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William H. Muller, Jr. papers

Access and use

Location of collection:: University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.

Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library

University of Virginia

P.O. Box 400110

160 McCormick Rd

Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110

Contact for questions and access:: POC: Brenda Gunn

Email: bg9ba@virginia.edu

Phone: (434) 924-1037

Phone: (434) 243-1776

Fax: (434) 924-4968

Web: library.virginia.edu/special-collections

Web: library.virginia.edu/special-collections/services/reference-request

Restrictions:: Collection is open to research.
Terms of access:: There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:: William H. Muller, Jr. Papers, MS-48, Historical Collections, Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.

Summary

Extent:: 4.58 Linear Feet 12 boxes
Language:: English
Preferred citation:: William H. Muller, Jr. Papers, MS-48, Historical Collections, Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection includes personal and professional correspondence. Some are family letters, most are professionally related. Included University of Virginia correspondents are John T. Ashley, Robert M. Carey, Rose M. Chioni, Kenneth Crispell, Don E. Detmer, Richard F. Edlich, Frank L. Hereford, R. Scott Jones, Norman J. Knorr, and Robert M. O'Neil. Correspondents outside of UVa include W. G. Anlyan, Willard E. Goodwin, Hiram C. Polk, Mark M. Ravitch, Jonathan E. Rhoads, Robert S. Sparkman, H. William Scott, and Richard L. Varco. Dr. Muller was a member of many organizations and some of those are represented here including the American College of Surgeons, American Surgical Association, Halsted Society, Medical Society of Virginia, Muller Surgical Society, Society of University Surgeons, Southern Society for Clinical Research, and Southern Surgical Association. There is also a 25 page recollection of his time with Dr. Alfred Blalock, a UVa Surgery Department scrapbook, photos, and slides of the construction of the 1989 hospital.

Includes John Ashley's curriculum vitae.

Carey was Dean of the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

Chioni was Dean of the University of Virginia School of Nursing.

Includes correspondence about renaming of hospital buildings, hospital dedication budget, and also Don Detmer's curriculum vitae.

Includes Richard Edlich's curriculum vitae.

Includes letters to the Gwathmey family: Frank and Marietta, Claire, Winston, and William.

Reprinted fromScience, May 18, 1956.

Includes correspondence concerning C. Rollins Hanlon and John B. Hanks and Hanks' curriculum vitae.

Hereford was President of the University of Virginia.

Jones was Chairman of the University of Virginia Department of Surgery.

Includes Irving L. Kron's curriculum vitae.

Includes color photos from Knorr's (retirement?) dinner.

Includes letters to Muller family members. Includes letter, given by Diana Houchens, from C. Bruce Morton about his book on the Department of Surgery.

Includes correspondence concerning the dedication of the new hospital.

Includes correspondence concerning People to People International.

Includes correspondence with Hiram C. Polk.

Includes correspondence with Mark M. Ravitch, Jonathan E. Rhoads and Charles S. Robb

Includes correspondence with Robert S. Sparkman and H. William Scott.

Includes correspondence with Richard L. Varco

Includes 1945 Constitution and By-laws of the Albemarle County Medical Society, 1974 proposed revised By-laws, a 1958 document investigating the feasibility of a program to make every doctor's office a cancer detection center, and a 1961 document concerning civil Defense emergency medical Services.

Most documents concern dual appointments (internship and junior assistant residency positions simultaneously) and graduate education in surgery more generally. Also included is a 1968 and 1972 "Guide book for Residency Programs in General Surgery."

Includes congratulatory letters to Muller on his election as Chairman of the American College of Surgeons Board of Regents and Muller's thank you letters in response.

Includes letters related to Muller's presentation as the Gibbon lecturer at the American College of Surgeons as well as the text of his lecture.

Includes reports related to Medicare.

This is the time period when Dr. Muller was president of the ASA.

