Charles Richard Drew: A Surgeon and Medical Researcher

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Outline

Dr. Drew was born in 1904 and died in 1950 at the age of 46. During his lifetime, he made several contributions that are remembered in the modern studies. He excelled in education since the time he started elementary school and this led him to pursue a career in medicine. He concentrated much in blood transfusion using modern technology where blood was effectively stored maintaining its quality. Dr. Drew was fighting against racial injustices which made him to be treated as a martyr for African-Americans because of his exceptional contribution.

Introduction

Dr. Drew was born in 1904 to his father Thomas Drew who worked as a carpet layer, while his mother Burrell was employed as a teacher. When Drew was born, his mother stopped teaching to stay home with him and three other siblings. His family was not rich but struggled to ensure the children got the necessary education. Drews home was near a place where horses were trained and he enjoyed riding as well as taking care of them. He attended elementary school and high school when he was young and later advanced with a career in medicine.

Biographical essay on Dr. Charles R. Drew

Dr. Charles was born at Washington D.C and in addition to his active involvement in academics; he was also active in sport activities. Regarding his career in medicine, he was a physician in the United States and conducted an extensive research in medicine. He concentrated in blood transfusions where he came up with advanced technology in the storage of blood using his skills and experience. Among his major contribution was coming up with blood banks during the Second World War and these saved thousands of people’s lives (McCall, 1996). He schooled at Meads Mill for his elementary education and attended secondary school at Dunbar where racial discrimination was experienced as a result of high number of black students. Through his skills in being an athlete, he managed to secure scholarship and attended Amherst College located in Massachusetts. Among his motivators was Elsie, his sister who had tuberculosis that claimed her life in 1920 due to influenza after encouraging Drew to engage in medicine (Drew, 1983).

In late 1940s, he managed to do his doctoral thesis and helped Scudder to collect blood plasma and distribute it in Britain to assist the soldiers in Britain with the blood. He established a place for collection of blood where donors had a chance to donate blood to people who were in need. He ensured that, all blood plasma collected was tested for safety purposes and handled by skilled personnel who had specialized in that field. He attained a bachelor’s degree in arts in 1926 at Amherst University and later a doctorate in medicine and master’s degree in surgery at McGill University. He went to Canada for internships at Howard University as a pathology instructor as well as surgery assistant in preserving blood. At freedmen’s hospital, he served as a Chief surgeon and professor in department of surgery. During the Second World War, Dr. Drew organized for a blood bank after becoming an official in the Red Cross in London, where he received rewards for his good work in 1940s. Lenora Robbins was married to Dr. Drew in the year 1939 and they got four children who were named, Charles, Charlene, Bebe and Rhea, (Dailey, 1998).

Medical and Scientific Contributions

Medical profession was revolutionized by introduction of storage of blood plasma for use in the Pacific and Europe battlefields. In the year 1940, he started the project for blood bank in Britain and America and became the director. The former teacher of Drew requested him to donate to him containers amounting to five thousand of dried plasma to be used for transfusions. In 1940, a big project begun in the city of New York for blood collection in hospitals which was taken to Britain where Dr. Drew became the supervisor of the project. He made a great contribution by transforming methods that used test tubes to techniques of mass production to be used by blood researchers. Dr. Drew was leading in mass transfusion and as an assistant director of research council who dealt with collection of blood in the navy and army in America (Dailey, 1998).

At Howard University, Dr. Drew trained young surgeons and finished two blood projects within a period of seven months. Dr. Drew received appointments in scientific committees in Howard and received degrees from Amherst and Virginia colleges in 1947 and 1945. In 1944, he got a Spingarn medal due to his contribution in human welfare. The efforts made by Dr. Drew led to operation of blood bank centers that amounted to thirty five. By the time the war ended, Red Cross had received many blood donations making thousands of people’s lives to be saved (Derricourt, 2002).

The Historical, Social, and Cultural Context of Their Life and Work

Dr. Drew was not supporting racial injustices and this made him to be regarded as a martyr for the race of African-American who made him die as a result of discrimination. He always protested against racial segregation through donating blood to people of different races. He became a coach and instructor in chemistry as well as biology in Maryland, where he made a solid contribution to the success of students. His life changed when he desired to join the field of medicine making him to terminate employment at Morgan state to enroll in medical school at McGill (Tipple, 2008). After two years from the time he graduated, Dr. Drew went to Montreal hospitals but returned to America to serve as instructor in pathology and advanced to assistant professor in surgery. In 1938, He was chosen in Rockefeller fellowship to offer training in medicine where he had the opportunity to meet Dr. Scudder with who they worked together (Love, 1996).

