Title:

Oral history interview of Michael DeBakey talking about China by Donald A. Schanche

Creator:

DeBakey, Michael E. (Michael Ellis), 1908-2008

Contributor:

Schanche, Donald A. (Interviewer)

Date:

[1972]

Description:

During 1972-1973, journalist Donald A. Schanche (1926-1994) conducted a series of interviews with DeBakey as part of his research for a planned biography. Schanche worked on the project for several years, but the book was never completed. Several letters in the NLM DeBakey Papers indicate that Schanche, though a talented, experienced writer and editor, had difficulty drafting DeBakey's life story because of the sheer number and variety of DeBakey's interests and achievements. In 1976, Schanche joined the Foreign Division of the Los Angeles Times, and moved to Cairo. It appears that neither he nor DeBakey were able to follow up with the biography.. This interview focused on DeBakey's first trip to the Peoples Republic of China in February and March of 1973. Topics covered in this interview include: DeBakey's observations on everyday life in Maoist China; briefings from the Ministry of Health; China's "barefoot doctors"; giving a lecture; observing surgery at a hospital; traveling by train; China's health care system; members of the China-America Relations Society; earlier invitations to visit China; acupuncture anesthesia; visit to pharmaceutical factory; herbal pharmacies; compassionate treatment of hospital patients.

Location:

Box: 2. Folder: 24

Rights:

Reproduced with permission of Anne Schanche Ferro.

Genre:

Oral histories (document genres)
Interviews
Transcripts

Subject:

China

Format:

Text

Extent:

80 pages

Language:

English

Legacy ID:

FJBBTY

NLM ID:

101743405X325

Profiles Collection:

The Michael E. DeBakey Papers

Shareable Link:

https://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/101743405X325

Story Section:

Biographical Information