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DONALD BARCLAY SLOCUM, M.D. 1911-1983
B. S.
J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1985;67:825.
This information is current as of March 14, 2011
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. aware of the difficulties that prosthetic specialists had with the design and
l;t?:;:1.i::.-l.’ : -
fitting of artificial limbs. Working with Djon Mili, he filmed sequences
. :,itIi:;c!#{149} .. . . . .I
that showed natural human gait and gait with artificial limbs. The stop-
:::;i.lf ‘ . action sequence pictures documented hip. knee. ankle. and
foot angles for
.j.;!’-t . . - evens fraction of the human pace. The work became Slocum’s
aof part
. Atla.s o/ Amputations. a respected onth(ipaedic textbook of its time.
. A lieutenant colonel at the wan’s end. Dr. Slocum left military service
in 1946 and returned to Eugene. Oregon. to set up a specialty orthopaedic
... :.‘-.
practice. He became interested in repairing knees that
so maximum activity
i
could be pursued. whether by a professional athlete attempting continue
to
in competitive sports on an injured millwonken wanting to lead a normally
productive life. In 1962 Dr. Slocuni developed the pes anseninus transplant
to realign the muscles and tendons fir injured ligaments order
in to prevent
rotatory instability.
. Although his earlier work had centered on injuries the
to shoulder.
arm. and hand. Dr. Slocum’s surgical labors began center
to on the knee.
He collaborated with Bill Bowerman. the nationally recognized track coach
at the University (if Oregon. in producing a study. ‘ Biomechanics of
Running’ . that had great impact on the coaching (iftrack-and-tield athletes.
Concurrently . his growing prominence in athletic medicine slowly changed
the nature (if his clientele and his work. Dr. Slocum became the master
. (if gait and kinesiology. and gave annual symposia on the bioniechanics
of running. He lectured. wrote innumerable articles for medical journals.
and traveled all over the world sharing knowledge of the knee. He chained
many committees; served as Chiefif Orthopedic
( Surgery at Sacred Heart
. - Hospital in Eugene. Oregon. and ProfessorofOrthopedics atthe University
. . . (if Oregon Medical School. Portland: was
and a member of the American
.,, College ofSurgeons. State Advison- Committee. In 1975 he was named
. . .. . . Mn. Sports Medicine’ ‘ by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports
. . Medicine.
While fame and success were constantly at his do.instep. E)r. Slocum
: never lost his genuine love and contact
of with people. The Register Guard
noted. in describing Dr. Slocum. that he approached ‘ ‘the whole business
of the knee and its intricacies with a healthy measure scholarly
tif curiosity,
a bit of respect for the Original Designer. and enough self-effacing t(i wit
DONALD BARCLAY SLOCUM, M.D.
keep his considerable technical accomplishments in perspective”.
1911-1983
Not all of Dr. Slocum’s contributions were related surgery
to . how-
ever. He was well aware of social problems. and was always looking for
On Jul 3, 1983. the world lost one of its greatest master innovators.
ways to improve the human condition. In 1947. he was instrumental in
surgeons. and teachers - Donald Barclay Slocum. Recognized by ortho-
establishing the Easter Seal School and Treatment Center in Eugene. For
paedtsts and sports-medicine specialists as a giant in his tield. Dr. Slocum
years he sponsored scholarships for students in sports at the University of
made innumerable contributions to his associates, as well as the multitude
to
Oregon and served on the Board of the Universityof Oregon Development
(if patients under his surgical care. Guided by a strong desire to learn and
Fund. An avid historian. he lectured on subjects relating to the pioneers.
contribute, Dr. Slocum changed the direction of orthopaedic surgery and
the growth of the colonies. and the courage of our forebears.
made an incredible difference to the world at large.
Dr. Slocums desire for learning was unquenchable. Even on his
Donald Barclay Slocum was born in Portland. Oregon. on April 1 1.
deathbed, ill with leukemia. he read computer books and magazines. trying
191 1. He was awarded a Bachelor’s degreefrom Stanfi.ird University. a
to conipnehend another world. Dr. Stan James described the essence
of
Docton of Medicine from the University of Oregon Medical School in
Donald Slocum’s thirst for knowledge: ‘ ‘If Don was set down in the niiddle
1935. and a Masters degree from the University of Tennessee in 1939.
of the Sahara Desert, he would have learned all that there was to learn
He did postgraduate work in orthopaedic surgery at the University Iowa
of
about each grain of sand there.
‘
and was a fellow in orthopaedic surgery at the Willis C. Campbell Clinic.
Dr. Donald Slocum was deeply respected by people in all fields
Memphis. Tennessee.
throughout the world. He will be sorely missed. not only for his genius
Dr. Slocum entered the military in 1941 as a first lieutenant. His
and creativity. but also for his compassion and understanding. which
servtce included Chief of Orthopedics. Letterman and Torney Hospitals.
touched all (if us.
Palm Springs. California. and Chief of the Amputation Section. Walter
Reed Hospital. Washington. 1).C. During his military service. he became B. S.
VOL. 67-A. NO. 5. JUNE 1985 825
