OUR SURGICAL HERITAGE
Herbert Sloan, MD, October 10, 1914 - May 17, 2013 Mark B. Orringer, MD Section of Thoracic Surgery, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Dr Herbert Sloan was the 10th president of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and served for 15 years as the second editor of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. One of few thoracic surgeons to lead both organizations, he also served as the 60th president of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Deeply committed to the mission of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery to maintain the highest standards for
our specialty, he served on the American Board of Thoracic Surgery for 20 years, 13 as its secretary-treasurer. He left a legacy of thoracic surgery resident education as head of the Section of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Michigan. (Ann Thorac Surg 2014;97:1116–9) Ó 2014 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
O
MISCELLANEOUS
n May 17, 2013, Dr Herbert Sloan, Jr (Fig 1) died in Michigan at the age of 98. He was among the finest of the specialty of thoracic surgery. He was born in 1914 in Clarksburg, West Virginia, one of seven children, into a family steeped in medical tradition, his father, grandfather, and uncle all being physicians. Academic excellence defined his formative years. He considered attending Cornell University, from which his brother-in-law had graduated. A friend of his father, however, had a strong influence on young Sloan’s choice of college. He felt that the University of Virginia, another option being considered, was too liberal, and had a clear preference for Washington and Lee University. This is where Herbert Sloan matriculated and from which he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa (1936). Sloan was an accomplished collegiate wrestler and sustained in the process a knee injury that would ultimately lead to a knee replacement in later life. After college, he was then an Alpha Omega Alpha graduate, first in his class, of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (1940) and a resident in surgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital (1940 to 1944). During his residency at Hopkins, Dr Sloan met Doris Edwards, a nurse who had graduated first in her class from the Harriett Lane School of Nursing there. They were married in 1943. His surgical training was interrupted by the war. From 1944 through 1947, Dr Sloan served in the military. He was a first lieutenant in the Medical Corps in Okinawa and Korea, where he was commanding officer and chief of surgery at the hospitals at which he was deployed. He attained the rank of major. After the war, he returned to the United States. His position in the Hopkins residency had not been held by Dr Alfred Blalock, who had become the new Chief of Surgery there in 1941. While serving in the military, Dr Sloan had developed an interest in thoracic Address correspondence to Dr Orringer, University of Michigan Medical Center, Section of Thoracic Surgery, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, 2120G, Taubman Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5344; e-mail: morrin@umich. edu.
Ó 2014 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Published by Elsevier Inc
Fig 1. Herbert Sloan, MD.
surgery, influenced by Dr Max Chamberlain. Chamberlain was a friend of Dr John Alexander, who had started the first thoracic surgery residency in the United States at the University of Michigan in 1928. In his March 27, 1947, letter of recommendation to Dr Cameron Haight, Chamberlain wrote, “I believe Herb will be one of the most outstanding you have trained. He stands knowingly well, and will be appreciated most later, since he is not the flashy type in the beginning. Very honest, very modest.” (Written communication, March 27, 1947.) Largely as a result of this support from Dr Chamberlain, Dr Sloan entered and completed his thoracic surgery residency at the University of Michigan (1947 to 1949). He was then recruited by Dr Cameron Haight, who had 0003-4975/$36.00 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.athoracsur.2013.11.065
Ann Thorac Surg 2014;97:1116–9
OUR SURGICAL HERITAGE ORRINGER HERBERT SLOAN, MD
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Fig 2. The Sloan family, Christmas 1982 (back row, left to right): David Devlin (sonin-law), Barry Smith (son-in-law), Robert (son), Herbert (son), and John (son); (front row, left to right): Ann Devlin (daughter), Liz Smith (daughter) holding daughter Kirby, and Doris and Herb Sloan.