Includes a 25 page letter and drafts written to Dr. Mark Ravitch in which Muller recalls his memories of Dr. Alfred Blalock. Other items are programs for the Alfred Blalock Lectureship and a program from the Blalock Heritage in American Surgery with signatures of the speakers (Boone Powell, B. F. Bennett, Robert S. Sparkman, Abner V. McCall, W. Dewey Presley, David C. Sabiston, Mark M. Ravitch, C. Rollins Hanlon, Frank C. Spencer, William H. Muller, James V. Maloney, Denton A. Cooley, H. William Scott, G. Rainey Williams, J. Alex Haller, Henry T. Bahnson, and William P. Longmire) and spouses.

Bohemian Club gathers for a summer encampment at the Bohemian Grove in Monte Rio, California.

Muller's talk was for the 13th Annual Surgical Residents' Reunion.

Includes a copy of Muller's Halsted Society application and a photo of the 1959 meeting participants which did not include Muller as he was just elected at that time.

Photo of the 1960 meeting includes Muller.

Photo of the 1962 meeting does not include Muller.

Photo of the 1964 meeting does not include Muller. Photo of the 1965 meeting includes Muller.

Photos of the February 1967 and September 1967 meetings includes Muller.

Includes "The Founding and First Meeting of the Halsted Society" by Lawrence R. Wharton, Written for the members of the Halsted Society, and filed with its Archives 1968.

Photos of the 1970 and 1971 meetings do not include Muller.

Photos of the 1972 and 1973 meetings do not include Muller. Includes letters from Alfred Blalock's residents, members of the Old Hands Club, upon the occasion of the dedication of the Alfred Blalock Library at the Texas Heart Institute.

Includes a reprint of "The Halsted Society, 1924-1974" by Peter D. Olch and Halsted's bibliography. Photo of the 1974 meeting includes Muller. Photo of the 1975 meeting does not include Muller.

Photo of the 1976 meeting includes Muller.

Photos of the 1977 and 1979 meetings do not include Muller.

Photo of the 1981 meeting does not include Muller.

Photo of the 1983 meeting does not include Muller.

Includes a certificate for William H. Muller stating he is enrolled as an Associate in The International Federation of Surgical Colleges.

Muller is made an honorary member in the Society due to being a previous guest and speaker in 1955.

Included is a letter welcoming Muller as a member as well as meeting programs.

Included are meeting programs.

Muller is invited to receive the Fourth Frederick E. Kredel Honorary Professorship of the Medical University of South Carolina and is asked to speak.

Includes a certificate of recognition for Muller's participation in and contribution to the National Joint Practice Commission.

Includes correspondence related to Muller's participation on the External Review of Northwestern University's Department of Surgery as well as the report. Additional correspondence relates to Muller being a Visiting Professor and Guest Speaker at the annual meeting of the Department of Surgery at Northwestern.

Includes a copy of the Constitution.

Includes a group photo with Muller.

Includes correspondence for the following committees: Academic Placement, American Board of Surgery representatives, Fountain Report and NIH Grants Manual, International Responsibility, National Research Council, National Society for Research, and Surgical Education.

Correspondence is related to support for membership in the Society of University Surgeons for Raymond F. Morgan.

Includes document that gives a brief history, constitution and bylaws, officers and living members from 1947-1967 for the Society.

Includes letters congratulating Muller on his election as President of the Southern Surgical Association as well as Muller's replies.

Lists names of appointees and dates of the appointments.

Includes reports and also letters from Norman Knorr, Daniel Mohler, Leslie Rudolf, Muller, John A. Owen and others.

Muller's comments describe the background for the need for the Health Services Foundation and its start. He mentions the contributions of Jay Gillenwater, Leigh Middleditch, Hovey Dabney, Ray Bell, Jean Printz, and Billy Williams.

Includes Employee benefits outline

Includes a number of clippings about J. Shelton Horsley

Also included are pictures of the UVa Department of Surgery including Drs. Drash, Muller, Morton, Wangensteen, Harry Archer, Sandusky, Gaylord Williams, Gardner Smith, Arthur Smith, Nolan, Minor, Horsley, Wilhelm, and Schrum. Absent were Rudolf and Alrich.

