Samuel l kountz biography of donald

Transplantation surgeon

At a Glance…

Helped Integrate Arkansas Medicinal School

Campaigned for Organ Donation

Known desire Friendliness and Compassion

Sources

Dr. Samuel Accolade. Kountz was one of depiction world’s most distinguished surgeons dominant a pioneer in the world of kidney transplantation.

In 1961, while working with Dr. Roy Cohn at the Stanford Organization Medical Center, he performed say publicly first successful transplant between humankind who were not identical span. Six years later, he instruction a team of researchers bear the University of California, San Francisco, developed the prototype school the Belzer kidney perfusion effecting, a device that can look after kidneys for up to 50 hours from the time they are taken from a donor’s body.

It is now criterion equipment in hospitals and exploration laboratories around the world.

Among Kountz’s other contributions were the revelation that large doses of interpretation steroid drug methylprednisolone could upend alter acute rejection of a transplanted kidney, and that reimplantation—the implant of a second donor class at the earliest indication dump the first might be rejected—could mean the difference between carnage and survival for transplant patients.

A tireless proponent of channel donation, he once performed a-one kidney transplant on live converging, inspiring some 20,000 viewers quick offer their kidneys to patients who needed them. In counting, his groundbreaking research in loftiness area of tissue typing helped improve the results of class transplantation and led to nobility increased use of kidneys elude unrelated donors.

At the put off of his death, he difficult to understand personally performed some 500 ilk transplants, the most performed bid any physician in the terra at that time.

One of ethics first black students to grade from the University of River Medical School in Little Boulder, Kountz went on to spot on his medical training at University, where, while still a district, he established a special apparatus transplant unit.

He later became chief of the Kidney Uproot Service at the University as a result of California, San Francisco. In 1972 he left California to refuse to go along with the position of professor arena chairperson of the department get a hold surgery at the State Establishment of New York’s Downstate Curative Center in Brooklyn.

Driven brush aside a deep social consciousness settle down a commitment to humanity, inaccuracy spent the last five stage of his career working brand improve medical care in position black community. Thanks to Kountz’s efforts, Downstate’s organ transplant promulgation quickly became one of nobleness best in the country.

In forceful interview with B.

Yuncker delineate the New York Post, liable shortly after his arrival detailed Brooklyn, Kountz explained that yes had refused to let racism—or any other obstacles—stand in picture way of his career. “When I convinced myself in pensive teens that the same system that had created me difficult to understand created everyone else, and go ’they’ had no corner recoil things …, except that they had economic advantages and restitution access to things, I instantaneously realized that I had a-one certain control over my destiny,” he said.

“It was spick great revelation…. I cannot consider of a single instance in that 1952, when I have antediluvian denied anything because of proforma black.”

At a Glance…

Born Samuel Appreciate Kountz, October 20, 1930, conduct yourself Lexa, AR; d ied Dec 23 ,1981, in Great Vigour, NY; son of J.

Remorseless. Kountz (a Baptist minister); one Grace Akin, 1958; children: Donald, Keith, Ellen. Education: Arkansas AM&N College, B.S., 1952; University signify Arkansas, M.S., 1956, M.D., 1958.

Intern, Stanford Service, San Francisco Communal Hospital, 1958–59; assistant resident, division of surgery, Stanford University Institution of Medicine, 1959–62; Bank bring into play America Giannini fellow, Hammersmith Haven, London, 1962–63; Stanford University Secondary of Medicine, senior resident, authority of surgery, 1963–64, chief staying, 1964–65, instructor, department of remedy, 1965–66; visiting Fulbright professor, Mutual Arab Republic, 1965–66; assistant don, department of surgery, Stanford Formation School of Medicine, 1966–67; link professor, department of surgery, Introduction of California, San Francisco, Secondary of Medicine, 1967–72, professor, 1972; professor and chairman, department worry about surgery, State University of Additional York Downstate Medical Center, Borough, and chief of general medication, Kings County Hospital Center, 1972–77.

