In addition, what Dr. Blalock did for Mr. Thomas was much more than most Southerners would have done for a young black high school graduate in period 1930 – 1960. When Dr. Blalock observed the results of the operation during an autopsy of the dog, he said, “Vivien, this is like something the Lord made.”. The depositors could not get their money. He did not give Thomas credit for his work in the scientific community. Discussion Questions Relating to Ethical Issues will facilitate the use of this film to teach ethical principles and critical viewing. In 1944, Alfred Blalock, Helen Taussig, and Vivien Thomas revolutionized surgical treatment of the heart and nearby blood vessels through an improbable partnership among a white male surgeon, a white female physician, and an African-American male laboratory technician. In 1959, he and Taussig jointly received Gairdner Foundation Award (Toronto) totaling $25,000. The story of the blue baby operations introduces three important medical researchers of the 20th century: Vivien Thomas and Drs. In 1954, Blalock received the Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award "For distinguished contributions to cardiovascular surgery and knowledge" jointly with Helen Taussig and Robert Gross. 1. Many religious people would take the position taken by Eileen’s mother, that the operation itself and the possibility of the operation was an expression of God’s will. Note that as of July 2016 evolving standards of ethics in the treatment of animals and advances in simulator technology have led all medical schools in the U.S. to abandon the use of animals in the first four years of medical education. 6. Not having children of her own, Taussig saved thousands of babies from death or deformity. Her mother died when she was 11; Taussig was also severely dyslexic, describing reading as “pure torture”, like “running an obstacle course”. Additional questions are set out below. Not sharing the acclaim for the blue baby operations with Thomas and not helping Thomas go to college and medical school to become a surgeon. 1. Black doctors cared for the sick. This was another advance in the demonstration that blacks were not, in any way, genetically inferior to whites. It is said that Vivien Thomas opened new paths to healing when most doors were closed to him. Surely there had to be a way to “change the pipes around” to bring more blood to their lungs, Taussig said. These treatments saved countless lives during WWII and thereafter. Perhaps Dr. Blalock’s most egregious failure in his relationship with Vivien Thomas was that Dr. Blalock never encouraged or helped Thomas to go back to school and fulfill his dream of becoming a doctor and a surgeon. Helen Brooke Taussig (May 24, 1898 – May 20, 1986) was an American cardiologist, working in Baltimore and Boston, who founded the field of pediatric cardiology. Today almost all banks have Federal deposit insurance which protects deposits up to the amount of $100,000. 7. In addition to websites which may be linked in the Guide and selected film reviews listed on the Movie Review Query Engine, the following resources were consulted in the preparation of this Learning Guide: FICTION (SOAPS, DRAMAS, AND REALITY/SURVIVAL SHOW), Announcement by Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Partners of the Heart Comprehension Test/Homework Assignment, Discussion Questions Relating to Ethical Issues, Web-Based Exhibit on the Blue Baby Operations, Hopkins pioneered ‘blue baby’ surgery 50 years ago from the Johns Hopkins Gazette. Partners of the Heart by Vivien Thomas, p. 102. Bibliography. The procedure pioneered by Drs. I regret …. Vivien Thomas made major contributions to every phase of the development of these procedures. See Question # 10 in the Comprehension Test/Homework Assignment. Her work in the clinic gave Dr. Taussig the opportunity to see hundreds of blue babies, children who had deformities of the heart that prevented much of their blood from reaching their lungs. in 1921 from the University of California and her M.D. 14. 13. (1899-1964) Dr. Blalock earned his medical degree at Johns Hopkins in 1922. Compare the contributions to the Civil Rights Movement of Vivien Thomas and his brother Harold, who was a plaintiff in a landmark case that went all the way to the Supreme Court. Still, Dr. Blalock did a lot for Mr. Thomas, in return for what Mr. Thomas did for him. However, Dr. Blalock never fully acknowledged his assistant’s contribution and claimed the results of Mr. Thomas’ creativity as Blalock’s own. You should know Dr. Helen Taussig, born today on May 24 in 1898. Another (so far as we can tell) fictional scene is the final scene with Dr. Blalock. He was, for example, allowed to use the same toilet as all of the white lab workers and doctors. Was it Mr. Thomas’ obligation to support his family or Dr. Blalock’s need for him in the laboratory or was it something else that prevented Mr. Thomas from returning to college and then going to medical school? It was Dr. Helen Taussig, a Hopkins cardiologist, who came to Blalock and Thomas looking for help for the cyanotic babies she was seeing. This allowed Dr. Blalock to take the risk