James Hardy (surgeon)
Encyclopedia
Dr. James D. Hardy was an American surgeon, famous for the first human lung transplant and the first animal-to-human heart transplant.
, Alabama
. His father owned a lime plant in Newala. He studied at a high school in Montevallo before entering the University of Alabama at Birmingham
for pre-medical
curriculum. He received his MD
in 1942 from University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
in Philadelphia. He held the office of the president of Alpha Omega Alpha during his senior year and his first scientific publication was on wound healings.
in early 1944 during the Second World War
. He first worked at Stark General Hospital, Charleston in South Carolina. Hardy began writing his first book, Surgery and the Endocrine System, in 1950 which was published two years later. He was awarded the Master of Medical Science in physiological chemistry
by the University of Pennsylvania
in 1951 for his research on using heavy water for measuring body fluids. He became the chair of surgery at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine
, Jackson in 1955. He was also the first Professor of Surgery at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.
In 1963, Hardy led the team which first performed the human lung transplant in University of Mississippi Medical Center. On January 23, 1964, he performed the first heart transplant, in which the heart of a chimpanzee
, a genetically closer animal, was transplanted into the chest of Boyd Rush (age 68), who was dying, as a last effort trying to save him, as no human heart was available. Rush died after 90 minutes. Hardy dealt with severe criticism for performing the transplant, but the operation manifested the possibility of human heart transplantation. Three years later, the first successful human-to-human heart transplantation was performed in 1967 by Christiaan Neethling Barnard. Hardy also led the team responsible for performing a double-lung transplant that left the heart in place, in 1987.
Hardy wrote 24 books, 139 book chapters, 466 papers, and produced over 200 films. Vishnevsky Institute, Moscow honored him in 1971 for his pioneering work in organ transplantation and awarded him two medals for lung transplant and heart, respectively. He has served as President of the Society of University Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Chairmen, the Southern Surgical Association, the American College of Surgeons, the American Surgical Association and the International Society of Surgery.
Apart from his autobiography, Hardy also wrote several other books including:
Early life
Hardy grew up in NewalaNewala
Newala is one of the five districts of the Mtwara Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the west by the Masasi District, to the east by the Tandahimba District, to the south by Mozambique, and to the north by the Tandahimba and Masasi Districts....
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. His father owned a lime plant in Newala. He studied at a high school in Montevallo before entering the University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System...
for pre-medical
Pre-medical
Pre-medical is a term used to describe a track an undergraduate student in the United States pursues prior to becoming a medical student...
curriculum. He received his MD
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
in 1942 from University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
The Perelman School of Medicine , formerly the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, was founded in 1765, making it the oldest American medical school. As part of the University of Pennsylvania, it is located in the University City section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is widely...
in Philadelphia. He held the office of the president of Alpha Omega Alpha during his senior year and his first scientific publication was on wound healings.
Career
Hardy served in the U.S. Army Medical CorpsMedical Corps (United States Army)
The Medical Corps of the U.S. Army is a staff corps of the U.S. Army Medical Department consisting of commissioned medical officers – physicians with either an MD or a DO degree, at least one year of post-graduate clinical training, and a state medical license.The MC traces its earliest origins...
in early 1944 during the Second World War
World 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...
. He first worked at Stark General Hospital, Charleston in South Carolina. Hardy began writing his first book, Surgery and the Endocrine System, in 1950 which was published two years later. He was awarded the Master of Medical Science in physiological chemistry
Physiological chemistry
Physiological chemistry is the chemistry of the organs and tissues of the body and of the various physiological processes incident to life. Physiological chemistry is essentially the precursor to modern biochemistry. In the nineteenth century, physiological chemistry dealt primarily with...
by the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in 1951 for his research on using heavy water for measuring body fluids. He became the chair of surgery at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine
University of Mississippi School of Medicine
The University of Mississippi School of Medicine is the medical school of the University of Mississippi.Created in 1903 on the Oxford, Mississippi campus, the School of Medicine was used as a hospital during the Civil War for both Union and Confederate soldiers, especially those who were wounded...
, Jackson in 1955. He was also the first Professor of Surgery at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.
In 1963, Hardy led the team which first performed the human lung transplant in University of Mississippi Medical Center. On January 23, 1964, he performed the first heart transplant, in which the heart of a chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
, a genetically closer animal, was transplanted into the chest of Boyd Rush (age 68), who was dying, as a last effort trying to save him, as no human heart was available. Rush died after 90 minutes. Hardy dealt with severe criticism for performing the transplant, but the operation manifested the possibility of human heart transplantation. Three years later, the first successful human-to-human heart transplantation was performed in 1967 by Christiaan Neethling Barnard. Hardy also led the team responsible for performing a double-lung transplant that left the heart in place, in 1987.
Hardy wrote 24 books, 139 book chapters, 466 papers, and produced over 200 films. Vishnevsky Institute, Moscow honored him in 1971 for his pioneering work in organ transplantation and awarded him two medals for lung transplant and heart, respectively. He has served as President of the Society of University Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Chairmen, the Southern Surgical Association, the American College of Surgeons, the American Surgical Association and the International Society of Surgery.
Personal life
Hardy married Louise Scott Sams of Decatur, Georgia in 1949; they met when he was working in Stark General Hospital in Charleston. She died from Alzheimer's disease in 2000. They had four daughters - Dr. Louise Roeska-Hardy, professor of philosophy in Heidelberg and Frankfurt, Germany, Dr. Julia Ann Hardy, psychiatrist in Michigan, Dr. Bettie Winn Hardy, clinical psychologist and director of the eating disorders program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas and Dr. Katherine H. Little, medical director of the Diagnostic Center for Digestive Diseases at Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas.Retirement
Hardy retired from the Department of Surgery, University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Jackson, in 1987. He died at the age of 84 on February 19, 2003.Books
Hardy wrote an autobiography, The World of Surgery 1945-1985: Memoirs of One Participant, which was published in 1986.Apart from his autobiography, Hardy also wrote several other books including:
- Hardy's Textbook of Surgery
- Surgery and the Endocrine System
- The Academic Surgeon
General references
- James D. Hardy (1986), The World of Surgery 1945-1985: Memoirs of One Participant (Autobiography)
- http://surgery.umc.edu/professionals/history/hardy/memoriam_hardy.html
- http://www.umc.edu/about_us/hardy.html
- http://orig.clarionledger.com/news/0302/21/m01.html