Selected awards: Young Investigator’s Award, Denizen College of Cardiology, 1964; Specialist, American Board of Surgeons, 1966; Lederle Medical Faculty Award, 1967; Honorary Doctor of Humane Copy, University of California, San Francisco, 1970; Honorary Doctor of Lyrics, University of Arkansas, 1973; Intended Doctor of Laws, Howard Academia, 1975.

Samuel Lee Kountz, the progeny son of a Baptist track, was born in Lexa, River, in 1930.

He first became interested in medicine at prestige age of eight, when fair enough accompanied an injured friend top a local hospital for difficulty treatment. He was so afflicted by the doctors’ ability cross your mind relieve suffering that he persuaded to become a physician. Unquestionable completed his early education make real Lexa, then spent three at a Baptist boarding high school established for youngsters considering grandeur ministry.

Although the school damaged him with the discipline type needed, its academic program was weak, and he was nominal to take remedial courses earlier gaining admission to the Agrestic, Mechanical and Normal College holdup Arkansas (now the University delineate Arkansas at Pine Bluff).

Kountz in the near future proved himself an able follower, however, and graduated third funny story his class in 1952.

Tiara hopes and ambitions were lucent. On his college application, submitted in July of 1948, proceed wrote that he planned abrupt be “one of the properly students that has ever charged AM&N College” and “one cancel out the best doctors in rendering world in my day gain time,” according to Claude Rotate.

Organ, Jr., in A c of Black Surgeons: The U.S.A. Experience.

Helped Integrate Arkansas Medical School

During his senior year, Kountz precedent to meet Senator J. William Fulbright, who had once anachronistic president of the University scrupulous Arkansas. Impressed by Kountz’s vigour and enthusiasm, Fulbright asked him what he planned to come loose following graduation.

Kountz told him that he hoped to be at a black medical school, situation he could realize his long-standing dream of becoming a medical doctor. Fulbright urged him to contemplate on the medical school at decency University of Arkansas, Little Seesaw, instead. Kountz applied but was rejected; he spent the go along with two years completing graduate outmoded in chemistry at the university’s Fayetteville campus.

Then, on glory basis of his accomplishments, no problem was awarded a full health check scholarship, and in 1954 became one of the first coal-black students to be admitted accept the University of Arkansas Health check School.

Kountz completed a master’s prestige in chemistry in 1956; brace years later he received coronet M.D.

He spent the go by year as an intern come to mind the highly competitive Stanford Use of San Francisco General Clinic, and, in 1959, he began his surgical training at grandeur Stanford University School of Antidote. It was at Stanford stroll he studied under Dr. Roy Cohn, one of the pioneers in the field of means transplantation, and decided to false transplant surgery his life’s job.

He was still a staying in 1961, when he celebrated Dr. Cohn made medical wildlife by performing the first genre transplant using a non-twin donor.

In 1962 Kountz was awarded fastidious Bank of America Giannini Copartnership to study at the Collegian Medical School at Hammersmith Preserve in London. There he prolonged the research in transplantation ride immunology.

He returned to University in 1963, and the multitude year was named chief limited in the department of treatment. During this period he determined the effectiveness of methylprednisolone restore reversing acute rejection of transplanted kidneys—an important revelation that straight-talking to widespread use of grandeur drug in the management give a rough idea kidney transplant patients.

Methylprednisolone has since been used in excellence treatment of many other conditions.

Kountz’s groundbreaking research made headlines continue the world. “When organs disadvantage transplanted from one dog endorse another, for instance, the neutral or host tends to blunder the grafted or borrowed device as a foreign invader, come first it musters forces to repulse it,” the New York Times explained in February of 1964.

“Now in research at Businessman University and the Medical Academy of London, doctors have attestanted through microscopes the rejection apparatus operating at cell level…. Care the first unsettled day, hoot the shock of the funds wears off, the blood equipment to the kidney should transform into normal. Instead, there is a- gradual but constant decline prank the blood supply.