Before the days of computerized operative case lists, Dr Sloan devoted hours to manually tallying and verifying data submitted by ABTS applicants. He served the ABTS for 20 years, longer than any other thoracic surgeon before or since, and he proudly embodied the ABTS and for what it stood. He was a student of the ABTS, and to honor the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the ABTS, he documented in detail the history of the ABTS, including photographs with historical notes in a book that was published in 1998 and distributed to all diplomats [1]. In it he particularly acknowledged the contribution of Louise Sper, the first executive assistant of the ABTS, who served from its inception in 1948 to the time of her retirement in 1986.
MISCELLANEOUS
succeeded Dr Alexander as the head of thoracic surgery, to the University of Michigan thoracic surgery faculty as an instructor. He rapidly ascended the academic ranks, becoming an assistant professor in 1950, associate professor in 1953, and professor of surgery in 1962. Upon Dr Haight’s death in 1970, Dr. Sloan became the acting head of the Section of Thoracic Surgery and shortly after, the head of the section, a position he held for the next 15 years until 1985. The Sloan’s had five children—two daughters, Ann and Elizabeth, and three sons, Herbert, John, and Robert (Fig 2)—and remained in Ann Arbor all 46 years of their married life (Fig 3). Doris Sloan died in 1989. Herbert Sloan was a force in thoracic surgery. He served on the The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Membership Committee (1964 to 1967), then as its vice president (1973 to 1974), and president (1974 to 1975). He was an associate editor of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery from 1964 to 1969 and then served as its second editor for 15 years (1969 to 1984), succeeding Dr John Steele. Dr Sloan received the prestigious STS Distinguished Service Award in 1981. During the same period of his service to STS, Dr Sloan served as a director on the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS) (1966 to 1971), vice-chairman of the board (1971 to 1973), and then assumed the position of secretary-treasurer, which he held for 13 years (1973 to 1986). One of the few to serve as president of both STS and of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS), Dr Sloan was vice-president of the AATS from 1978 to 1979 and then its president from 1979 to 1980. One of Dr Sloan’s hallmarks was his unwavering attention to detail. This was repeatedly reflected in his positions as editor of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery and as secretary of the ABTS, to which he was deeply committed.
Fig 3. Doris and Herb Sloan at daughter Liz’s wedding.
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OUR SURGICAL HERITAGE HERBERT SLOAN, MD
ORRINGER
MISCELLANEOUS
In his 1975 presidential address as the 10th president of STS, Dr Sloan elaborated his vision for strengthening the specialty of thoracic surgery: greater cooperation among the ABTS, the Residency Review Committee, and the residency program directors; better matching the production of thoracic surgeons to the needs of the country; and continued evaluation of clinical competence [2]. Each of these points continues to have relevance today. The dominant role of the ABTS in his professional life was reflected again in his 1980 presidential address as the 60th president of the AATS, “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men,” in which he reflected upon members of the AATS who had been instrumental in bringing the ABTS to fruition [3]. Dr Sloan was regarded as a pioneer cardiothoracic surgeon, performing the first successful open heart operation in the state of Michigan in 1956 and the first pediatric cardiac operation in the state in 1960. In the 1950s, he initiated a meeting with Richard Sarns, a local biomedical engineer, whose small startup company, Sarns Inc, was manufacturing medical devices such as the Dingman mouth gag for use in plastic surgery procedures and the roller pump used by Baxter for hemodialysis. Dr Sloan requested that Sarns scale down the Olson pump oxygenator being used for adult cardiac operations to a system that would be better suited for the pediatric population, with less volume and a smaller oxygenator. This was long before medical devices were regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and in the words of Dick Sarns, “Dr. Sloan knew what he wanted and was very demanding, and he assured quality of the new equipment we developed.” This was a time of innovation in a cooperative effort between Sarns Inc and the University of Michigan team. Out of this came an “infant-sized” oxygenator (from 20 inches to 6 inches), an oxygenator with stainless steel plates, discs, and Lexan cover and a built-in internal heat exchanger, and an additional 2 pumps were added to the Olson system for coronary perfusion. From this effort grew a very active congenital cardiac surgery program headed by Dr Sloan and supported by his close professional colleague, Dr Aaron Stern, professor of pediatrics and chief of pediatric cardiology at Michigan. As an acknowledgement of these tremendous contributions, Dr Sloan was the recipient of the Coeur d’Or Award of the American Heart Association in 2002. Dr Sloan was regarded nationally as a forceful, no nonsense, and decisive thoracic surgeon. Locally, throughout his more than 60-year tenure at the University of Michigan, he was similarly respected for his integrity and ability to analyze a situation and contribute in a constructive manner to conflict resolution. He was a consensus builder and gifted administrator. He served the medical school on multiple departmental and section review committees; section head, departmental chairman, and dean search committees; and the admissions committee. For the University of Michigan Hospital, he chaired the Hospital Director Search Committee, the Hospital Executive Committee, the Bed Utilization Review Committee, the Tissue Committee, the Executive
Ann Thorac Surg 2014;97:1116–9
Fig 4. Dr Sloan in 2003 during his last trip to China at age 90.
