John Scudder (physician)
Encyclopedia
Dr. John Scudder was a medical doctor
and blood
transfusion
specialist who developed the Plasma for Britain program during the early years of World War II. He recruited Dr. Charles Drew
to help develop the organization and its processes to get the plasma
supply project operational. Their work was estimated to have helped save the lives of thousands of Allied troops.
, New York
. He attended Rutgers University before deciding to be a surgeon. He completed medical school at Columbia University
, where he also did graduate-level work on blood research and surgical procedures for its use.
His family was part of the Scudders in India, who devoted more than 1,100 combined years to Christian
medical mission
service. Four generations of the family and 42 members served in India.
, Scudder began working and teaching at Columbia University
-Presbyterian Hospital. There he worked in blood transfusion and surgery. He became an assistant professor of clinical surgery at Columbia University in 1935. He worked on research centering on whole blood
, then on fractionated blood and plasmas. By 1940 he was doing research on blood fluid dynamics
as well.
began in Europe, the Blood Transfusion Betterment Association (BTBA) of New York met with certain members of the British medical establishment about transfusion techniques. Plasma transfusion was possible at that time, but still experimental. No one had a good method for supplementing Britain's supplies with American blood plasma. This was crucial since, by all expectations, any war was expected to have the high casualties similar to those of World War I
.
The managers of the BTBA turned to Dr. Scudder to organize the project. He recruited Charles Drew
, one of his brightest graduate students and recently minted PhD, to lead the project. During the course of Plasma for Britain, Scudder often assisted Drew in organizing and communicating with project managers and other medical authorities. When Plasma for Britain was turned over to the British Military
, Scudder returned to his teaching and research position at Columbia.
In the 1960s, when there was a conflict between the Red Cross
and the for-profit American Association of Blood Banks, Scudder publicly supported the Red Cross. He stated that blood donation should be a matter of civic responsibility, not profiteering.
His health began to fail in the early 1970s. He died in December 1976 at the age of 76..
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
transfusion
Blood transfusion
Blood transfusion is the process of receiving blood products into one's circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used in a variety of medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood...
specialist who developed the Plasma for Britain program during the early years of World War II. He recruited Dr. Charles Drew
Charles R. Drew
Charles Richard Drew was an American physician, surgeon and medical researcher. He researched in the field of blood transfusions, developing improved techniques for blood storage, and applied his expert knowledge to developing large-scale blood banks early in World War II. This allowed medics to...
to help develop the organization and its processes to get the plasma
Blood plasma
Blood plasma is the straw-colored liquid component of blood in which the blood cells in whole blood are normally suspended. It makes up about 55% of the total blood volume. It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid...
supply project operational. Their work was estimated to have helped save the lives of thousands of Allied troops.
Early life
Scudder was born to John and Ellen Bartholemew Scudder in 1900 in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He attended Rutgers University before deciding to be a surgeon. He completed medical school at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, where he also did graduate-level work on blood research and surgical procedures for its use.
His family was part of the Scudders in India, who devoted more than 1,100 combined years to Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
medical mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
service. Four generations of the family and 42 members served in India.
Career
After obtaining his doctorateDoctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
, Scudder began working and teaching at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
-Presbyterian Hospital. There he worked in blood transfusion and surgery. He became an assistant professor of clinical surgery at Columbia University in 1935. He worked on research centering on whole blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
, then on fractionated blood and plasmas. By 1940 he was doing research on blood fluid dynamics
Fluid dynamics
In physics, fluid dynamics is a sub-discipline of fluid mechanics that deals with fluid flow—the natural science of fluids in motion. It has several subdisciplines itself, including aerodynamics and hydrodynamics...
as well.
Plasma for Britain
In late 1939, after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
began in Europe, the Blood Transfusion Betterment Association (BTBA) of New York met with certain members of the British medical establishment about transfusion techniques. Plasma transfusion was possible at that time, but still experimental. No one had a good method for supplementing Britain's supplies with American blood plasma. This was crucial since, by all expectations, any war was expected to have the high casualties similar to those of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The managers of the BTBA turned to Dr. Scudder to organize the project. He recruited Charles Drew
Charles R. Drew
Charles Richard Drew was an American physician, surgeon and medical researcher. He researched in the field of blood transfusions, developing improved techniques for blood storage, and applied his expert knowledge to developing large-scale blood banks early in World War II. This allowed medics to...
, one of his brightest graduate students and recently minted PhD, to lead the project. During the course of Plasma for Britain, Scudder often assisted Drew in organizing and communicating with project managers and other medical authorities. When Plasma for Britain was turned over to the British Military
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
, Scudder returned to his teaching and research position at Columbia.
Later life
Scudder continued research in fields related both to blood work and surgery. He published papers on shock syndrome, banked blood, and using chemicals and X-rays to map the cardiovascular system. He co-authored many papers.In the 1960s, when there was a conflict between the Red Cross
Red Cross (disambiguation)
The name Red Cross generally refers to the humanitarian movement, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which is composed of* International Committee of the Red Cross,* International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,...
and the for-profit American Association of Blood Banks, Scudder publicly supported the Red Cross. He stated that blood donation should be a matter of civic responsibility, not profiteering.
His health began to fail in the early 1970s. He died in December 1976 at the age of 76..
Legacy and honors
- The Plasma for Britain program was estimated to save the lives of thousands of Allied troops.
- 1950s, a blood bankBlood bankA blood bank is a cache or bank of blood or blood components, gathered as a result of blood donation, stored and preserved for later use in blood transfusion. The term "blood bank" typically refers to a division of a hospital laboratory where the storage of blood product occurs and where proper...
in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
was named after him.
External links
- http://www.redcross.org/museum/history/bldmilestones.asp - Red Cross Museum Listing