By Hochberg H.C.R. No. 41 76R4163 MDM-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Dr. Michael E. DeBakey has consistently focused 1-2 worldwide attention on the State of Texas--and in particular on 1-3 Baylor College of Medicine, The Methodist Hospital, and the Texas 1-4 Medical Center in Houston--through his achievements as a premier 1-5 surgeon, a gifted and dedicated teacher, a medical inventor, and an 1-6 international medical statesman; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Thousands of lives have been saved by this 1-8 trailblazing physician through the surgeries he has performed and 1-9 the knowledge he has shared with medical students and physicians, 1-10 as well as by his innovative surgical techniques and his invention 1-11 of more than 50 surgical instruments; and 1-12 WHEREAS, A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he was 1-13 born on September 7, 1908, Dr. DeBakey was a 23-year-old medical 1-14 student at the Tulane University School of Medicine when he 1-15 invented the roller pump, which later became an essential component 1-16 of the heart-lung machine, a device that made open-heart surgery 1-17 possible; and 1-18 WHEREAS, He volunteered for military service during World War 1-19 II and was stationed in Europe, achieving the rank of colonel in 1-20 the surgeon general's office; his recommendations were instrumental 1-21 in the development of mobile army surgical hospitals, or MASH 1-22 units; for his wartime contributions Dr. DeBakey was awarded the 1-23 Legion of Merit; and 1-24 WHEREAS, After completing his military service, this 2-1 remarkable humanitarian recommended the creation of specialized 2-2 medical centers throughout the United States to treat wounded 2-3 military personnel, and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center System 2-4 was developed; in addition, as a member of the Hoover Commission 2-5 and its task force on medical services, he initiated efforts that 2-6 led to the creation of the National Library of Medicine; and 2-7 WHEREAS, Already a noted physician, Dr. DeBakey came to Texas 2-8 in 1948 to serve as chairman of surgery at Baylor College of 2-9 Medicine in Houston; during the 1950s, he developed many of the 2-10 surgical procedures that are common today; and 2-11 WHEREAS, Using Dacron and his wife's sewing machine, Dr. 2-12 DeBakey made grafts and used them to repair aneurysms of the aorta; 2-13 he also performed the first operation to remove deposits from the 2-14 carotid artery in the neck, marking the first time that surgery 2-15 could be used to treat strokes; and 2-16 WHEREAS, In 1998, Dr. Michael E. DeBakey celebrated his 90th 2-17 birthday and his 50th year at Baylor College of Medicine and in 2-18 Texas; and 2-19 WHEREAS, Dr. Michael E. DeBakey has devoted his life to 2-20 sharing his knowledge, wisdom, and expertise to benefit humanity, 2-21 and in doing so he has saved thousands of lives and enhanced the 2-22 community, the state, and the world he lives in; now, therefore, be 2-23 it 2-24 RESOLVED, That it is indeed a privilege for the 76th 2-25 Legislature of the State of Texas to welcome Dr. Michael E. DeBakey 2-26 to the State Capitol on January 25, 1999; and, be it further 2-27 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas pay 3-1 tribute to this esteemed gentleman for his distinguished medical 3-2 career and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success 3-3 and happiness in the years to come; and, be it further 3-4 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-5 prepared for Dr. DeBakey as an expression of high regard by the 3-6 Texas House of Representatives and Senate.