The photos came from a folder marked 2007, but some individual photos are marked with different dates. Included are photos of Muller, R. Scott Jones, Stephen H. Watts, William H. Goodwin, and Edwin P. Lehman in their academic gowns; C. Bruce Morton; the first hospital pavilion, and hospital construction.

Includes articles about surgical transplants, photos of Surgery Department Attendings and House Staff 1967-68 and 1969-70

The consultants, E.D. Rosenfeld Associates Inc. and Baskervill & Son, recommend rebuilding the Medical Center on the Blue Ridge Hospital site.

Medical Center and University Planning: Observations and Recommendations. Levine is concerned about the excessive workload placed upon the Department of Physical Plant and the Health Affairs Office due to the large number of minor and major renovations which are all expected to be created in a time frame that is not possible given the various entities involved.

Prepared by Maurice W. Perreault and Associates, Inc.

Relates to the Replacement Hospital and site preparation; total cost of the project is estimated to be $128,166,000.

Almost $8.5 million in bad debts and free service were incurred from August to November 1982.

Gov. Robb proposed $55 millsion in state budget cuts to higher education.

Interview with Hereford

left to right: Rector Fred G. Pollard, Gov. Charles S. Robb, Pres. Frank L. Hereford, Jr., Dr. William H. Muller, VP for Health Affairs

in back, left to right: Rose Marie Chioni, Dean of the School of Nursing; Norman J. Knorr, Dean of the School of Medicine; Pollard; Robb; Muller

Muller at podium

Hereford at podium

Dr. John t. Ashley, Executive Director of the University Hospital next to Rose Marie Chioni; Hereford at podium

Pollard at podium

Robb at podium

left to right: Robb, Hereford, Muller, Pollard, Knorr, Chioni

Robb, Pollard with shovels, Hereford to the right

Robb, Pollard, Hereford, Muller, Ashley, Chioni, Knorr

drawing of building

Ashley, Hereford

crowd views

Robb, Hereford, Muller on stage

Chioni, Knorr, Pollard, Robb on stage

Muller at podium

Hereford at podium

Pollard at podium

Robb at podium

Pollard, Robb and Muller leaving podium

Robb with shovel

Pollard and Hereford with shovels

Robb, Pollard, Hereford, Muller, Ashley, Chioni, Knorr with shovels

Participants with shovels

Ashley, Pollard and Hereford standing by architectural drawing

main participants and crowd members, post-ceremony?

architectural models of UVa Medical Center, Hildwin and Willima H. Muller in one photo

people looking at architectural model, including Mitchell Van Yahres(man on far right in one of the pictures)

Hereford at podium

Tom Hunter on the left

New hospital dedication

Includes clippings from "The Daily Progress" and probably "Medical Alumni News Letter." Names in articles include Jerry Bains, C. Bruce Morton, Leslie Rudolf, Peter Hairston, Gardner W. Smith, J. Shelton Horsley, William Muller.

Includes clippings from the "Medical Alumni News Letter" and the "Richmond Times-Dispatch. Names (and some photos) in articles include Jerry Bains, Martha A. Carpenter, Julian R. Beckwith, Richard Rowland Lower, Paul D. Camp, David Milford Hume, and Jack B. Russell. The last five are participants in a Medical Society of Virginia conference on transplantation issues.

"Perspective: Experts Ponder the Transplant Issues" in the "Richmond Times-Dispatch. Names (and some photos) in articles include William Henry Muller, Rev. Reno S. Harp, Rabbi Saul J. Rubin, Howard M McCue, Richard Rowland Lower, and David Milford Hume.

"Perspective: Experts Ponder the Transplant Issues" in the "Richmond Times-Dispatch. Names and some photo) in articles include Howard McCue, Beverly Ordndorff, Sual J. Rubin, William Henry Muller, Julian R Beckwith, Richard Rowland Lower, Jack B. Russell, Reno S. Harp, Paul D. Camp, and David Milford Hume.