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Devour then on, the kidney dies from lack of blood-supplied element. With dogs, Dr. Kountz lecturer his associates have been in compliance to watch through regular dynasty tests for the fall effort the kidney blood supply…. Distrust this point they can allude drugs that suppress the knock-back mechanism.”

Nine months later, in Nov of 1964, Ebony proclaimed turn Kountz’s new technique of detection and treating rejection of transplanted kidneys “may have brought goodness day of completely successful reason part transplants considerably closer.” Predispose of the main advantages hold the technique, the article prevailing, was that it provided “a guide for controlling the administer of anti-rejection drugs.” Before Kountz’s discovery, the average survival about for laboratory dogs with transplanted kidneys was only 40 date.

Those that failed to go under from organ rejection often dreary from an overdosage of anti-rejection drugs.

In 1965 and 1966 Kountz served as a visiting Senator professor of surgery in probity Arab Republic of Egypt. Decide there, he performed the good cheer successful kidney transplant in blue blood the gentry Middle East—an achievement that justified him wide recognition in both local and international circles.

Bear in mind his return to the Banded together States, he was appointed aidedecamp professor of surgery at University. In 1967 he left Businessman to become associate professor hold sway over surgery and chief of position Kidney Transplant Service at distinction University of California, San Francisco. It was there, in glory late 1960s and early Decade, that he completed his about important work.

Soon after he alighted at the University of Calif., Kountz joined forces with elegant team of other researchers understanding develop a machine capable observe preserving kidneys for up attend to 50 hours after removal newcomer disabuse of a donor’s body.

Named glory Belzer kidney perfusion machine cultivate honor of Dr. Folkert Inside story. Belzer, Kountz’s partner, it quite good now an indispensable aid be glad about kidney transplant surgery. Kountz subsequent helped develop a number disregard new techniques in transplantation spell greatly advanced the accuracy presentday sophistication of tissue-typing tests prowl are crucial to the come next of transplant operations.

Campaigned for Part Donation

Another of Kountz’s major doings was the shortage of giver organs for transplants.

Both simulated the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and at significance Downstate Medical Center in Borough, he devoted much of circlet time and energy to elevation public awareness of the demand for organ donation. “Kountz reputed that organ transplantation was trig means of prolonging life, renovation he often said, ’so go wool-gathering a person can be set aside alive at 20 to knuckle under of something else at 65,’” wrote Jini Kilgore Robinson simple the UCSF Journal.

His genuine motivation, however, came from birth kidney patients he had empiric and with whom he locked away worked. “So many of them were young people with whom I could identify,” he was quoted as saying in graceful press release from Downstate Health check Center. “I recognized that allowing this organ could be famously replaced, a young person could have a long, productive life.”

Transplantation was a new and much controversial area, however, and Kountz’s pleas for donor organs were met with anger and doubt.

“Public opinion about a particularized having a vital organ chilliness from his body to earn to a total stranger was: ’He must be crazy! ’” Dr. Harrison Sadler, Kountz’s do up friend and colleague, told depiction UCSF Journal. “But Sam alleged, ’I don’t think so.

That’s a great act of altruism.’” His efforts to establish fleece official protocol for organ bequest led to the first all-encompassing study of prospective donors. In advance they were allowed to for a kidney, 22 donors underwent six months of close incarnate and psychological evaluation. They were then observed for a brimming 10 years following the or.

“None of them were crazy,” Sadler recalled. “This enriched their lives.”

Before he left the Institute of California, Kountz established ethics UCSF Center for Human Outlook, where ministers, theologians, and physicians from many different specialties could meet to discuss the coldblooded and ethical questions posed unresponsive to transplantation.

In an effort perfect improve the psychological outlook bad deal transplant patients—a factor that esoteric been shown to have spruce up dramatic effect on their hold up and rehabilitation—he introduced a curriculum of intense, personalized nursing carefulness and established a Kidney Shift Club, where patients could join to discuss their concerns.

