- Email: [email protected]
William S. Haubrich, MD
IN MEMORIAM
William S. Haubrich, MD Dr William S. Haubrich, master physician, gastroenterologist, author, editor, scholar, and mentor, died at his home in La Jolla, California, on October 1, 2012, at the age of 89. Among his most notable roles was Editor of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the official journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, from 1971 to 1981. Bill Haubrich, a self-taught lexicographer, loved words and the English language. A natural editor, he had a piercing, critical temperament coupled with a friendly, pragmatic approach, and an appreciation of the evolving importance of endoscopy in clinical gastroenterology. Dr Haubrich was born on the 4th of July, 1923, in Bexley, Ohio. His father died when Bill was just 8 years old, but Bill managed to graduate from high school at age 16, and was accepted to Franklin & Marshall College. To help pay the tuition, he did part-time work at a local haberdashery. It seems it was there that Bill acquired his lifelong zest for elegant clothing, and his trademark dapper vest and bowtie. In college, he was managing editor of the newspaper, but decided to pursue a career in medicine. He joined the U.S. Army to help defray the costs of medical school, and enrolled at the Medical School of Case Western Reserve in Cleveland (then, Western Reserve University). He was elected president of his class, was named to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and graduated in 1947. One week after graduation, he married Eila Kari. Bill and Eila would eventually have 4 daughters and 6 grandchildren. The couple moved to Philadelphia, where he completed a rotating internship at Graduate Hospital, and then returned to Cleveland for a 2-year residency in internal medicine and a year in pathology, and then again back to Philadelphia, where he entered a 1-year residency in gastroenterology at Graduate Hospital with the charismatic Dr Henry Bockus. The generation of gastroenterologists trained by Dr Bockus met at lively, scholarly, annual meetings. Dr Haubrich would in future years serve as president of the Bockus International Society of Gastroenterology, and co-editor of the encyclopedic Bockus Gastroenterology. Following his gastroenterology residency, Dr Haubrich opened a private practice in Lakewood, Ohio, but was called to active military duty a year later and served 2 years
Copyright ª 2013 by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 0016-5107/$36.00 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gie.2013.04.174
at Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma. From there, he was recruited in 1954 to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, where he stayed for 15 years, with a research focus on the microscopic structure of the small intestinal mucosa. He blossomed as a public speaker, and lectured widely. In 1970, he joined the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, and 2 years later was named Chief of Gastroenterology. He concurrently served as Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. When Dr Haubrich became Editor of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in 1971, the journal had only recently transitioned from a brief Bulletin of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He completely revamped the appearance of the journal, increasing the size of its pages to a standard letter size, and furnishing it with a new format and type style. He convinced the ASGE to support publication of color photographs for the first time in the journal, and devised an iconic eye-shaped logo composed of the letters G and E. In an editorial in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy published in 1981, Dr Bernard M. Schuman, the next Editor, described Dr Haubrich as not only editor of the journal, but also business manager, circulation manager, and publisher. The journal was published quarterly, and Dr Haubrich reminisced at how he and an assistant “engaged in a frenzy of cutting and pasting” every 3 months in preparation. He truly loved the job and called it “fun.” It was a time of great expansion for the ASGE and for the journal as well, as
844 GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY Volume 77, No. 6 : 2013
www.giejournal.org
In Memoriam
circulation rose “by leaps and bounds” from a few hundred to reach thousands of specialists all over the world. Dr Schuman observed that most importantly Dr Haubrich brought to the journal a critical and discerning look at manuscripts, publishing those that would enhance the prestige of the journal rather than just fill its pages. He noted Dr Haubrich’s piquant mastery of the American language and insistence that articles not be published until written in a precise and clear fashion. Dr Haubrich re-wrote many articles himself, and his distinctive forthright style could be recognized in many of the published papers. Dr Schuman characterized Dr Haubrich as physician, scientist, artist, public speaker, editor, and the “Renaissance man” of the ASGE. In 1985, Dr Haubrich received the Rudolf Schindler Award, the highest honor from the ASGE. As an Associate Editor of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, I met Dr Haubrich in 1984, and will never forget being