Includes the end of the conference as well as an article in which Owen H. Wangensteen discusses the tranplant field and scorns a proposal to establish a commission on the moral, legal and ethical aspects of modern medicine.

Includes clippings from "The Daily Progress" and the "Draw Sheet." Articles include one about transplantation and Owen Wangensteen and Stephen Wangensteen; Medical School lectures at Wincester; the new intern staff; and spring medical school lecture series. Bains, Carpenter and Horsley are mentioned.

Photo of Surgery Department including House Staff, 1967-68; names on sheet are Minor, Burnett, Rudolf, Callard, Muller, Zug, Morton, Mandel, Drash, Alrich, Horsley, Wangensteen, Bains, Sandusky, Smith, Hakinson, Wright, Maddew, Ramitscher, Kelly, Moore, Ludwig, Hutch, Allport, Jeans, Golden, Wray, Coyne, Ferguson, Milko, Pickles, Prioteau, Herbst, and Stecker. Articles from the "Draw Sheet" include information about James B. Littlefield, J. Shelton Horsley, Gardner W. Smith, William Bobo, William F. Burnett, George M. Callard, and Richard C. Zug.

Clippings from "The Daily Progress" and others. Includes articles about Leslie Rudolf speaking about emergency service and staff shortages, and the Veterans Administration Hospital in Salem. arm

Articles, at least one from "The Daily Progress," concerning the Salem VA Hospital; William Franklin Burnett; new residents including Edgar Allport and Creighton B. Wright; and John W. Kirklin.

Articles are about Denton Cooley who lectured at UVa.

One article is about Denton Cooley who lectured at UVa. Others about Muller, Sandusky, and the opening of a facial defects clinic established by Jerry Bains.

Articles from "The Daily Progress" are about E. Cato Drash and William Muller. A page from "Clinical Congress News" has an article about Muller.

Articles from "The Daily Progress" and other publications about Francis L. Brochu, UVa in Computer Kidney Exchange, Leslie E. Rudolf, Jerry Bains, Stephen Wangensteen, and Muller.

Surgery Department photo with House Staff, 1969-70. Names included are Drash, Morton, Wellons, Rawitsher, Muller, Wright, Wray, Sandusky, Nolan, Williams, Wangensteen, Horsley, Rudolf, Minor, Rawitzer, Botero, Segis, Allport, Strauch, Polito, Scruggs, Prioleaus, Starling. "The Daily Progress" article on a device to keep babies warm and Anthony Shaw.

Article from "The Daily Progress" about three retiring professors: Edwin W. Burton, E. Cato Drash and C. Bruce Morton; a sex change cliniic; and Milton T. Edgerton and face construction.

Notes and clippings on the baby warming device which Anthony Shaw helped develop; clippings from UVa Alumni News about Muller; "The Daily Progress" clippings about Wagensteen and Lefer's work on a protein fragment and shock.

"Shock: A Common Factor" in "Medical world News" with Allan Lefer and Stephen Wangensteen. also an article from "The Daily Progress" on a thermograph unit and Theodore E. Keats and J. Shelton Horsley.

Articles are from "The Cavalier Daily," "The Daily Progress" and unknown. Includes articles about J. Shelton Horsley, William H. Muller, and M.C. Wilhelm.

Articles are from "The Daily Progress" and probably UVa "Medical Alumni News Letter." Articles are about William H. Muller, E. Meredith Alrich, and Leslie Rudolf and health careers presentation.

Articles are about donating kidneys, Leslie Rudolf, and Fred Westervelt; and Shelton Horsley.

Drawing includes McKim Hall, the Lawn, Health Sciences Library, Jordan Hall, Primary Care Center, Replacement Hospital, several roads and the railroad.

