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History of the Lebanon Chapter of the American College of Surgeons
Part II - The first decade 1964-1974: Growth and Maturity.
Reported by Fuad S. Haddad, MD, FACS.
After its foundation, on November 24, 1963, by a handful of local
Surgeons, the Lebanon Chapter received its Charter from the Mother
College on August 4, 1964. The Chapter was born and its first
President Dr. Farid Haddad. Dr. Alfred Diab, followed him in this
chair in 1967. Dr. Sulayman Abul Husn came after him and Dr. Alexander
Kouyoumjian succeeded to the latter. The first Secretary-Treasurer
was Dr. Saad El-Issa (1963-68) followed by Dr. Najdat Pasha (1968-70),
Dr. Samir Shehaded (1970-72), and Dr. Khalil Nahra (1972-74).
Dr. Yervant Jidejian was the first Governor and held this
position for three consecutive terms of three years each. In 1975, Dr.
Alfred Diab followed him in this position, but his demise, 2 years
later, sadly interrupted his tenure. Dr. Fuad S. Haddad succeeded to him
in the vacant post.
From the original 12, the membership gradually increased to 27 in
1964, 32 in 1965, and 41 in 1967, reaching the number of 49 members in
1970.
The chapter held several scientific meetings a year. Some were held at
the Alumni Club, others at different hospitals in town, namely, the AUB,
the Rizk Hospital, Saint-Charles Hospital and the Orient Hospital.
Speakers were mostly from the local membership but occasionally foreign
guests like Alan Hunt and Donald Ross were invited.
The highlights of our activities were the Congresses, all of
which were held at he Phoenicia Hotel, towards the end of February. They
were all held under the auspices of the incumbent President of the
Republic. The first was held in 1965 in association with the Chicago
Chapter, and was a brilliant success with a total attendance of 153
doctors. The Second was held a year later in association with the
Massachussets Chapter. At the last minute a number of cancellations
occurred and it was impossible to replace those invaluable speakers. At
the third Congress, in 1968, world famous surgeons like Judet, Dargent,
Cole, Kiesewetter, and others were invited. The foreign speakers at the
Fourth Congress, in 1970, were not less famous, Robert Zollinger, Denton
Cooley, Christian Bernard, Murray Falconer and others. It was another
great success. It gathered a record number of attendees, 632 physicians.
The fifth and sixth Congresses were held respectively n 1972 and 1974
and were as successful as the preceding ones.
Early in the life of our Chapter a Committee on Applicants was
appointed. Its task was to review the applications sent to the College
and to send its recommendations back. Dr. Philip Antypas chaired it, and
its members were Drs. Soubhi Barmada, Alexander Kouyoumjian and Fuad
S.Haddad.
A regional Committee on Trauma was also founded in 1968, headed by Dr.
Walid Mneimneh. It was the first such committee formed within a Chapter
outside the United States.
The finances came from the yearly membership dues, which were L.L.
50.00 per fellow per year, from donations, from governmental grants and
from revenues from the Congresses. At the end of 1965, the balance in
bank was LL 9209.55. In 1971 it had reached LL. 14894.40.
Officers of the Lebanon Chapter at the First Surgical Congress,
Beirut, Phoenicia Hotel, February 15, 1965.
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