of doing harm to his patient and still act in an ethical manner. That doesn’t happen at the present time because the federal government insures deposits in banks up to a certain level. After Dr. Blalock’s retirement in 1963, Mr. Thomas remained as head of the Johns Hopkins surgical research laboratories and continued to instruct doctors training to be surgeons. To recreate heart defects and to develop surgical treatments for those defects. One would think, that after working together for decades Dr. Blalock and Mr. Thomas would be friends. Bank Officer Henri Edmonds. Although Vivien Thomas was clearly Dr. Blalock’s equal as a surgeon, Dr. Blalock never acknowledged this. Dr. Blalock and Mr. Thomas were a team. Assignments, Projects, and Activities for Use With Any Film that is a Work of Fiction. The Vivien Thomas Research Program brings promising high school students to Morehouse College for six weeks during the summer. It contains sections on Nashville and its black community absent from the fictionalized version. https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_316.html Located in the dreary basement of the hospital, the clinic served extremely ill children. Contracting whopping cough left her with a significant hearing loss; which, with … Moral-Ethical Emphasis, Assignments and Projects Helen Cowan completed a PhD in cardiac pharmacology at Oxford in 2002. Dr. Taussig suggested various operations to improve circulation to the lungs. However, both were essential and important. He retired in 1979 and was awarded emeritus status. The development of the Blalock-Taussig-Thomas shunt is examined in … She is credited with developing the concept for a procedure that would extend the lives of children born with Tetralogy of Fallot (the most common cause of blue baby syndrome). Zoe Buck. When Dr. Blalock was offered the post of chief surgeon at Johns Hopkins Medical School in 1941, he insisted that a job be offered to his research assistant as well. Dr. Blalock never accepted Mr. Thomas as a social equal nor did he place Mr. Thomas’ name on scientific articles about the treatments that he helped develop. C S Lewis once said, “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny”. What he helped facilitate impacted people all over the world.” Given the fact that Vivien Thomas never participated in a demonstration demanding civil rights or filed a lawsuit to enforce his rights, what did Dr. Watkins mean? In these respects, Dr. Blalock took advantage of the color of Thomas’ skin. Helen B. Taussig. Vivien Thomas never left Blalock’s employ. At the end of the film, Dr. Blalock says to Mr. Thomas, “They say you haven’t lived unless you have a lot to regret. In the 2004 HBO movie Something the Lord Made, Dr. Taussig was portrayed by Mary Stuart Masterson. 17. See Comprehension Test/Homework Assignment Questions 8 and 9. The father pointed out that Harold, the grandson of a man born into slavery, had a college education. On November 19, 1944, as the Second World War raged in Europe, and after years of preparatory work performed primarily by Vivien Thomas, Dr. Blalock operated on a baby near death from blue baby syndrome. Upon graduation, Dr. Taussig was assigned a job no one wanted, directing the Pediatric Cardiology Clinic at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Helen Taussig Cliff McMullen. They worked together at Johns Hopkins from 1940 until Dr. Blalock’s retirement in 1963. Image caption: From left: Alfred Blalock, Vivien Thomas, and Helen Taussig Image credit: Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives. A good answer will include a reference to the concept of nurturing. Selected Awards & Cast, Helpful Background In 1979, upon his retirement, Dr. Thomas was appointed instructor emeritus of surgery. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit ipso.co.uk. No. Parenting Points 4. I understand that. Lodel Williams Luray Cooper. Man at park Harold J. Abell Sr. Man #1 Michael E. Russell. 19. Lives were saved when she invented an operation to correct the circulation in babies born with faulty hearts: babies that had been blue due to lack of oxygen in their blood would turn pink soon after the operation, visibly brought back to life. He did not encourage Thomas to attend college and then go to medical school. Launched in 1922, Reader's Digest has built 90 years of trust with a loyal audience and has become the largest circulating magazine in the world, Reader’s Digest is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). 10. Was Dr. Blalock’s colleague correct when he worried that Blalock was rushing into the first blue baby operation because Dr. Blalock had prematurely assured the child’s parents that he knew how to perform the operation? A good answer will refer to the facts that: (1) Most white doctors in the South in the 1930s and 40s would not have trained a black man with only a high school education to become a full-fledged participant in pioneering scientific research. Helen Brooke Taussig lived from 1898 to 1986 in a male-dominated medical world. Vivien Thomas came to work for Dr. Blaylock as a janitor at Vanderbilt, and it was there that Dr. Blaylock trained Vivien Thomas in scientific research and surgery. Mary Thomas Cora Shay Buck. Have students read and summarize at least five of the entries on HBO’s Share Your Story Page (containing remembrances and recollections of Vivien Thomas, Dr. Blalock and the experiences of many blue babies and their families); the students should then write a paragraph on which story they liked the best and why; 3. Dr. Blalock gave Vivien Thomas that opportunity. 