1952

Hearing that Harry Goldsmith, M.D., is deeply involved in (actually, has originated) a procedure which may turn out to be one of the major medical developments in recent decades, we wanted to learn more. Calling several medical classmates we learned that Harry is an extraordinarily skillful surgeon having had a very distinguished professional career. Then we called Harry.

"Omentum transposition" is the name of the procedure Harry has developed. The omentum (we've all got one) is a curtain of fatty elements that protects the stomach. What Harry has done is to develop a surgical procedure that cuts a flap in the omentum and attaches it to areas where patients are suffering from spinal cord injuries or even, in the cases of diseases such as Alzheimer's, to the brain. The omentum provides a lot of additional blood flow that can gready benefit these affected areas.

Harry travels the world delivering speeches at major medical conferences and performing demonstration surgery, frequently achieving remarkable results, even including Alzheimer's reversal. He has plenty of supporters, but he is also facing the inherent resistance of the medical profession to dramatic new procedures. When and how Harry will overcome this is unpredictable. But he believes that the tide is turning in omentum transposition's favor. It's an extremely important development.

In the meantime, Harry is also professor of surgery at the University of Nevada medical school and has absolutely no retirement plans. Why should he when he's a man on a mission and doing what he loves?

Erik Gundersen is another '52 doc, also a surgeon, who's still very active in medicine, although he's retired from surgery.

Erik has made his career at the Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. The institution is the result of a merger with the Gundersen Clinic, founded by Erik's grandfather. When Erick joined the " family business" in 1964 the operation had about 40 doctors on staff. Now it exceeds 400 doctors and more than 5,000 employees. It has a significant teaching and research program and is highly respected nationally. This remarkable growth has taken place in a small city of about 50,000 population and with a not insignificant competitor (Mayo) only 70 miles away.

Right in the middle of this, and in an important way a pan of Gundersen Lutherans success, is Erik. He now serves as vice president of the Gundersen Foundation, where he concentrates on fund-raising. Erik is happy with his life and very gratified by the clinic/hospital's accomplishments. He plays a lot of tennis but says he still loves to go to work.

Dan Gutterman is a lawyer who retired from his practice in Washington, D.C., but now finds himself almost full-time busy using his professional skills in other venues. Dan has spent most of the last 10 years in eastern and central Europe where he has been variously a university law professor in Budapest, a legal advisor to the Albanian government, a professor of business law in Moscow, a project lawyer for the Ukrainian government, a consultant in the drafting of the Russian criminal code and many other professional tasks. Dans learned Russian and Hungarian although his lectures are mainly done in English which almost all of his students speak. Dan provides explanatory comment and answers in Russian. An extraordinary second career! Sadly, we have to report that we've recently received notice of the deaths of Walt Grevatt, Bill Hastings, Roger Phillips and Harry Bingham. Their obituaries will appear in this and subsequent issues of the magazine.

Keep in touch!

Dick Watt, 189 Mountainside Road, Mendham, NJ;(973) 543-4044; dexotex@aol.com