Committee for Clinical Affairs, and co-chaired the highly successful Replacement Hospital Campaign from 1982 to 1987, which led to the new $285 million hospital that replaced the more than 40-year-old University Hospital in which Dr Alexander performed some of his earliest operations for pulmonary tuberculosis and an entire floor had been designated for the treatment of patients with tuberculosis. Dr Sloan remained loyal to his medical school alma mater and for years interviewed Michigan students interested in attending Johns Hopkins. He received the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Medical Alumnus Service Award in 1973 and its Distinguished Service Award in 1983. Similarly, he was the recipient of the University of Michigan Medical School Distinguished Service Award in 1988 and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Honor in 2005. In addition to his busy professional life, Dr Sloan was very active in contributing to his community. He was a board member and then served as president of the Ann Arbor Figure Skating Club, served on the board of directors of the University Musical Society, was a member of the board of directors and then president of Barton Hills Village, where the Sloans resided, and chaired the Ann Arbor Charter Township Planning Committee. Dr Sloan had a number of other passions in life besides thoracic surgery. He had a magnificent rhododendron garden at his home in Ann Arbor, his interest in this plant originating in West Virginia where it grows ubiquitously. He also had a fascination and interest in China, particularly in his later years, that originated years before with his own family. His aunt and uncle, Jane and Daniel Dye, taught at West China Union University in Chengdu for more than 30 years. Dr Stephen Yang, who trained in Ann Arbor in 1949, knew the Dyes. Dr and Mrs Sloan first visited China in the fall of 1981 for the Cardiothoracic Symposium in Beijing and traveled from Beijing to Chengdu, where they visited the Yang family. The Yang’s children ultimately visited Dr Sloan in Michigan the year before his death. The 1981 trip was one of more than a dozen trips to China and Tibet that Dr Sloan made over
Ann Thorac Surg 2014;97:1116–9
1119
cancer, to valvular heart disease, and congenital heart disease—that had been impacted by Sloan [4]. The title of Dr Sloan’s 1980 AATS Presidential Address “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men” appears in Rudyard Kipling’s poem, A School Song, the first stanza of which was quoted by Sloan: Let us now praise famous men— Men of little showing— For their work continueth, And their work continueth, Greater than their knowing.
Max Chamberlain had it right: Sloan was honest, modest, and would be one the most outstanding thoracic surgeons to be trained at the University of Michigan. Dr Herbert Sloan is indeed a famous man and was truly among the giants of our specialty. I am indebted to Richard Sarns for providing historical perspective regarding Dr Sloan’s role in developing pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass and to John Sloan, Dr Sloan’s son, for his help in providing family history and photographs for this memorial.