3. As a doctor she overcame her own double disability to devise a procedure that saved the lives of countless babies. Open heart surgery is any surgery in which the chest wall is opened to reveal the heart. A good answer will note the broad impact of the contributions of both men. During the mid-20th century, Dr. Blalock was the only medical researcher to give this much opportunity and responsibility to a black man with high school education. Apparently, this is realistic. It was not until 1976 that Mr. Thomas was given an honorary doctorate by Johns Hopkins and appointed to be an instructor of surgery. There is no one right answer to this question, although most will probably say that Dr. Blalock derived more benefit than Mr. Thomas. in 1927 from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Taussig quickly went to Europe and determined that the claims of a link between the birth defects and thalidomide were most likely genuine. Mr. Thomas did have to moonlight for a short time selling pharmaceuticals to doctors and he did have to complain to Dr. Blalock of his need for more money before Dr. Blalock increased his salary. 20. Yes. 2. Vivien Thomas fully participated in developing the blue baby operations, but he was not given credit for his contribution nor was he acknowledged to be a leading instructor of surgery for more than three decades. Each movie has its strengths. 122 & 123. Taussig lived at a time when female doctors were a rarity. His employer was Dr. Alfred Blalock, a medical research scientist at the Vanderbilt University Medical School. One of the conditions that Dr. Blalock set when he accepted employment at Johns Hopkins was that a position be created for his lab technician and research assistant, Vivien Thomas. Five young Baltimore women fundraised half a million dollars towards the construction of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, presented on the understanding that women could study there “on the same terms as men”. He surgically created in dogs the heart malformations that caused the blue baby syndrome. At Vanderbilt, Dr. Blalock focused his research on the cause of traumatic shock. Recommissioned portrait by another artist on the right. Nor did Dr. Blalock permit Mr. Thomas to play a role as a social equal outside of the lab. White people at Johns Hopkins were unused to a black man taking on such a role and they felt insecure when Mr. Thomas appeared in a white lab coat. Was the priest right that Dr. Blalock was arrogant and vain? The movie was nominated for many awards and won several. Dr. Walter Dandy David Bailey. Finally, standing on a step stool and looking over Dr. Blalock’s shoulder, Mr. Thomas supervised the first 25 – 35 operations that Blalock performed on human beings. The last time Dr. Thomas saw Dr. Blalock, the older man’s back was in such poor shape that he walked at a 45 degree angle, obviously in pain. 5. They were not friends because Dr. Blalock kept Mr. Thomas in a subordinate position and didn’t invite Mr. Thomas to important social occasions, such as the large party thrown for Dr. Blalock. We have not been able to find any basis in the historical record for the scenes in Something the Lord Made between Vivien Thomas and his wife and family or for the scenes between Alfred Blalock and his wife and colleagues. In addition, there are a number of scenes in which facts have been changed slightly but which reflect the essence of the factual situation. The important point is that the child would surely have died very soon without the operation. Given an honorary doctor of laws (Johns Hopkins did not give honorary doctorates in medicine), he became an instructor of surgery at Johns Hopkins Medical School. 4(4):450-453, October 2003. 24. The fact that Blalock was successful is not an answer to this question because Dr. Blalock had to answer it for himself and for his patient before the operation. For more than 30 years, the two men pursued a variety of medical research projects. I don’t mind that. However, true nurturing behavior would have resulted in Dr. Blalock encouraging Mr. Thomas to go to college and then, if Mr. Thomas so desired, to medical school. He served there until his retirement in 1963. Blalock and Taussig by which blue babies are temporarily given increased blood flow to the lungs so that they can live long enough for additional surgery to more permanently correct the function of their hearts is called the Blalock-Taussig Shunt. (Dr. Blalock retired in 1963 and died in 1964.) 