Selby, Dr John H 1997-06-10

Dr. Selby recounts his career as an early Lubbock thoracic surgeon. He includes important material on the origins of Methodist Hospital and an extensive discussion of the government’s effect on medicine.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Dr. John H. Selby

Additional Parties Recorded: None

Date: June 10, 1997

Location: Lubbock, Texas

Interviewer: Lori Lawson

Length: 1 hour 50 minutes

Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: Background, Born: Springfield, Massachusetts (November 11, 1919), Schools and colleges, Medical school, Boston University, Internship at Mary Hancock Hospital, and New England, Deaconess Hospitals, U. S. Navy, in World War II, Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Residency training at University of Pennsylvania in surgery, Chest surgery—Boston City Hospital, Thoracic surgery specialty, First heart surgery, Dr. Dwight Harkin, Patient from Plainview, Texas, Dr. Robert Mitchell, Interview with Dr. J. T. Krueger, Methodist Hospital under construction, Prophecy of medical school, First thoracic surgeon in West Texas Changes, Heart surgery, Lubbock, Texas medical community, Paul Cates’ concerns, Lubbock hospitals (c. 1952), Vying ‘groups’, West Texas Hospital, Memorial/Methodist, St. Mary’s, Taylor Clinic, Dr. M. C. Overton, Description, Memorial Hospital taken over by Methodist Church, Concerns of Paul Cates and Dub Rushing, Segregation, Finances, Paul Cates (again), Member of General Conference of Methodist, Church, Wealth, John Selby’s father, Dr. Carl Meister, Chairman of Board of Hospitals and Homes for Methodist Church, Lubbock doctors’ opposition, Dr. Sam Dunn becomes a Presbyterian, Donations, Board appointed by Methodist bishop, Administrators, George Brewer, Texas Tech Medical School, Campaigning to acquire, Role of Preston Smith, Importance of Amarillo and El Paso campuses, Methodist Hospital (again), Became ‘open staff’, Dr. J. T. Krueger recruiting doctors, John Selby, first Chief of Surgical Services, Administrator Poteet, stopped ‘open staff’, ‘Open staff’ important for medical community growth, Dr. Randolph Rutledge, John Selby (again), views, West Texas people, Service to patients, 30% unable to pay, Philanthropy before Medicare, Changes in heart surgery, Heart surgery in Lubbock, Dr. Donald L. Bricker, Lubbock hospitals, Methodist Hospital—biggest between Dallas and Los Angeles, St. Mary’s growth, Taylor Clinic, Dr. Clifford Payne, Highland Hospital, Orthopedics, Dr. Ken Scholz.

Tape 1, Side 2: Methodist Hospital (again), Animosity with West Texas Hospital, John Selby (again), Joins staffs of hospitals, Surgery performed at outlying hospitals, American College of Surgeons oppose itinerant surgery, Hill-Burton Act, Created community hospitals, Changes in medicine, Antibiotics, penicillin, Tuberculosis treatment, X-Rays and prevention of cancer, Texas Tech Medical School, Students, Robert Salem and father, Joe Salem, Methodist Hospital, Methodist takeover of hospital (again), Chaplain services, John Selby (again), Campaign for congress, Negative governmental effects on medicine, Medicare, Doctors’ attitudes, Doctor/patient relationship, Preston Smith’s advice, Back injury, Join HMI consultant group, Advise doctors on Medicare procedures, Texas Medical Association Council on Socio-economics, Regional Director of Texas Medical Foundation, Governor Bill Clements’ Health Coordinating Committee, Lubbock Committee of Hospital Necessity, Medical Staff Director at Highland Hospital, Rotary Club Director and District Governor, Cerebral Palsy drive, Food bank, Dehydration Plant, Describes operation, International service, Polio campaign, Dr. J. A. Chatman, Barbecue chicken dinners, John Selby (again), Attraction to Lubbock, No traffic, Weather, Raising children, African-American medical care, Surgery at other hospitals, Dr. J. T. Krueger (again), Promise to get anesthesiologist, Dr. John Bolling, Minority medical care, Methodist Church stops segregation, Medicare, Benefits Methodist Hospital, Paid cost plus, Future cuts, Procedures costly, Effect on doctor/patient relationship (again), Alternatives, Churches and civic organizations, High cost of government and insurance.

Tape 2, Side 1: Medicare (continued), Patients’ attitudes, Before Medicare, Doctors and ministers not charged for medical care, Hippocratic Oath, Economics less important, Barter for medical care, Attitudes of new doctors, Content to work for salary, Patient care not top priority, Public perception of doctors, Health care not a ‘right’, Possibility of rationing, Personal responsibility, Private enterprise better, John Selby, views, HMOs, Doctor control, Lawsuits against HMOs, Cost of medical care, Detriment to research, Detriment to doctor training, Family physicians’ role, Corporate medicine, Medical society’s role in policing doctors, Taken by government, Educational changes, Texas Tech Medical School, Knowledge, Texas Medical Foundation, Thoracic surgery advances, Dr. John Streeter, first specialist, Tuberculosis treatment, Early thoracic surgery, Streptomycin, Lung cancer, John Selby, interest in thoracic surgery, Exciting, Work in sanitorium, Thoracic surgery, Doctors’ review needed, Lubbock as a medical center, Role of Dr. J. T. Krueger, Brought in good ‘board certified’ doctors, Reputation of Methodist Hospital, Large geographical area, Dr. Selby’s talks in outlying communities, Thoracic surgery specialization, Described, Dr. Bill Gordon, Catheterization, Diagnostic, Golden Age of Medicine, Physician/patient close relationship, Technological advances, Anesthesiology.

Tape 2, Side 2: Golden Age of Medicine (continued), Before government, insurance and corporations, Doctors in control, Dr. J. T. Krueger (again), Gave first blood transfusion in area, Heart surgery, Early views, Dr. Dwight Harkins (again), Nursing services changes, More important role, Uniforms missed, Dr. J. T. Hutchinson’s sister, Earned respect, Nurse practitioners, Gate keepers for HMOs, Extend doctors’ coverage, Assume too much responsibility, Faye Wadsworth, Dr. Krueger’s scrub nurse, Nurses becoming doctors, Dr. Erie Dale Adams, Medical care rising costs, Litigation against doctors, Technology, new instruments, Doctors raised costs with Medicare, Lubbock, Crosby, Garza Counties Medical Society, Changes and role, Less influence, Maintains quality and standards, Politics and education, Texas Medical Association, ‘Doctors Day’, Women’s auxiliary, Foreign medical students, Should help home lands, Women in medicine, Family is primary responsibility, Lubbock tornado (1970), Methodist Hospital, Lacerations, Water supply, Well organized, Community effort, HIV treatment, Disturbing nature of AIDS, Personal responsibility, Protection required raises medical costs, John Selby, retrospectives, Political involvement, Community activities, Advice for aspiring doctors, Active leaders and educators, Greatest satisfaction in life, Meaning of thoracic surgery.

Range Dates: 1911-1998

Bulk Dates: 1953-1985

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