References 1. Sloan H. The American Board of Thoracic Surgery. A 50 year perspective. Evanston, IL: The American Board of Thoracic Surgery; 1998. 2. Sloan H. The breeding and feeding of thoracic surgeons. Ann Thorac Surg 1975;20:371–86. 3. Sloan H. Let us now praise famous men. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1980;80:159–70. 4. Festschrift in honor of Herbert Sloan, MD. Ann Thorac Surg 1984;38:95–180.
MISCELLANEOUS
the years, those in his later years being to various parts of the Silk Road. Dr Sloan was an avid photographer. His friends awaited the Sloan’s annual holiday card each Christmas featuring on its cover some magnificent photograph taken during his travels in China. Doris Sloan had graduated from the first docent class of the University of Michigan Art Museum. After her death, Dr Sloan established an annual lectureship at the museum in her name featuring authorities in a variety of artistic media, often discussing nuances of Asian art. Dr Sloan made his last trip to China when he was 90 (Fig 4), and did a driving trip to Scotland with his long time Ann Arbor friend, Dr John Robertson, when they were both in their 90s. Throughout his career, Dr Sloan was a superb and meticulous surgeon with a commitment to quality patient care. He had little patience for errors in patient management. During his tenure as section head, Dr Sloan trained 49 residents, 12 of whom became division or department chairs. His often-stern demeanor and gruffness created unforgettable “learning experiences” for many residents. His teaching style was unique. Whether a classic “snowman” chest roentgenogram of total anomalous pulmonary venous return, a barium swallow view of an epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum, or a spiculated lung mass of bronchogenic carcinoma on a chest roentgenogram, he expected the thoracic surgery residents to instantly identify the pathology. He would say. “How do you know it’s your grandmother when she comes walking down the street? Because that’s what she looks like. Don’t forget this x-ray either!” Beneath that countenance was a compassionate physician, mentor, and loyal friend to his colleagues. To honor his career at the announcement of his retirement, former residents and colleagues returned to Ann Arbor in 1983 for a Festschrift, two days of scientific presentations spanning all aspects of thoracic surgery—from lung
OUR SURGICAL HERITAGE ORRINGER HERBERT SLOAN, MD
Herbert Sloan, MD, October 10, 1914 - May 17, 2013 Mark B. Orringer, MD Section of Thoracic Surgery, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Dr Herbert Sloan was the 10th president of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and served for 15 years as the second editor of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. One of few thoracic surgeons to lead both organizations, he also served as the 60th president of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Deeply committed to the mission of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery to maintain the highest standards for
our specialty, he served on the American Board of Thoracic Surgery for 20 years, 13 as its secretary-treasurer. He left a legacy of thoracic surgery resident education as head of the Section of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Michigan. (Ann Thorac Surg 2014;97:1116–9) Ó 2014 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
O
MISCELLANEOUS
n May 17, 2013, Dr Herbert Sloan, Jr (Fig 1) died in Michigan at the age of 98. He was among the finest of the specialty of thoracic surgery. He was born in 1914 in Clarksburg, West Virginia, one of seven children, into a family steeped in medical tradition, his father, grandfather, and uncle all being physicians. Academic excellence defined his formative years. He considered attending Cornell University, from which his brother-in-law had graduated. A friend of his father, however, had a strong influence on young Sloan’s choice of college. He felt that the University of Virginia, another option being considered, was too liberal, and had a clear preference for Washington and Lee University. This is where Herbert Sloan matriculated and from which he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa (1936). Sloan was an accomplished collegiate wrestler and sustained in the process a knee injury that would ultimately lead to a knee replacement in later life. After college, he was then an Alpha Omega Alpha graduate, first in his class, of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (1940) and a resident in surgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital (1940 to 1944). During his residency at Hopkins, Dr Sloan met Doris Edwards, a nurse who had graduated first in her class from the Harriett Lane School of Nursing there. They were married in 1943. His surgical training was interrupted by the war. From 1944 through 1947, Dr Sloan served in the military. He was a first lieutenant in the Medical Corps in Okinawa and Korea, where he was commanding officer and chief of surgery at the hospitals at which he was deployed. He attained the rank of major. After the war, he returned to the United States. His position in the Hopkins residency had not been held by Dr Alfred Blalock, who had become the new Chief of Surgery there in 1941. While serving in the military, Dr Sloan had developed an interest in thoracic Address correspondence to Dr Orringer, University of Michigan Medical Center, Section of Thoracic Surgery, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, 2120G, Taubman Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5344; e-mail: morrin@umich. edu.