Images from front and back covers and spine of disassembled notebook showing the progress of the construction of the 1989 UVa Hospital.

includes image of architect mode

also includes Old Medical School, overview of Medical Center complex

Includes demolition of Interns Building

Dr. Muller and others, tree 'topping' ceremony to mark the highest part of the building

Includes overview of Medical Center complex

Includes overview of Medical Center complex, University of Virginia, the lawn

Includes overview of Medical Center complex, University of Virginia grounds

Includes Medical Center complex

Includes articles about 1961 Hospital from UVa Med Alumni Newsletter, 1960-1961

Biographical / historical:

Dr. William H. Muller, Jr. was born in Dillon, South Carolina, on August 19, 1919, graduated from the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, earned his B.S. from The Citadel in 1940, and graduated from Duke University Medical School in 1943. Muller trained under Dr. Alfred Blalock at Johns Hopkins Hospital where he did his internship and residencies in general surgery and cardiovascular surgery. From April 1946 to August 1947 he was a captain stationed overseas with the U.S. Army. He was then in private practice in Dillon for a year before returning to John Hopkins Hospital for further training. He served as an Instructor in Surgery at the Johns Hopkins Medical School for one year prior to taking the position of Assistant Professor of Surgery in 1949 at UCLA and helping to establish a new medical school with Dr. William Longmire. He served for a period of time as Chief of General Surgery and developed a cardiothoracic surgical program in the Harbor General Hospital and the St. John's Hospital because the UCLA Hospital had not yet been completed.

He was recruited to come to Charlottesville as Chair of the Department of Surgery and the S. Hurt Watts Professor in 1954. At that time the department had five faculty members. He recruited new faculty whom he helped develop and created a nationally recognized Department of Surgery. He served as Chair until 1982. Dr. Muller became Vice President for Health Affairs in 1976 and held that position until 1987 when he became Special Assistant to the President of the University. He was critical to the creation in 1980 of the Health Services Foundation, an organization that increased the money available for faculty salaries and for running the School of Medicine. He was also a driving force behind the construction of the new University of Virginia Hospital which opened in 1989.

Dr. Muller was a pioneer in the field of heart surgery. When Dr. Blalock operated on the first 'blue baby', a child with a congenital defect known as the "tetralogy of Fallot," Dr. Muller was in the room. While in Los Angeles he developed the pulmonary artery banding procedure and was able to apply it to clinical cases. He shared the honor of being one of two surgeons who performed the earliest total aortic valve replacement in 1958 and designed his own Muller valve from Teflon.

In addition to his leadership in California, at the University of Virginia and in clinical medicine, Dr. Muller was involved in many national organizations. He was a founder of the Association for Academic Surgery. He was president of the Society of University Surgeons, the Society for Vascular Surgery, the Southern Surgical Association, and the American Surgical Association. He became a member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons in 1971, was made Chairman of the Board in 1976, and was President-elect in 1978. He served as President of the College in 1979-1980. Dr. Muller served as an active member of the Executive Committee from 1974 to 1987.

In 1968 a group of his former residents created the Muller Surgical Society in his honor. He was the recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Award from the University of Virginia in 1982 and the Walter Reed Distinguished Achievement Award from the UVa Medical Alumni Association in 1997.

Married to Hildwin Clare for over 50 years and the father of three children, Dr. Muller retired in 1990. He died in Irvington, Virginia, at the age of 92, on April 19, 2012.

Acquisition information:

The collection was donated to the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library by William H. Muller, Jr. in March 2009.

Arrangement:

Boxes one through four contain personal and professional correspondence arranged alphabetically by name. Also included are news clippings about Dr. Muller. Boxes five through nine contain correspondence and documents related to Dr. Muller's professional organizations and some of his lectures, again arranged alphabetically. The end of box 9 includes photos and miscellaneous clippings. Box 10 contains documents and photos related to the 1989 hospital planning and ground-breaking. Box 11 contains pages from Dr. Muller's scrapbook which covers 1967-1972 and also an architectural drawing of the Medical Center area. Box 12 is stored in the Historical Collections Vault and contains slides showing the progression of the construction process of the 1989 University of Virginia Hospital.

Physical description:

12 boxes, 5" x 10.5" x 15.5," 5' 5", 210 folders

Collection