Virginia Apgar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Virginia Apgar | |
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| Born | June 7, 1909 Westfield, New Jersey |
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| Died | August 7, 1974 (aged 65) New York City, New York |
Virginia Apgar (June 7, 1909–August 7, 1974) was an American physician who specialised in anesthesia and pediatrics. She was a leader in the fields of anesthesiology and teratology, and effectively founded the field of neonatology. To the public, however, she is best known as the developer of the Apgar test, a method of assessing the health of newborn babies that has drastically reduced infant mortality over the world.
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[edit] Biography
She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1929, and the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in 1933.
In 1949, Apgar became the first woman to become a full professor at Columbia P&S [1], while she also did clinical and research work at the affiliated Sloane Hospital for Women.[2] In 1959, she earned a Master of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins University.
In 1953, she introduced the first test, called the Apgar score, to assess the health of newborn babies. It is administered one minute and five minutes after birth, and sometimes also at 10 minutes.
While Apgar was frequently the "first woman" or "only woman" in a department, to serve in a position, or win an accolade, she avoided the organized women's movement, proclaiming that "women are liberated from the time they leave the womb".[3]
Apgar never married, and died on August 7, 1974, at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.
[edit] Significant works
- More than sixty scientific papers
- Countless papers for the popular press
- Is My Baby All Right? with Joan Beck (1972)
[edit] Recognition and awards
- Honorary doctorate, Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania (1964)
- Honorary doctorate, Mount Holyoke College (1965)
- Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Anesthesiologists (1966)
- Elizabeth Blackwell Award, from the American Women's Medical Association (1966)
- Honorary doctorate, New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry (1967)
- Alumni Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (1973)
- Ralph M. Waters Award, American Society of Anesthesiologists (1973)
- Woman of the Year in Science, Ladies Home Journal (1973)
Apgar has continued to earn posthumous recognition for her contributions and achievements. In 1994, she was commemorated on a U.S. postal stamp. In November 1995 she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York
[edit] References
- ^ Women in Medicine Exhibit Resources
- ^ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- ^ Brief biography, National Library of Medicine, The Virginia Apgar Papers.
- Pearce, J M S (2005), “Virginia Apgar (1909-1974): neurological evaluation of the newborn infant.”, Eur. Neurol. 54 (3): 132-4, 2005, PMID:16244485, doi:10.1159/000089084, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16244485>
- Goodwin, James W (2002), “A personal recollection of Virginia Apgar.”, Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obstétrique et gynécologie du Canada : JOGC 24 (3): 248-9, 2002 Mar, PMID:12585247, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12585247>
- Goldman, R & Blickstein, I (2001), “[Dr. Virginia Apgar--1909-1974]”, Harefuah 140 (2): 177-8, 2001 Feb, PMID:11242930, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11242930>
- Mazana Casanova, J S (2000), “[Virginia Apgar and her postnatal test half a century later]”, An. Esp. Pediatr. 53 (5): 469, 2000 Nov, PMID:11141369, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11141369>
- Baskett, T F (2000), “Virginia Apgar and the newborn Apgar score.”, Resuscitation 47 (3): 215-7, 2000 Nov, PMID:11114450, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11114450>
- Jay, V, “On a historical note: Dr. Virginia apgar.”, Pediatr. Dev. Pathol. 2 (3): 292-4, PMID:10191354, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10191354>
- Morishima, H O (1996), “Virginia Apgar (1909-1974).”, J. Pediatr. 129 (5): 768-70, 1996 Nov, PMID:8917248, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8917248>
- Shampo, M A & Kyle, R A (1995), “Virginia Apgar--the Apgar score.”, Mayo Clin. Proc. 70 (7): 680, 1995 Jul, PMID:7791393, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7791393>
- Butterfield, L J (1994), “Virginia Apgar, MD, MPhH.”, Neonatal network : NN 13 (6): 81-3, 1994 Sep, PMID:7854290, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7854290>
- Butterfield, L J, “Virginia Apgar, MD, MPhH (1909-1974).”, Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association 14 (4): 310, PMID:7965228, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7965228>
- Ignatius, J (1993), “[Virginia Apgar 1909-1974]”, Duodecim; lääketieteellinen aikakauskirja 109 (1): 54-5, 1993, PMID:8013307, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8013307>
- Appelgren, L (1991), “[The woman behind the Apgar score. Virginia Apgar. The woman behind the scoring system for quality control of the newborn]”, Lakartidningen 88 (14): 1304-6, 1991 Apr 3, PMID:2016983, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2016983>
- Wilhelmson-Lindell, B (1990), “[Virginia Apgar Award to Petter Karlberg. After 45 years of pioneering commission as a pediatrician, the research on body-soul-environment is tempting]”, Lakartidningen 87 (40): 3198-200, 1990 Oct 3, PMID:2232990, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2232990>
- Kovács, J (1989), “[In commemoration of Virginia Apgar]”, Orvosi hetilap 130 (38): 2049-50, 1989 Sep 17, PMID:2677904, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2677904>
- Calmes, S H, “Virginia Apgar: a woman physician's career in a developing specialty.”, Journal of the American Medical Women's Association (1972) 39 (6): 184-8, PMID:6392395, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6392395>
- Schoenberg, D G & Schoenberg, B S (1977), “Eponym: yes, Virginia, there is an Apgar score.”, South. Med. J. 70 (1): 101, 1977 Jan, PMID:320667, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/320667>
- Frey, R & Bendixen, H (1977), “[In memoriam Virginia Apgar 1909-1974]”, Der Anaesthesist 26 (1): 45, 1977 Jan, PMID:319701, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/319701>
- James, L S (1976), “Dedication to Virginia Apgar, MD.”, Birth Defects Orig. Artic. Ser. 12 (5): xx-xxi, 1976, PMID:782603, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/782603>
- James, L S (1975), “Fond memories of Virginia Apgar.”, Pediatrics 55 (1): 1-4, 1975 Jan, PMID:1089236, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1089236>
- James, L W (1974), “Memories of Virginia Apgar.”, Teratology 10 (3): 213-5, 1974 Dec, PMID:4617325, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4617325>