Ó 2014 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Published by Elsevier Inc
Fig 1. Herbert Sloan, MD.
surgery, influenced by Dr Max Chamberlain. Chamberlain was a friend of Dr John Alexander, who had started the first thoracic surgery residency in the United States at the University of Michigan in 1928. In his March 27, 1947, letter of recommendation to Dr Cameron Haight, Chamberlain wrote, “I believe Herb will be one of the most outstanding you have trained. He stands knowingly well, and will be appreciated most later, since he is not the flashy type in the beginning. Very honest, very modest.” (Written communication, March 27, 1947.) Largely as a result of this support from Dr Chamberlain, Dr Sloan entered and completed his thoracic surgery residency at the University of Michigan (1947 to 1949). He was then recruited by Dr Cameron Haight, who had 0003-4975/$36.00 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.athoracsur.2013.11.065
Ann Thorac Surg 2014;97:1116–9
OUR SURGICAL HERITAGE ORRINGER HERBERT SLOAN, MD
1117
Fig 2. The Sloan family, Christmas 1982 (back row, left to right): David Devlin (sonin-law), Barry Smith (son-in-law), Robert (son), Herbert (son), and John (son); (front row, left to right): Ann Devlin (daughter), Liz Smith (daughter) holding daughter Kirby, and Doris and Herb Sloan.
Before the days of computerized operative case lists, Dr Sloan devoted hours to manually tallying and verifying data submitted by ABTS applicants. He served the ABTS for 20 years, longer than any other thoracic surgeon before or since, and he proudly embodied the ABTS and for what it stood. He was a student of the ABTS, and to honor the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the ABTS, he documented in detail the history of the ABTS, including photographs with historical notes in a book that was published in 1998 and distributed to all diplomats [1]. In it he particularly acknowledged the contribution of Louise Sper, the first executive assistant of the ABTS, who served from its inception in 1948 to the time of her retirement in 1986.
MISCELLANEOUS
succeeded Dr Alexander as the head of thoracic surgery, to the University of Michigan thoracic surgery faculty as an instructor. He rapidly ascended the academic ranks, becoming an assistant professor in 1950, associate professor in 1953, and professor of surgery in 1962. Upon Dr Haight’s death in 1970, Dr. Sloan became the acting head of the Section of Thoracic Surgery and shortly after, the head of the section, a position he held for the next 15 years until 1985. The Sloan’s had five children—two daughters, Ann and Elizabeth, and three sons, Herbert, John, and Robert (Fig 2)—and remained in Ann Arbor all 46 years of their married life (Fig 3). Doris Sloan died in 1989. Herbert Sloan was a force in thoracic surgery. He served on the The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Membership Committee (1964 to 1967), then as its vice president (1973 to 1974), and president (1974 to 1975). He was an associate editor of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery from 1964 to 1969 and then served as its second editor for 15 years (1969 to 1984), succeeding Dr John Steele. Dr Sloan received the prestigious STS Distinguished Service Award in 1981. During the same period of his service to STS, Dr Sloan served as a director on the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS) (1966 to 1971), vice-chairman of the board (1971 to 1973), and then assumed the position of secretary-treasurer, which he held for 13 years (1973 to 1986). One of the few to serve as president of both STS and of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS), Dr Sloan was vice-president of the AATS from 1978 to 1979 and then its president from 1979 to 1980. One of Dr Sloan’s hallmarks was his unwavering attention to detail. This was repeatedly reflected in his positions as editor of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery and as secretary of the ABTS, to which he was deeply committed.
