Meet Black Man Who Played A Pioneered Role In Kidney Transplantation In Medicine [Samuel Kountz]
October 05, 2020 2052
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When
the history of medicine and science is told in the world, the prowess and achievements
of Black people are so numerous. Being descendants of the first humans on
earth, the average Black man has the mental ability to be an inventor in many
fields.
In light of the above, Dr. Samuel Lee Kountz's achievements in the field of medicine fully shows the contributions of the Black man to the advancement of humanity.
He was born in the state of Arkansas, U.S, in 1930, and grew up to hold three professional diplomas in agriculture, mechanical and chemical engineering respectively.
He went on to become the first black person to be admitted into
the University of Arkansas Medical school, through a scholarship.
When
he completed his Ph.D. in medical science, he left for San Francisco, where he
enrolled for a medical surgery course. There he met Dr. Cohn, who was also one
of the pioneers of organ transplant at the time. In 1964, they both
successfully carried out an organ transplant, which was said to be among the
first in the world.
Dr. Samuel Kountz continued
his research in organ transplant, and soon he made a discovery that would
forever put his name on the sands of time. He discovered a steroid called
methylprednisolone, effectively reduces the rejection of transplanted organs. His
discovery was a huge achievement in modern medicine because organ transplant
patients recorded high death rates - less than 5% of them lived.
Dr.
Kountz in his studies also outlined that reimplanting the kidney back to the
donor after a rejection by the recipient helps improve vital prognosis. He
also invented a better technique for the preservation of the kidney to be
transplanted for over 50 hours after it is harvested. Because of his research,
kidneys today can now be transplanted from a non-family member to the
patient. He was able to conduct as many as 500 kidney transplants before he
died.
He
was very passionate about organ donation, and did his best to dispel the fears
surrounding the practice. He undertook a live transplant in front of the
Television cameras, so that people could understand the process. After the liver
transplant, he got 20,000 donations.
He
went ahead to gain more recognition and became a Professor and senior surgeon
in hospitals of high reputation in the United States. He was a senior surgeon
in Kings County Hospital in New York, and was instrumental in improving the
health care of Black people.
Dr.
Kountz also established the biggest kidney transplant research center of
America, in San Francisco, and went ahead to publish over 100 research papers
on kidney transplants in modern medicine.
He died in New York in 1981, after he suffered a neurological illness during a visit to South Africa in 1977. The illness disabled him both mentally and physically, so he was bedridden and unable to move till his death.
His studies and findings in the field of organ transplants have saved many lives and have revolutionized the field of transplants in modern medicine.
Today organ transplant
rejection is less likely because of his fundamental contribution to the use of
steroids in the process of transplant.
He
was a recipient of numerous awards and also a scholarship for African-American
was named after him by the NAACP, which is a Black body dedicated to the
betterment of Blacks in America.
Conclusion
The contributions of men such as Dr. Samuel Lee Kountz, to medicine, is one that Black people worldwide should be proud of. These achievements should be taught in schools and at our homes, so that our young people will feel proud of themselves and the abilities of members of their race.
We
as a people owe ourselves and those who will come after us, the celebration of the
achievements of many of our brethren. It is in celebrating them, that we will
encourage this generation and younger generations to strive for excellence - to
aim for African excellence.