Orvan Hess
Encyclopedia
Orvan Walter Hess was a physician noted for his early use of penicillin
and the development of the fetal heart monitor.
Hess was born in Baoba, Pennsylvania
. At the age of two, after his mother’s death, the family moved to Margaretville, New York
where he grew up. Hess was inspired by Doctor Gordon Bostwick Maurer—who started Margaretville’s first hospital in 1925— to study medicine. He married Dr. Maurer’s sister, Carol Maurer, in 1928.
Hess went to Lafayette College
and received his MD
from the University of Buffalo. He completed an internship at Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, New York
and became an obstetrician and gynecologist.
For most of his career, Hess practiced at Yale-New Haven Hospital
, interrupted by World War II
service as a surgeon in the 48th Armored Medical Battalion
attached to the 2nd Armored Division in the invasions of North Africa
, Sicily
and Normandy
.
He was clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Yale School of Medicine
. He also served as president of the Connecticut State Medical Society, and director of health services for the Connecticut Welfare Department. Hess died in New Haven at the age of 96.
Hess was predeceased by his wife Carol in 1998. He is survived by two daughters, Dr. Katherine Halloran of Lexington
, and Carolyn Westerfield of Hamden
; five grandchildren (including Peter Halloran
); and five great-granddaughters.
.
Hess received the American Medical Association
’s Scientific Achievement Award
in 1979 for his work on this case.
due to his frustration with the limitations of using a stethoscope on a subject with two heartbeats and undergoing contractions.
In 1949, after World War II, Hess returned to Yale and resumed his work, along with postdoctoral fellow Dr. Edward Hon. In 1957, using a six-and-a-half-foot-tall machine, they became the first in the world to continuously monitor electrical cardiac signals from a fetus.
Through the 1960s, working with Wasil Kitvenko, the chief of the medical school’s electronics laboratory, Dr. Hess continued to improve on the equipment, introducing telemetry and reducing the monitor’s size. The device, which allowed monitoring to continue during labor, became one of the most-used tests in obstetrics
.
The original machine still resides today in the basement of a building just outside the city of Hartford called the "Hartford Medical Society."
Penicillin
Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They include penicillin G, procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, and penicillin V....
and the development of the fetal heart monitor.
Hess was born in Baoba, Pennsylvania
Lackawaxen Township, Pennsylvania
Lackawaxen Township is the largest and northernmost township in Pike County, Pennsylvania. The population was 4,994 at the 2010 census. The Delaware River, which marks the eastern boundary of the township, joins the Lackawaxen River at Lackawaxen Village...
. At the age of two, after his mother’s death, the family moved to Margaretville, New York
Margaretville, New York
Margaretville is a village in Delaware County, New York, United States. The population was 643 at the 2000 census.The Village of Margaretville is in the Town of Middletown. The village is on the border of the Catskill Park...
where he grew up. Hess was inspired by Doctor Gordon Bostwick Maurer—who started Margaretville’s first hospital in 1925— to study medicine. He married Dr. Maurer’s sister, Carol Maurer, in 1928.
Hess went to Lafayette College
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
and received his MD
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from the University of Buffalo. He completed an internship at Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and became an obstetrician and gynecologist.
For most of his career, Hess practiced at Yale-New Haven Hospital
Yale-New Haven Hospital
Yale-New Haven Hospital , Connecticut's largest hospital with 966 beds, is located in New Haven, Connecticut.The hospital is owned and operated by the Yale New Haven Health System, Inc...
, interrupted by World War II
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...
service as a surgeon in the 48th Armored Medical Battalion
48th Armored Medical Battalion
The 48th Armored Medical Battalion was an American military medical/surgical unit attached to the 2nd Armored Division throughout World War II. The 48th participated in the invasions of North Africa, Sicily and Normandy....
attached to the 2nd Armored Division in the invasions of North Africa
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
, Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
and Normandy
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
.
He was clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Yale School of Medicine
Yale School of Medicine
The Yale School of Medicine at Yale University is a private medical school located in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. It was founded in 1810 as The Medical Institution of Yale College, and formally opened its doors in 1813....
. He also served as president of the Connecticut State Medical Society, and director of health services for the Connecticut Welfare Department. Hess died in New Haven at the age of 96.
Hess was predeceased by his wife Carol in 1998. He is survived by two daughters, Dr. Katherine Halloran of Lexington
Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,399 at the 2010 census. This town is famous for being the site of the first shot of the American Revolution, in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.- History :...
, and Carolyn Westerfield of Hamden
Hamden, Connecticut
Hamden is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town's nickname is "The Land of the Sleeping Giant." Hamden is home to Quinnipiac University. The population was 58,180 according to the Census Bureau's 2005 estimates...
; five grandchildren (including Peter Halloran
Peter Halloran
Peter M. Halloran, born , is the founder and CEO of Pharos Financial Group, an investment firm active in the markets of the former Soviet Union. He has been a leader in the development of the Russian capital markets since their inception, bringing more than $8 billion of capital to the region...
); and five great-granddaughters.
Early use of penicillin
On March 14, 1942, John Bumstead and Hess became the first doctors in the world to successfully treat a patient (Anne Miller) with penicillinPenicillin
Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They include penicillin G, procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, and penicillin V....
.
Hess received the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
’s Scientific Achievement Award
AMA Scientific Achievement Award
The AMA Scientific Achievement Award is awarded by American Medical Association. It may be given to either physicians or non-physician scientists who have contributed significantly to the field of medical science...
in 1979 for his work on this case.
Fetal heart monitor development
Hess began working on a fetal heart monitor in the 1930s as a research fellow at Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
due to his frustration with the limitations of using a stethoscope on a subject with two heartbeats and undergoing contractions.
In 1949, after World War II, Hess returned to Yale and resumed his work, along with postdoctoral fellow Dr. Edward Hon. In 1957, using a six-and-a-half-foot-tall machine, they became the first in the world to continuously monitor electrical cardiac signals from a fetus.
Through the 1960s, working with Wasil Kitvenko, the chief of the medical school’s electronics laboratory, Dr. Hess continued to improve on the equipment, introducing telemetry and reducing the monitor’s size. The device, which allowed monitoring to continue during labor, became one of the most-used tests in obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
.
The original machine still resides today in the basement of a building just outside the city of Hartford called the "Hartford Medical Society."