Fig 3. Doris and Herb Sloan at daughter Liz’s wedding.
1118
OUR SURGICAL HERITAGE HERBERT SLOAN, MD
ORRINGER
MISCELLANEOUS
In his 1975 presidential address as the 10th president of STS, Dr Sloan elaborated his vision for strengthening the specialty of thoracic surgery: greater cooperation among the ABTS, the Residency Review Committee, and the residency program directors; better matching the production of thoracic surgeons to the needs of the country; and continued evaluation of clinical competence [2]. Each of these points continues to have relevance today. The dominant role of the ABTS in his professional life was reflected again in his 1980 presidential address as the 60th president of the AATS, “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men,” in which he reflected upon members of the AATS who had been instrumental in bringing the ABTS to fruition [3]. Dr Sloan was regarded as a pioneer cardiothoracic surgeon, performing the first successful open heart operation in the state of Michigan in 1956 and the first pediatric cardiac operation in the state in 1960. In the 1950s, he initiated a meeting with Richard Sarns, a local biomedical engineer, whose small startup company, Sarns Inc, was manufacturing medical devices such as the Dingman mouth gag for use in plastic surgery procedures and the roller pump used by Baxter for hemodialysis. Dr Sloan requested that Sarns scale down the Olson pump oxygenator being used for adult cardiac operations to a system that would be better suited for the pediatric population, with less volume and a smaller oxygenator. This was long before medical devices were regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and in the words of Dick Sarns, “Dr. Sloan knew what he wanted and was very demanding, and he assured quality of the new equipment we developed.” This was a time of innovation in a cooperative effort between Sarns Inc and the University of Michigan team. Out of this came an “infant-sized” oxygenator (from 20 inches to 6 inches), an oxygenator with stainless steel plates, discs, and Lexan cover and a built-in internal heat exchanger, and an additional 2 pumps were added to the Olson system for coronary perfusion. From this effort grew a very active congenital cardiac surgery program headed by Dr Sloan and supported by his close professional colleague, Dr Aaron Stern, professor of pediatrics and chief of pediatric cardiology at Michigan. As an acknowledgement of these tremendous contributions, Dr Sloan was the recipient of the Coeur d’Or Award of the American Heart Association in 2002. Dr Sloan was regarded nationally as a forceful, no nonsense, and decisive thoracic surgeon. Locally, throughout his more than 60-year tenure at the University of Michigan, he was similarly respected for his integrity and ability to analyze a situation and contribute in a constructive manner to conflict resolution. He was a consensus builder and gifted administrator. He served the medical school on multiple departmental and section review committees; section head, departmental chairman, and dean search committees; and the admissions committee. For the University of Michigan Hospital, he chaired the Hospital Director Search Committee, the Hospital Executive Committee, the Bed Utilization Review Committee, the Tissue Committee, the Executive
Ann Thorac Surg 2014;97:1116–9
Fig 4. Dr Sloan in 2003 during his last trip to China at age 90.