invited to his home in La Jolla, which had a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean breaking against the cliffs. He was warmly hospitable, and I quickly caught on to his droll sense of humor. He was an enormously entertaining conversationalistdworldly, courtly, and steeped in history and in the sound and meaning of words. Only later did I learn that Dr Haubrich had authored Medical Meanings: a Glossary of Word Origins that defined the etymology of over 3000 medical terms. He was also a consultant in the life sciences for the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. Dr Haubrich retired from the Scripps Clinic in 1988, having made major contributions in administrative, clinical, educational, and research leadership roles. His interest in medical history never slowed. From October 1987 to October 2008, he wrote a monthly biographical sketch in
Gastroenterology on medical pioneers whose names became eponymous in the field. He subsequently compiled these into a book, Legacy: Pioneers in Digestive Disease. Shortly after I became Editor of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in 1989, I received a letter from Dr Haubrich noting that in my public report to the ASGE Governing Board, I had pointed out the increasing number of manuscripts from abroad. I thought this trend was important for the society and for the journal, but I expressed concern that many manuscripts had worthy content but were rendered in poor English and needed rewriting. He offered to “spruce-up” vocabulary and syntax from authors whose first language was not English. I sent him multiple articles needing rewriting during my 8-year term as Editor, and he crafted wonderful reconstructions, trying as he stated to “use words that say what I take to be the authors’ meanings.” The authors were invariably deeply grateful. I received over the years many notes from Bill Haubrich, in a clear, flowing hand, often signed “Cheers,” but in his typewritten letters, he usually used an idiosyncratic “Y’rs cordially.” He was truly a cordial man, who delighted in good fellowship, and who immensely enjoyed literary work. In a letter in 1995, he pointed out to me that one of his heroes, the journalist H.L. Mencken, had once warned William Saroyan about the rigors of being an editor. At the same time, he expressed a willingness to continue to assist Gastrointestinal Endoscopy with editing and rewriting. In his droll way, he concluded parenthetically: “Some of us never learn.”
www.giejournal.org
Volume 77, No. 6 : 2013 GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY 845
Charles J. Lightdale, MD Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons New York, NY
William S. Haubrich, MD Dr William S. Haubrich, master physician, gastroenterologist, author, editor, scholar, and mentor, died at his home in La Jolla, California, on October 1, 2012, at the age of 89. Among his most notable roles was Editor of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the official journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, from 1971 to 1981. Bill Haubrich, a self-taught lexicographer, loved words and the English language. A natural editor, he had a piercing, critical temperament coupled with a friendly, pragmatic approach, and an appreciation of the evolving importance of endoscopy in clinical gastroenterology. Dr Haubrich was born on the 4th of July, 1923, in Bexley, Ohio. His father died when Bill was just 8 years old, but Bill managed to graduate from high school at age 16, and was accepted to Franklin & Marshall College. To help pay the tuition, he did part-time work at a local haberdashery. It seems it was there that Bill acquired his lifelong zest for elegant clothing, and his trademark dapper vest and bowtie. In college, he was managing editor of the newspaper, but decided to pursue a career in medicine. He joined the U.S. Army to help defray the costs of medical school, and enrolled at the Medical School of Case Western Reserve in Cleveland (then, Western Reserve University). He was elected president of his class, was named to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and graduated in 1947. One week after graduation, he married Eila Kari. Bill and Eila would eventually have 4 daughters and 6 grandchildren. The couple moved to Philadelphia, where he completed a rotating internship at Graduate Hospital, and then returned to Cleveland for a 2-year residency in internal medicine and a year in pathology, and then again back to Philadelphia, where he entered a 1-year residency in gastroenterology at Graduate Hospital with the charismatic Dr Henry Bockus. The generation of gastroenterologists trained by Dr Bockus met at lively, scholarly, annual meetings. Dr Haubrich would in future years serve as president of the Bockus International Society of Gastroenterology, and co-editor of the encyclopedic Bockus Gastroenterology. Following his gastroenterology residency, Dr Haubrich opened a private practice in Lakewood, Ohio, but was called to active military duty a year later and served 2 years
Copyright ª 2013 by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 0016-5107/$36.00 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gie.2013.04.174
at Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma. From there, he was recruited in 1954 to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, where he stayed for 15 years, with a research focus on the microscopic structure of the small intestinal mucosa. He blossomed as a public speaker, and lectured widely. In 1970, he joined the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, and 2 years later was named Chief of Gastroenterology. He concurrently served as Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. When Dr Haubrich became Editor of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in 1971, the journal had only recently transitioned from a brief Bulletin of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He completely revamped the appearance of the journal, increasing the size of its pages to a standard letter size, and furnishing it with a new format and type style. He convinced the ASGE to support publication of color photographs for the first time in the journal, and devised an iconic eye-shaped logo composed of the letters G and E. In an editorial in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy published in 1981, Dr Bernard M. Schuman, the next Editor, described Dr Haubrich as not only editor of the journal, but also business manager, circulation manager, and publisher. The journal was published quarterly, and Dr Haubrich reminisced at how he and an assistant “engaged in a frenzy of cutting and pasting” every 3 months in preparation. He truly loved the job and called it “fun.” It was a time of great expansion for the ASGE and for the journal as well, as
844 GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY Volume 77, No. 6 : 2013
www.giejournal.org
In Memoriam
circulation rose “by leaps and bounds” from a few hundred to reach thousands of specialists all over the world. Dr Schuman observed that most importantly Dr Haubrich brought to the journal a critical and discerning look at manuscripts, publishing those that would enhance the prestige of the journal rather than just fill its pages. He noted Dr Haubrich’s piquant mastery of the American language and insistence that articles not be published until written in a precise and clear fashion. Dr Haubrich re-wrote many articles himself, and his distinctive forthright style could be recognized in many of the published papers. Dr Schuman characterized Dr Haubrich as physician, scientist, artist, public speaker, editor, and the “Renaissance man” of the ASGE. In 1985, Dr Haubrich received the Rudolf Schindler Award, the highest honor from the ASGE. As an Associate Editor of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, I met Dr Haubrich in 1984, and will never forget being invited to his home in La Jolla, which had a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean breaking against the cliffs. He was warmly hospitable, and I quickly caught on to his droll sense of humor. He was an enormously entertaining conversationalistdworldly, courtly, and steeped in history and in the sound and meaning of words. Only later did I learn that Dr Haubrich had authored Medical Meanings: a Glossary of Word Origins that defined the etymology of over 3000 medical terms. He was also a consultant in the life sciences for the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. Dr Haubrich retired from the Scripps Clinic in 1988, having made major contributions in administrative, clinical, educational, and research leadership roles. His interest in medical history never slowed. From October 1987 to October 2008, he wrote a monthly biographical sketch in
Gastroenterology on medical pioneers whose names became eponymous in the field. He subsequently compiled these into a book, Legacy: Pioneers in Digestive Disease. Shortly after I became Editor of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in 1989, I received a letter from Dr Haubrich noting that in my public report to the ASGE Governing Board, I had pointed out the increasing number of manuscripts from abroad. I thought this trend was important for the society and for the journal, but I expressed concern that many manuscripts had worthy content but were rendered in poor English and needed rewriting. He offered to “spruce-up” vocabulary and syntax from authors whose first language was not English. I sent him multiple articles needing rewriting during my 8-year term as Editor, and he crafted wonderful reconstructions, trying as he stated to “use words that say what I take to be the authors’ meanings.” The authors were invariably deeply grateful. I received over the years many notes from Bill Haubrich, in a clear, flowing hand, often signed “Cheers,” but in his typewritten letters, he usually used an idiosyncratic “Y’rs cordially.” He was truly a cordial man, who delighted in good fellowship, and who immensely enjoyed literary work. In a letter in 1995, he pointed out to me that one of his heroes, the journalist H.L. Mencken, had once warned William Saroyan about the rigors of being an editor. At the same time, he expressed a willingness to continue to assist Gastrointestinal Endoscopy with editing and rewriting. In his droll way, he concluded parenthetically: “Some of us never learn.”
www.giejournal.org
Volume 77, No. 6 : 2013 GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY 845
Charles J. Lightdale, MD Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons New York, NY