Robert F. Weir
Personal Information
Description
He was said to be among the most brilliant surgeons of his time. He was one of the first in the United States to adopt Lister's technique of antisepsis; he was among the early workers in brain surgery and one of the first to recognize duodenal ulcer as a pathologic entity. He was the earliest to advocate appendicostomy. His operation for carcinoma of the rectum, a more practical modification of the procedure described by Maunsell (which was recently presented in this section*) is described in the classic article here reproduced. Weir went on to become president of the American Surgical Association, New York Surgical Society, and New York Academy of Medicine. He was made an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and was one of five surgeons so honored by the American College of Surgeons at its first convocation. He died April 6, 1927, at the age of 89. -
Books
Death in literature
This book will show the richness and diversity of death as a subject in a variety of literary genres. Second, it will demonstrate the timelessness of the subject of death in literature, as evidence by selections ranging from 2300 B.C. to A.D. 1979. Third, it will reflect a variety of cultural traditions through selections from India, China, Japan, Greece, Nigeria, Lebanon, Russia, Germany, England, France, Spain, Ireland, and the United States. Fourth, it will be a helpful book for teaching courses on death in the humanities and a beneficial book for all persons who want to enrich their lives by sensitizing themselves to the mortality shared by us all.
The stored tissue issue
"Genetics research with stored human tissues provides many benefits and holds much promise. Yet how this critical research is conducted sometimes raises serious ethical, legal, and social concerns, and it is difficult to balance the promise of biomedical research with our time-honored commitments to individual choice in such fundamental matters as control over personal health information and the disposition of our bodily tissues." "Weir and Olick provide a analysis of this critical phase in the era of genomic medicine. While strongly supportive of the biomedical research enterprise, they develop a critique of many common research practices with banked tissues, DNA, and genetic data. Noting numerous examples of beneficial human tissue research, they focus on problematic research practices, controversial cases, and federal and institutional policies that limit the informed choices of patients and research participants. The authors offer a series of recommendations intended to limit the risk of inadequate informed consent to research for individuals, families, and groups, and to strengthen the bonds of trust between the research enterprise and the public upon which biomedical progress depends." "This book offers information plus recommendations that will be of keen interest to geneticists, other biomedical scientists, research institutions, policy makers, students, and others. It will serve as a clarion call to move beyond traditional policies and practices toward a richer understanding of partnership between patients and research participants and the biomedical research enterprise - a partnership for the benefit of all."--BOOK JACKET.