In Dec of 1972, Kountz left nobility University of California to agree with chairperson of the department outline surgery at Downstate Medical Inside in Brooklyn, a large tutorial facility affiliated with the Refurbish University of New York.

Pseudo the same time, he was appointed chief of general action at Kings County Hospital. Granted he had been offered first-class number of prestigious positions, misstep chose Downstate—situated in the thing of a predominantly black, ghetto area of Brooklyn—because of desire to improve the tenuous of medical care in representation African American community.

Known for Amiability and Compassion

According to a asylum news release, Kountz’s goal pledge coming to Downstate was hug “duplicate myself ten times over” and to “train people who have to be reckoned with.” He wasted no time deal recruiting new staff, establishing analysis priorities, and improving the hospital’s residency program.

In addition, purify succeeded in turning Downstate’s newbie organ transplant unit into reminder of the best in glory nation. In January of 1976 he made medical history wholly again when he and crown surgical team performed a work out kidney transplant on three-month-old Alexandra Kelly, the world’s youngest esoteric smallest transplant patient.

Samuel Kountz’s aptitude as a surgeon was matching by an extraordinary warmth see friendliness, as well as fraudster unending commitment to his patients.

“He was very people-oriented,” queen former secretary, Diana Farley, put into words the UCSF Journal. “His bedside maner led patients to grip their relationship beyond the patient-doctor relationship…. He got along vacate everyone and was very compliant to work for. We retained a gurney in his control centre, because he often spent distinction night to personally monitor snatch ill patients.” Former patient Archie Graham, on whom Kountz operated when he was 11, was so inspired by the surgeon’s approach that he decided break down pursue a career in draw to halt, with a specialty in shift surgery.

“I was his 117th transplant,” Graham said in resourcefulness interview with the UCSF Journal, “[but] he didn’t need attain look at my chart. Take steps seemed to know my chemistries by heart…. He cared notice much for his patients.”

Over birth years, Kountz produced close come together 100 articles and investigative accounts and co-authored dozens more.

Middle his many professional honors were the 1964 Young Investigator’s Grant from the American College endlessly Cardiology, the Lederle Medical Competence Award, and Man of honesty Year awards from the Genre Foundation of Northern California become more intense the International Congress of excellence Transplantation Society.

In addition, crystalclear was the first black personal to serve as president celebrate the Society of University Surgeons. He received honorary degrees expend the University of Arkansas, dignity University of California, San Francisco, and Howard University. Both rendering Kountz-Kyle building at AM&N Institution in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, illustrious the Kountz Pavilion at Harlem Hospital in New York Infiltrate were named in his honor.

During a lecture tour to Southerly Africa in 1977, Kountz circumscribed a crippling brain disease delay left him neurologically impaired.

Grace was confined to his unstable, unable to communicate or danger signal for himself, for the stop off of his life. The affliction was never diagnosed, and perform died in December of 1981, at the age of 51. In July of 1980 influence National Association for the Preferment of Colored People presented nourish Afro-Academic, Technological, and Scientific Olympiad program award—a special high faculty science prize for African English students—in his honor.

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Five years later the World’s First International Symposium on Nephritic (kidney) Failure in Blacks was dedicated to his memory.

Sources

Books

Organ, Claude H., Jr., M.D., and Margaret M. Kosiba, R.N., A 100 of Black Surgeons: The U.S.A. Experience, Transcript Press, 1987, pp. 661–95.

Periodicals

Arkansas Gazette, December 23, 1981.

Chicago Tribune, April 20, 1980.

Ebony, Nov 1964, pp.

119–24; July 1974, p.61.

Journal of the National Health check Association, vol. 73, supplement, Dec 1981.

New York Post, April 6, 1973.

New York Times, February 15, 1964; December 24, 1981.

UCSF Journal, May 1982, pp. 2–3.

Additional document for this profile was acquired from press releases from Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, June 1977 and December 23, 1981.

—Caroline B.

D. Smith