Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Henry Bahnson at Pittsburgh

1999; Elsevier BV; Volume: 126; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1067/msy.2099.98096

1532-7361

Larry C. Carey,

History of Science and Natural History

In 1969,Dr Henry Bahnson asked me to join the faculty in surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. A vacancy had arisen as a consequence of Dr Ted Drapanas' departure to chair the Department of Surgery at Tulane University.Initially, the department at Pittsburgh was a small unit, with Dr Bahnson and Dr Bernard Fisher as the senior members. The addition of Dr Mark Ravitch and Dr Felix Steichen soon after greatly added to the color and intellectual depth of the department.Hank Bahnson is one of the most stimulating and motivating mentors I have known. He led by example and with a very loose rein. Each of us was given the freedom to participate in the department however we felt most comfortable.Two vignettes come to mind. Dr Ed Ellison had been my professor at what was then Marquette Medical School, and Hank allowed me to invite him as Visiting Professor. During the course of his visit he was scheduled to give a lecture. Resident attendance was very sparse, and I was both angry and embarrassed. After Dr Ellison's departure, I brashly sent a letter to the house staff canceling all departmental teaching conferences, including Grand Rounds. If the residents were too busy to come to lectures given by prominent visitors to the department, then we would take steps not to interfere with their more pressing duties.With the lack of thought often associated with letters sent in haste, I had not shared my frustration with Dr Bahnson. When he received his copy of the letter, he asked, “Do you really want to do this?” Our Grand Rounds was the highlight of the department's academic week and was well attended by faculty and community physicians. When I replied “yes” to his question, he said, “Okay.”A few days later, the residents sent an emissary contritely asking for reinstatement of department conferences. I am sure they went to Dr Bahnson first, but he never said so. The conferences were reinstated, and attendance improved.The second episode makes a statement about Hank's incredible integrity. I have not known a man who did the right thing more predictably than Hank Bahnson did, no matter what the consequence.This event occurred late in the day. Our offices were across the hall from each other's. The office staff had long since gone home, and Dr Bahnson stuck his head in and asked if I would like a cup of coffee. Hank didn't drink much coffee, and that invitation usually meant “let's talk.” As we chatted, it became obvious that he was lamenting his lack of bench research and the possible negative effect on the training program. He said, “I really need to get involved in the lab and start a basic research effort.” At that point he paused and became pensive in what was surely a moment of self-examination. He looked at me and after a minute said, “But I guess if I wanted to do that, I would.” He could not be less than totally candid, even with himself.In addition to Hank's qualities of loyalty, even to brash young faculty, and his integrity, he is the most competitive human I have ever known. Behind that boyish smile lies the competitive heart of a gladiator. We both were members of the Fox Chapel Racquet Club and were average, or in my case less than average, tennis players. We usually played in the early summer evenings after work. On the rare occasions when I managed to be winning, the games lasted until it got too dark to see. Hank never lost, but we sometimes had to call the game because of darkness.Moderation is not a Bahnson quality, and it was no more evident than in his driving. He drove Volkswagen Beetles. On more than one occasion, after a long day on the slopes, he drove the car into the garage with the skis in a vertical ski rack. Louise believed it to be a ploy to get new skis.Shortly after I moved to Pittsburgh, I bought a small BMW 1600. Hank admired the car and inquired about its cost. When I told him, he said he could buy 2 Volkswagens for that, to which I asked, why would anyone want 2 Beetles?Shortly thereafter he bought a BMW 2002, a faster model. That began a series of encounters with the police for speeding. Hank went to driving school often enough that the faculty allowed as how he had completed enough course work for a PhD in driving.My years at Pittsburgh were among the most enjoyable I have ever had in academic surgery. I treasure the many lessons I learned from Dr Bahnson, but I most treasure his friendship. In 1969,Dr Henry Bahnson asked me to join the faculty in surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. A vacancy had arisen as a consequence of Dr Ted Drapanas' departure to chair the Department of Surgery at Tulane University. Initially, the department at Pittsburgh was a small unit, with Dr Bahnson and Dr Bernard Fisher as the senior members. The addition of Dr Mark Ravitch and Dr Felix Steichen soon after greatly added to the color and intellectual depth of the department. Hank Bahnson is one of the most stimulating and motivating mentors I have known. He led by example and with a very loose rein. Each of us was given the freedom to participate in the department however we felt most comfortable. Two vignettes come to mind. Dr Ed Ellison had been my professor at what was then Marquette Medical School, and Hank allowed me to invite him as Visiting Professor. During the course of his visit he was scheduled to give a lecture. Resident attendance was very sparse, and I was both angry and embarrassed. After Dr Ellison's departure, I brashly sent a letter to the house staff canceling all departmental teaching conferences, including Grand Rounds. If the residents were too busy to come to lectures given by prominent visitors to the department, then we would take steps not to interfere with their more pressing duties. With the lack of thought often associated with letters sent in haste, I had not shared my frustration with Dr Bahnson. When he received his copy of the letter, he asked, “Do you really want to do this?” Our Grand Rounds was the highlight of the department's academic week and was well attended by faculty and community physicians. When I replied “yes” to his question, he said, “Okay.” A few days later, the residents sent an emissary contritely asking for reinstatement of department conferences. I am sure they went to Dr Bahnson first, but he never said so. The conferences were reinstated, and attendance improved. The second episode makes a statement about Hank's incredible integrity. I have not known a man who did the right thing more predictably than Hank Bahnson did, no matter what the consequence. This event occurred late in the day. Our offices were across the hall from each other's. The office staff had long since gone home, and Dr Bahnson stuck his head in and asked if I would like a cup of coffee. Hank didn't drink much coffee, and that invitation usually meant “let's talk.” As we chatted, it became obvious that he was lamenting his lack of bench research and the possible negative effect on the training program. He said, “I really need to get involved in the lab and start a basic research effort.” At that point he paused and became pensive in what was surely a moment of self-examination. He looked at me and after a minute said, “But I guess if I wanted to do that, I would.” He could not be less than totally candid, even with himself. In addition to Hank's qualities of loyalty, even to brash young faculty, and his integrity, he is the most competitive human I have ever known. Behind that boyish smile lies the competitive heart of a gladiator. We both were members of the Fox Chapel Racquet Club and were average, or in my case less than average, tennis players. We usually played in the early summer evenings after work. On the rare occasions when I managed to be winning, the games lasted until it got too dark to see. Hank never lost, but we sometimes had to call the game because of darkness. Moderation is not a Bahnson quality, and it was no more evident than in his driving. He drove Volkswagen Beetles. On more than one occasion, after a long day on the slopes, he drove the car into the garage with the skis in a vertical ski rack. Louise believed it to be a ploy to get new skis. Shortly after I moved to Pittsburgh, I bought a small BMW 1600. Hank admired the car and inquired about its cost. When I told him, he said he could buy 2 Volkswagens for that, to which I asked, why would anyone want 2 Beetles? Shortly thereafter he bought a BMW 2002, a faster model. That began a series of encounters with the police for speeding. Hank went to driving school often enough that the faculty allowed as how he had completed enough course work for a PhD in driving. My years at Pittsburgh were among the most enjoyable I have ever had in academic surgery. I treasure the many lessons I learned from Dr Bahnson, but I most treasure his friendship.