The date and place of death

In addition to him being a surgeon, he acted as representative for Freedmen during medical conferences. Since 1939, he used to go to memorial hospital of John Andrew in Alabama. Drew together with other physicians decided to drive rather than fly in order to save money. They drove in shifts, where Drew took the second shift at around 8am at a time when he was tired after spending a busy day in operating theatre. While he was driving, Drew failed to control the vehicle, which made it somersault in the field three times. Three physicians experienced minor injuries, but Drew had his foot trapped under the pedal of the brake and the vehicle rolled over him. When technicians who dealt with emergency cases went to rescue him, drew was in shock with serious leg injuries and barely alive. After he went to a hospital in Burlington, he died within thirty minutes of medical attention. He was buried on 5^th April, 1950 at Baptist church of Nineteenth Street. Drew could have survived, but did not receive proper medical care because of discrimination in hospitals where he required blood transfusion but was not given. This was interpreted that, Dr Drew failed to enjoy the benefits of his hard work which led to his death. There was an urban myth regarding death of Dr. Drew but an argument disputes it because; he suffered fatal injuries and was not alone in the car. Evidence shows that, he received prompt attention from the other two doctors who had minor injuries, since they rescued him and took him to hospital. When Drew was taken to the hospital, he received blood transfusion although some of the arguments were contrary to the reality. Dr. Drew died due to broken neck and lack of blood flow to the heart.

Historical legacy

Dr. Drew lived from 1904 up to 1950 being well known researcher, doctor, diplomat, mentor and teacher who knew that, physicians were human beings with a lot of knowledge and ready to share it with the needy people. His work saved many lives and today, his life and work is connected to Washingtonians legacy. During legal segregation, he faced challenges and successes and his work concentrated on wellness, healthcare and healing. There is a memorial to honor drew due to his achievements in keeping plasma for longer periods of time after separating it and maintaining it freshness. This provided ways of saving life and blood bank was established in England that saved uncountable number allied lives (Merkle, 1985).

The urban legend about how Drew was not given the right medical attention due to discrimination is not true. This is because, valuable evidence was given by the black doctors who accompanied him that, the care they received was the best. The problem with his vena cava was difficult to solve and medical experts said there was no need to perform blood transfusion because; his condition would have been worsened. The popular myth was contradicting because, every effort was made to save his life but it was too late to succeed. The medical care given to him was not determined by the fact that Drew was a Negro, since doctors performed their work without discrimination.

In 1966, California incorporated medical school for post graduate and named it after Charles Drew. This was done in order to honor him because of the contribution he made during his life. In 1970, Charles Drew high school was opened in Michigan which opened doors for children to learn and acquire knowledge. United States of America commemorated Drew by offering postage stamp under his name to be used in offering postal services that are used in all the states. In the year 2002, Drew was among the listed top hundred African Americans, who are remembered for their great contribution in different areas for the benefit of everyone. Omaha health center was named after drew and laboratory at Michigan University in order to remember his effort and use him as a role model. Washington DC has Drews memorial bridge and elementary school under his name (Tipple, 2008).

Conclusion

Drew died in the process of establishing himself as a black leader who expressed humanity. He had become a hero who represented black in the rural south. His death affected blacks because; they felt their talents were wasted due to mistreatment by the whites. The blacks reacted by feeling depressed and angered, after the loss of a valuable member, who received mistreatment like any other black person. His death could not have occurred if he received proper treatment at the right time and the facts of his death remained ambiguous. Today, Drew is remembered in different nations, because his contribution was felt everywhere including United States of America, Pacific and Europe. This is a challenge to everyone including those who believe in discrimination because; Drew treated all people without favor or discrimination (McCall, 1996).

References

Dailey M. (1998): Bothersome Biography: Black Lives
Derricourt R. (2002): The Impact of the Last Decade: Journal of Scholarly Publishing: UT Press
Drew K. (1983): Medieval Kingship: The American Historical Review
Love S. (1996): One blood: The death and resurrection of Charles R. Drew: Oxford University Press
McCall N. (1996): Patterns of Research in a Medical Archives: ARCHIVARIA
Merkle J. (1985): exploring his life and thought: Macmillan Pub Co
Tipple E. (2008): Drew theological seminary, 1867-1917: a review of the first half Century. Web.

Click Here To Order Now!