9. At birth these babies became weak and “blue,” and sooner or later all died. Remember the discussion between Harold, Vivien’s brother, and their father about what it took to improve the situation of blacks in America? Benefits of the Movie Afterwards, Thomas trained young doctors at Johns Hopkins Medical School in methods of heart surgery. According to writer William Arthur Ward, “Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records”. 22. After he retired in 1963, there was a major shift in thinking about racism and the rights of black people, particularly in the South. Thomas, p. 214. Judging the new janitor by his abilities, rather than by the color of his skin, Dr. Blalock found that his employee showed immense talent as both a scientist and as a surgeon. “Something the Lord Made” is an excellent example of a film that faithfully describes major events, captures the spirit of the times, and gives an honest portrayal of the people involved. No. Was the first blue baby operation an experiment, as the priest charged? Physician Helen Brooke Taussig discovered a surgical procedure for treating "blue babies." On the whole, TeachWithMovies.com recommends the dramatic version. In the laboratory, Vivien Thomas was always treated as an individual and with respect. It was the beginning of the Great Depression and jobs were scarce. Outside, the old rules remained.” What was meant by that? Dr. Taussig is credited with preventing large numbers of birth defects from thalidomide in the U.S. Dr. Taussig received many awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award that can be given to a civilian. Helen Brooke Taussig was an American physician, cardiologist, educator and author recognized as the founder of pediatric cardiology, best known for her contributions to the development of the first successful treatment of “blue baby” syndrome. It provides a graphic example of the interplay between altruism and self-interest in race relations. U.S. physicians were only beginning to prescribe it. Another major contribution by Dr. Taussig was her role in preventing large numbers of thalidomide-caused birth defects in the United States. But even if Mr. Thomas had not gone to college or medical school because he had a responsibility to take care of his family, it was Dr. Blalock’s responsibility to encourage Mr. Thomas and use his best efforts to make it easier for Mr. Thomas to go to school by offering to help Mr. Thomas get a scholarship and financial aid. AN EXAMPLE OF THE INTERPLAY OF ALTRUISM AND SELF-INTEREST IN RACE RELATIONS: From 1930, when Vivien Thomas first applied to Dr. Blalock for a job as a janitor, until well into the 1950s, black people in the South were not permitted to use their creativity to contribute to scientific research. Young Olga Thomas John Leslie Wolfe. (Scientists usually gain recognition when their names are placed on published papers that describe their research.) From 1930 to 1963, Helen Taussig and her colleges worked in the Harriet Lane Home to develop the blue baby operation. Do you agree with the priest that Dr. Blalock was being arrogant and had embarked on a vain quest for glory by operating on the heart of a blue baby patient? Birthplace: Cambridge, MA Location of death: Kennett Square, PA Cause of death: Accident - Automobi. 15. Mr. Thomas might have had to leave his job as Dr. Blalock’s research assistant. Societal norms changed drastically in the period from 1955 to 1980. Open heart surgery is any surgery in which the chest wall is opened to reveal the heart. However, Vivien Thomas was luckier than he thought. Each movie has its strengths. Helen Taussig also headed the pediatric cardiac clinic. Whether life’s challenges are what led Taussig to triumph will never be known, but she certainly taught that adversity is no barrier to success. Maryland was a Border State during the Civil War and racially segregated in the period 1940 – 1965. The bank in which he put his money failed during the Great Depression. There was silence. Yes, it was an experiment. It was Vivien Thomas who repeatedly tested the surgery on the dogs whose hearts he had modified. Selected Awards: 2004 Emmy Awards: Outstanding Made for Television Movie; Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie; Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special; Directors Guild of America, DGA Award: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television; Writers Guild of America, USA, WGA Award (TV) Best Long Form – Original; Golden Globe Awards Nominations: Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television; Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Mos Def); 2004 Emmy Awards Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (both Mos Def and Alan Rickman nominated); Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special; Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special; Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special; Outstanding Single-Camera Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie; Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, Nomination: Best Picture Made for Television; Featured Actors: Alan Rickman as Alfred Blalock; Mos Def as Vivien Thomas; Mary Stuart Masterson as Dr. Helen Taussig; Kyra Sedgwick as Mary Blalock; Merritt Wever as Mrs. Saxon; Doug Olear as Michael Saxon. 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