SAN FRANCISCO OCT. 23, 2011

Isidore Cohn, Jr., M.D.

Honored to be asked to talk today

There is a double Irony of me talking today :

The contrast with the first meeting where 12 crowded around a table with the large membership today. Early on presenting latest research, developments often just finished the week before presentation as contrasted with today’s opening talk a history lesson from a member who just celebrated his 90th birthday.

Over the years I have enjoyed my membership, the friends made, projects presented early so that suggestions could be made to enhance the work and, interests shared.

Stan Jacobs is only other founder here today, and I would ask him to stand and be recognized.

There have been two previous reports on the history of SBC II - John Davis in 1974 and mine in 1996. An ideal introduction to a history lesson is Ambassador Madeline Albright's response to a question about a specific date: “Some time between the invention of the iPod and the discovery of fire”.

John Davis and I apparently shared one trait and similar results for our “folly”, but for widely different explanations for the outcome. Each of us considered ourselves world class pack rats which accounts for the material I am able to convey today, John said his files were discarded when he was considered terminally ill, a decision he elected not to follow, and my files came to the same end courtesy of Hurricane Katrina. This lack of concrete data explains some of the lapses in this history.

SHOW SLIDE OF DAVIS –DRUCKER COMMENTS

My thoughts are a combination of my own observations and John Davis’s comments at the 1974 meeting, when he was given credit for starting SBC II, and for adopting and improving on ideas from the earlier SBC (no I). My recollection is that there was an SBC III and possibly an SBC IV, but I have not been able to track down any of the others so I do not even know if any are still in existence.

John Davis and Bill Drucker were young staff members at Case Western Reserve and the credit for the origin of SBC must go to them, with Drucker suggesting that the majority of the credit should go to Davis.

My contemporaries around the country went thru med school in 36 months, with each year restricted to 9 months, essentially no vacation, and internship also 9 months. WW II and gov’t. mandate were the explanations for these moves. Necessary to reduce time to keep medical power flowing to the front and putting medical students in uniform was a measure to keep classes going. All physically fit medical students were put in uniform – either ASTP for Army and v 12 for Navy. Pardon the personal pronoun, but I can track my own development while that of others is less easy to find. I graduated in 1945 and by early 1950’s this group filled the rooms for the Surgical Forum of ACS, which had it‘s first annual publication in1951. This group did not have easy access to programs of major national or regional societies and the Surgical Forum was their meeting place.

I believe the friendships which originated at Surgical Forum sessions led to the selection of Founding Members – varied interests, geographic distribution and university affiliations, individuals more interested in fundamental research than previous surgical leaders, who focused more on clinical aspects of surgery. The objective was to provide a forum for presentation of work in progress to friends who could provide serious , vigorous criticism in an informal session which was not possible in a major meeting . The group was to be restricted to 10 – 15 members, was intended to be informal, not to have minutes- or publications, and no aim for prestige.

SHOW SLIDE OF 1959 INVITATIONS

In 1960 my academic rank was Professor and I guess most of the others had similar titles. Have not been able to check on others and ACS no longer keeps files on “retired” members. Similarly, ACS does not list any of the Biology Clubs for anyone, so have not been able to trace beginning of SBC I. The original list of invitees for the 1960 meeting was mimeographed in the classic purple ink that went with that form of communication. There was no Xerox or computer = and we survived without cell phones!

Stan Jacob and Bernie Fisher are the only two of the original group who have continued to the present working and writing in the same field in which they started and each has had a major publication in the immediate past.

Monty Duval

Most charismatic and best looking of founders. Not my thoughts – his name –Merlin- must have required defensive measures as a child! –and he paid for education as photographic model for Van Heusin shirts, became Assist Sect Health & Scientific Affairs in Dept Health, Education, Welfare – HEW for two years under President Nixon and as such was responsible for some changes in HEW policies. Also stumped state of Arizona for med school location in Tucson and personally selected heads of every department, first class of students, etc

SHOW PROGRAM OF FIRST MEETING

The first meeting for which there was a printed – mimeographed – program was in San Francisco in 1960. For those of you who joined the Club or the College later than this, you may be interested to know the period between 1954 and 1971 the College met in a three year cycle in San Francisco, Chicago and Atlantic City , a very different place from its current incarnation

As you look at the program you may recognize some titles and authors whose work you have seen in later years.

At the first meeting in 1960 in San Francisco attention was paid to details of organization and plans for the future. Since most of us did not know how or why we were included it became apparent that we needed to know how-to expand the membership, or even if further expansion was appropriate. After some discussion, it became apparent that using the criteria we had just established most of us would not be members, and of greater importance, there wasn’t anyone else good enough to meet those criteria, so we would simply stay at our original 12 members. The three meals were shared with SBC I, probably in hope that we might learn something from whatever their experience had provided.

SHOW SLIDE OF FIRST 28 YEARS

In 1961 in Chicago, dinner for the group was held around the family table at Bill Drucker’s family home and this served as the beginning of the group’s interest in food as a part of the meeting. To show the continued interest in this aspect of the Club, note there are several references over the years to keeping SBC II small so banquet space could be found, and the line in the current Secretary’s letter that this is “the premier club for cutting edge science and culinary excellence.”

Another common thread of now and then is the same letter’s reference to a new committee to establish criteria for membership!

1968 brought some changes. Three members had accepted chairs, and two asked to resign because of the press of Dean’s duties. The resignations were not accepted. Two of the most attention getting papers in my recollection of those days were the presentations by Stan Jacob on DMSO and Earle Peacock on BAPN and lathyrism. Both were thought to have gone over the hill with their carnival style cure-all nostrums. To give the devil his due, Stan is still working on the many uses of DMSO , based on science, not wishful thinking, and Google now lists over 5 million references to DMSO, 952,000 are scientific, and Stan has contributed 10 books and 65 articles on the subject..

In 1969 Senior Status was established, and annual dues were set at $10.00.

In 1971 Corporate sponsors were noted but I think this was dropped shortly thereafter.

Membership gradually increased to 30 in 1970, 35 in 1973, 40 in 1977. And 55, including seniors, in 1978, to the current 99 active and 47 emeritus members A suggestion in 1988 was to admit one new member every year, and to stay small so that banquet space could be found!

Two limiting factors were established in 1977 – present every 5 years or move to senior status and become a senior by missing 3 years in sequence.

SLIDE OF SECRETARIES

From founding in 1959 through 1984 Secretaries served 2 or 3 year period

Significant changes since then

On a provincial basis I would call attention to the role New Orleans has played in the selection of Secretaries. – Watts Webb was not in New Orleans when he was secretary, but eventually moved to New Orleans and stayed until Katrina forced him out. Ted Drapanas moved to New Orleans in the middle of his term as Secretary, and Carter Nance served most of his professional career in New Orleans. You can use your own judgment as to whether this had anything to do with the gastronomic importance the Club has continued to favor.

SLIDE OF FOUNDERS AND LAST OR CURRENT TITLE

A few comments on the eventual fate of the 12 founders are worth noting.

All achieved Professorial title

One became a dean, and 4 became Departmental Chairs

5 remained in same location as original membership

Maintained wide geographic distribution

Continued interest in biologic projects

In summary, the original 12 turned out to be a good selection, and

Today’s meeting justifies the hopes of the founders

SLIDE OF MY BILL

Interesting to compare with present experiences.

One last laugh. This is the bill from the first meeting. No that is not my bill, that is the bill for the ENTIRE MEETING, My share was $19.45.!