Biography Arnall Patz

1 biography

1.1 years
1.2 study of oxygen cause of childhood blindness
1.3 johns hopkins
1.4 awards , accolades
1.5 later years , death

biography
early years

patz born in elberton, georgia. father jewish immigrant lithuania, , patz youngest of 7 children in jewish family in elberton. attended emory university in atlanta , received both bachelor s , medical degrees there.

after graduating emory university school of medicine in 1945, patz joined u.s. army , served @ walter reed army medical center. after leaving military, patz began residency in ophthalmology @ gallinger municipal hospital (later known district of columbia general hospital) in washington, d.c.

study of oxygen cause of childhood blindness

while patz in training @ gallinger, observed more 20 infants had developed severe retrolental fibroplasia after receiving continuous oxygen therapy. epidemic of blindness among 10,000 premature babies in 1940s , 1950s became 1 of great medical mysteries of postwar era. patz hypothesized there correlation between high rate of blindness , use of pure oxygen treat premature babies. had become standard practice put babies in incubators , crank oxygen, patz said in 2004 interview baltimore sun.

patz proposed clinical study test hypothesis, national institutes of health refused fund study on ethical grounds, fearing study kill lot of babies anoxia test wild idea. unable obtain grant, patz borrowed money family conduct clinical study @ gallinger in 1950s. patz conducted study between 1951 , 1953 in conjunction leroy hoeck (1911–2009), pediatrician in charge of newborn nursery @ gallinger. in study, infants given concentrated oxygen, , others given concentrated oxygen if showed signs of respiratory distress. study confirmed patz s suspicion 12 infants on concentrated oxygen went blind while 1 of infants receiving normal oxygen went blind. further study established elevated oxygen levels caused abnormal growth of blood vessels in eye, irreversibly damaging retina. after patz s findings became known, use of high-dose oxygen therapy limited, , there sixty percent reduction in childhood blindness in united states.

johns hopkins

in 1955, patz accepted part-time faculty position @ johns hopkins university while maintaining private ophthalmology practice. in 1970, joined johns hopkins faculty on full-time basis research professor. served director of wilmer eye institute @ johns hopkins 1979 1989. founder of johns hopkins retinal vascular center. in late 1960s, patz conducted pioneering research on use of lasers , collaborated johns hopkins applied physics laboratory on development of 1 of first argon lasers used in treatment of retinal disorders. patz worked maryland eye bank, built 80-foot radio tower @ home , became known ham-radio operators across country putting out word on airwaves whenever corneas needed transplant.

awards , accolades

in 1956, patz , v. everett kinsey, biochemist worked patz on larger study confirmed patz s findings, received lasker clinical medical research award. helen keller presented patz , kinsey award.

the wall street journal called patz man helped solve riddle of how 10,000 babies went blind. new york times credited him saving countless babies blindness , and, through research on use of lasers, preserving sight of adults common conditions cause blindness.

u.s. president george w. bush awarded patz presidential medal of freedom, nation s highest civilian honor, in 2004. patz given presidential medal of freedom lifetime contributions field of ophthalmology, including discovery of common cause of childhood blindness in 1950s. @ time of award, bush called patz man has given uncounted men, women , children gift of sight.

patz served president of american academy of ophthalmology , wrote more 250 scientific publications , 4 textbooks. recipient of friedenwald research award in 1980, inaugural isaac c. michaelson medal in 1986, first helen keller prize vision research in 1994, , pisart international vision award lighthouse international in 2001.

later years , death

in later years, patz studied impact of deafness on beethoven s music. received master s degree in liberal arts johns hopkins @ age 78.

patz died of heart disease in march 2010 @ home in pikesville, maryland. patz died @ age 89 1 day before 60th anniversary of wedding former ellen levy.

in 2013, biographical profile of dr. patz included in bestselling book called saving sight: eye surgeon s @ life behind mask , heroes changed way see, andrew lam (author), m.d.