MEMORIAL RICHARD B. CAPPS BY DAVID P. EARLE
Richard B. Capps, elected to the Clinical and Climatological in 1948, enjoyed our annual meetings and his many friendships until his death on December 25, 1976 at the age of 70. He was appreciated and respected by legions of patients and friends to whom he was always available. He was born in Chicago on March 14, 1906. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Princeton University in 1927 he obtained his M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1931. He served as house officer at the Massachusetts General Hospital 1931-1933, and then as a fellow in the Thorndike Memorial Laboratory of the Boston City Hospital until 1935. He returned to Chicago that year when he joined the staff of St. Luke's Hospital and the faculty of Northwestern University, rising to the rank of Associate Professor of Medicine. His early investigations were concerned with hypertension, peripheral vascular disease and the hypersensitive carotid sinus syndrome. He was among the first to be certified by the Subspecialty Board of Cardiology in 1943. However, during his World War II military service, Dr. Capps became intensely interested in post-vaccinal jaundice and then hepatitis. He was appointed to several Army Boards and consultant posts in these areas, and then was made Chief of Medical Services of the DeWitt General Hospital which was the Army's hepatitis center. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was awarded the Bronze Star for his many contributions. Upon his return to St. Luke's Hospital he established a liver research laboratory which made many contributions. He also served as consultant to St. Vincent's Orphanage where he documented the role of well babies in transmitting hepatitis. All told, Dr. Capps published more than one hundred scientific papers. Dr. Capps was a charter member and founder of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease, serving as its President in 1959. He also was a member of the American Association of Physicians, American Society of Clinical Investigation, Central Society of Clinical Research, American Heart Association, Chicago Society of Internal Medicine (President in 1953), and was a fellow of the American College of Physicians. When St. Luke's and Presbyterian Hospitals merged Dr. Capps moved his laboratory to the combined new institution and transferred xxxvi
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first to the University of Illinois faculty and then to the Rush Medical College as Professor of Medicine. He twice served as President of the Medical staff of the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center. In March 1976 a very successful one-day Symposium on Perspectives in Viral Hepatitis was held at Rush to honor Dr. Capps. The Symposium was attended by more than 200 physicians with papers being given by experts from all over the world. Dr. Capps was a superb clinician and teacher, totally dedicated to his patients. His wisdom and friendship will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife Mary Grulee Capps and his son Richard B. Capps, Jr.
Richard B. Capps, elected to the Clinical and Climatological in 1948, enjoyed our annual meetings and his many friendships until his death on December 25, 1976 at the age of 70. He was appreciated and respected by legions of patients and friends to whom he was always available. He was born in Chicago on March 14, 1906. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Princeton University in 1927 he obtained his M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1931. He served as house officer at the Massachusetts General Hospital 1931-1933, and then as a fellow in the Thorndike Memorial Laboratory of the Boston City Hospital until 1935. He returned to Chicago that year when he joined the staff of St. Luke's Hospital and the faculty of Northwestern University, rising to the rank of Associate Professor of Medicine. His early investigations were concerned with hypertension, peripheral vascular disease and the hypersensitive carotid sinus syndrome. He was among the first to be certified by the Subspecialty Board of Cardiology in 1943. However, during his World War II military service, Dr. Capps became intensely interested in post-vaccinal jaundice and then hepatitis. He was appointed to several Army Boards and consultant posts in these areas, and then was made Chief of Medical Services of the DeWitt General Hospital which was the Army's hepatitis center. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was awarded the Bronze Star for his many contributions. Upon his return to St. Luke's Hospital he established a liver research laboratory which made many contributions. He also served as consultant to St. Vincent's Orphanage where he documented the role of well babies in transmitting hepatitis. All told, Dr. Capps published more than one hundred scientific papers. Dr. Capps was a charter member and founder of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease, serving as its President in 1959. He also was a member of the American Association of Physicians, American Society of Clinical Investigation, Central Society of Clinical Research, American Heart Association, Chicago Society of Internal Medicine (President in 1953), and was a fellow of the American College of Physicians. When St. Luke's and Presbyterian Hospitals merged Dr. Capps moved his laboratory to the combined new institution and transferred xxxvi
MEMORIAL
Xxxvii
first to the University of Illinois faculty and then to the Rush Medical College as Professor of Medicine. He twice served as President of the Medical staff of the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center. In March 1976 a very successful one-day Symposium on Perspectives in Viral Hepatitis was held at Rush to honor Dr. Capps. The Symposium was attended by more than 200 physicians with papers being given by experts from all over the world. Dr. Capps was a superb clinician and teacher, totally dedicated to his patients. His wisdom and friendship will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife Mary Grulee Capps and his son Richard B. Capps, Jr.
