LibGuides: PHSC Celebrates its 50th Anniversary and Black History Month: Blue Babies

Vivien Thomas standing, in lab coat

Vivien Thomas standing, in lab coat
ca. 1970. From The Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives, at Johns Hopkins University, https://medicalarchivescatalog.jhmi.edu/jhmi_permalink.html?key=105283

Blue Babies

Vivien T. Thomas (1910-1985) was a heart surgery pioneer that help saved the lives of "blue babies," but never completed medical school. He helped create a device and procedure to treat the often-fatal condition Tetralogy of Fallot (also known as blue baby syndrome).

Started as a janitor at Vanderbilt University, eventually becoming a lab tech, researcher, surgeon, and instructor.
Thomas and cardiologist Alfred Blalock formed a close partnership at Johns Hopkins University.
He often went underpaid and uncredited for his work until late in his life, even bartending at parties for his colleagues and students to make ends meet.
He mentored many surgeons throughout his career at Johns Hopkins, eventually earning an honorary doctorate in 1976.

Reference

"Vivien T. Thomas, LL.D.," Medical Scientist Training Program. 2022. https ://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/mstp/person/vivien-t-thomas/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2022.