Committee for Clinical Affairs, and co-chaired the highly successful Replacement Hospital Campaign from 1982 to 1987, which led to the new $285 million hospital that replaced the more than 40-year-old University Hospital in which Dr Alexander performed some of his earliest operations for pulmonary tuberculosis and an entire floor had been designated for the treatment of patients with tuberculosis. Dr Sloan remained loyal to his medical school alma mater and for years interviewed Michigan students interested in attending Johns Hopkins. He received the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Medical Alumnus Service Award in 1973 and its Distinguished Service Award in 1983. Similarly, he was the recipient of the University of Michigan Medical School Distinguished Service Award in 1988 and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Honor in 2005. In addition to his busy professional life, Dr Sloan was very active in contributing to his community. He was a board member and then served as president of the Ann Arbor Figure Skating Club, served on the board of directors of the University Musical Society, was a member of the board of directors and then president of Barton Hills Village, where the Sloans resided, and chaired the Ann Arbor Charter Township Planning Committee. Dr Sloan had a number of other passions in life besides thoracic surgery. He had a magnificent rhododendron garden at his home in Ann Arbor, his interest in this plant originating in West Virginia where it grows ubiquitously. He also had a fascination and interest in China, particularly in his later years, that originated years before with his own family. His aunt and uncle, Jane and Daniel Dye, taught at West China Union University in Chengdu for more than 30 years. Dr Stephen Yang, who trained in Ann Arbor in 1949, knew the Dyes. Dr and Mrs Sloan first visited China in the fall of 1981 for the Cardiothoracic Symposium in Beijing and traveled from Beijing to Chengdu, where they visited the Yang family. The Yang’s children ultimately visited Dr Sloan in Michigan the year before his death. The 1981 trip was one of more than a dozen trips to China and Tibet that Dr Sloan made over
Ann Thorac Surg 2014;97:1116–9
1119
cancer, to valvular heart disease, and congenital heart disease—that had been impacted by Sloan [4]. The title of Dr Sloan’s 1980 AATS Presidential Address “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men” appears in Rudyard Kipling’s poem, A School Song, the first stanza of which was quoted by Sloan: Let us now praise famous men— Men of little showing— For their work continueth, And their work continueth, Greater than their knowing.
Max Chamberlain had it right: Sloan was honest, modest, and would be one the most outstanding thoracic surgeons to be trained at the University of Michigan. Dr Herbert Sloan is indeed a famous man and was truly among the giants of our specialty. I am indebted to Richard Sarns for providing historical perspective regarding Dr Sloan’s role in developing pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass and to John Sloan, Dr Sloan’s son, for his help in providing family history and photographs for this memorial.
References 1. Sloan H. The American Board of Thoracic Surgery. A 50 year perspective. Evanston, IL: The American Board of Thoracic Surgery; 1998. 2. Sloan H. The breeding and feeding of thoracic surgeons. Ann Thorac Surg 1975;20:371–86. 3. Sloan H. Let us now praise famous men. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1980;80:159–70. 4. Festschrift in honor of Herbert Sloan, MD. Ann Thorac Surg 1984;38:95–180.
MISCELLANEOUS
the years, those in his later years being to various parts of the Silk Road. Dr Sloan was an avid photographer. His friends awaited the Sloan’s annual holiday card each Christmas featuring on its cover some magnificent photograph taken during his travels in China. Doris Sloan had graduated from the first docent class of the University of Michigan Art Museum. After her death, Dr Sloan established an annual lectureship at the museum in her name featuring authorities in a variety of artistic media, often discussing nuances of Asian art. Dr Sloan made his last trip to China when he was 90 (Fig 4), and did a driving trip to Scotland with his long time Ann Arbor friend, Dr John Robertson, when they were both in their 90s. Throughout his career, Dr Sloan was a superb and meticulous surgeon with a commitment to quality patient care. He had little patience for errors in patient management. During his tenure as section head, Dr Sloan trained 49 residents, 12 of whom became division or department chairs. His often-stern demeanor and gruffness created unforgettable “learning experiences” for many residents. His teaching style was unique. Whether a classic “snowman” chest roentgenogram of total anomalous pulmonary venous return, a barium swallow view of an epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum, or a spiculated lung mass of bronchogenic carcinoma on a chest roentgenogram, he expected the thoracic surgery residents to instantly identify the pathology. He would say. “How do you know it’s your grandmother when she comes walking down the street? Because that’s what she looks like. Don’t forget this x-ray either!” Beneath that countenance was a compassionate physician, mentor, and loyal friend to his colleagues. To honor his career at the announcement of his retirement, former residents and colleagues returned to Ann Arbor in 1983 for a Festschrift, two days of scientific presentations spanning all aspects of thoracic surgery—from lung
OUR SURGICAL HERITAGE ORRINGER HERBERT SLOAN, MD
