decision could be reached if a sufficient number of our members were also Fellows of the American College of Surgeons. Following further correspondence and discussions with officials of the College, word was received that our association would be represented beginning with the 1968 Clinical Congress. The honorary and corresponding membership categories were also discussed at the 1966 Council meeting, and Dr. Francis Cole was named to head a committee to review this matter. At the Dallas meeting in 1967, a seal prepared by Dr. Robert Ellison was chosen from several designs to be the official seal for our society. A report was received from the committee studying the matter of corresponding and honorary membership, and the proposed changes were adopted at the 1968 annual meeting. In retrospect, it is now universally believed that this was a favorable action. It has allowed us to take into our organization certain outstanding thoracic surgeons from this country and abroad, resulting in mutual benefit to the society and to these new members. At the 1968 executive session in San Juan, Puerto Rico, our first three honorary members were accepted. These were Dr. John W. Steele, editor of The Ann& of Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Francis X. Byron, secretary of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and Dr. Max Chamberlain, a long-time friend of our association who had attended many previous meetings. Despite the usual hotel problems encountered with meetings held in the Caribbean area, the 1968 meeting in Puerto Rico was highly successful. Membership reached a total of more than 300, and attendance was the highest ever at a resort area. The society took a giant step forward in electing a new secretary, our current capable and hard-working secretary-treasurer, Dr. Jim Brooks. A beautiful tribute was given to the outgoing secretary (H.H.S.) at the annual banquet, and for the first time in his life he was speechless with surprise and humility. T h e 1969 meeting in Washington, D.C., marked another highlight in the career of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association. Although the peace demonstration against the Vietnam war occurred simultaneously with the meeting, attendance was the highest in the history of our organization. For the first time, four friends of the association were taken in as corresponding members, representing the finest in thoracic surgical practice in Venezuela, Mexico, Paraguay, and Puerto Rico. Honorary membership was also conferred on Drs. Alton Ochsner and Herbert Sloan. Who will ever forget our wonderful 1970 meeting in Bermuda? The Castle Harbour Hotel, magnificent in every respect; members dashing around the island on bicycles and motor scooters; shopping sprees; not to mention an exceptionally fine scientific program-all of these are fresh in our memory and contributed to probably the finest meeting our society has experienced in its eighteen-year history. And what about the future of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association? With the many outstanding young men taken into membership each VOL.
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year, there can be no doubt that the destiny of our society as a leading thoracic surgical organization will remain secure. There will be problems to face in the future, of course, as there have been in the past. A major one relates to the continuously increasing size of our society. We have reached the point at which it is difficult to select a site for our annual meetings-only a few resort hotels in the Caribbean are of sufficient size to accommodate our 400 members. Also, we can now meet only in the larger cities of our geographical area if we are to obtain adequate hotel facilities. T h e Council has discussed the matter of limiting membership, but this idea has always been discarded since it is contrary to the original concepts of the organization -to provide a forum for younger thoracic surgeons. Despite minor difficulties such as those just described, there is no question that the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association now exerts a dynamic impact in the field of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery in this country. This influence will continue to grow and will be a major factor in the advancement of our specialty. A wise philosopher said, “If a man has but one great idea in his lifetime, his having lived may be considered worthwhile.” I am grateful for having had the opportunity of sharing with you in a great idea-the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association.
NOTICE FROM THE SOUTHERN THORACIC SURGICAL ASSOCIATION The Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association will be held at the Trinidad Hilton Hotel, Port of Spain, Trinidad, November 2 4 , 1972. Reservations may be made by writing to the Reservations Manager, Trinidad Hilton Hotel, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Application for membership in the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, on forms provided by the Association, should be sent directly to John L. Sawyers, M.D. (Chairman of the Membership Committee), Nashville General Hospital, Nashville, Tenn. 37210. The deadline for application to membership is September 1, 1972. Papers that are accepted for the program and are to be considered for publication in The Annals should be submitted to the Editor by October 15, 1972. W. BROOKS, M.D. Secretary-Treasurer JAMES
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