Question and Answers on Vivien Thomas
1. Did Vivien lose all his money when the banks crashed?
Yes, Vivien lose all the money he worked for “The Peoples Bank, the bank in which [he] had [his] savings, closed its doors” (Thomas, 43). He worked very hard for his money and saved most of it in his bank. When they closed he felt anger, resentment, and disbelief.
2. Did Vivien look over Dr. Alfred Shoulder when they did heart surgery?
Yes, Dr. Blalock need Vivien’s assistance and told him “stand where [he] could see” (Thomas, 92). Vivien choose to stand “on a step stool placed so that [he] could look over [Dr. Blalock] right shoulder” (Thomas, 92).
3. What happen to Eileen Saxon?
Eileen was saved by the heart surgery. She was breathing normal and “her complexion, no longer ashen blue” (Thomas, 96). After a long and slow recovery ”almost two months she was released from the hospital” (Thomas, 96).
4. Did Vivien Brother really sue a school system? Who was his lawyer?
Yes, Vivien’s brother felt he was being treated unfairly so he “filed suit on his own behalf and on the behalf of others, challenging the Board of Education of Nashville, Tennessee” (Thomas, 45). He was represented by “Thurgood Marshall” (Thomas, 45) when he went to trail. He won the case and later on stop teaching.
5. Was the heart surgery Vivien and Dr. Alfred the first heart surgery in the world?
No, they were the first to perfect heart surgery but not to attempt it “Dr. Arthur Vineberg had devised a method” (Thomas, 196) for the procedure. Dr. Vineberg tested his method but “its effectiveness was controversial” (Thomas, 196).
6. Was Vivien made into a Doctor?
Yes, Vivien eventually became a doctor “the University of Maryland did consider and unanimously recommended [him] for the awarding of an honorary Doctor of Science degree” (Thomas, 228).
7. Did Vivien sell antacid when he left John Hopkins?
Yes, at first he tried to become a salesman but no one would accept him. Eventually he was accepted as a detail man. He sold
Yes, Vivien lose all the money he worked for “The Peoples Bank, the bank in which [he] had [his] savings, closed its doors” (Thomas, 43). He worked very hard for his money and saved most of it in his bank. When they closed he felt anger, resentment, and disbelief.
2. Did Vivien look over Dr. Alfred Shoulder when they did heart surgery?
Yes, Dr. Blalock need Vivien’s assistance and told him “stand where [he] could see” (Thomas, 92). Vivien choose to stand “on a step stool placed so that [he] could look over [Dr. Blalock] right shoulder” (Thomas, 92).
3. What happen to Eileen Saxon?
Eileen was saved by the heart surgery. She was breathing normal and “her complexion, no longer ashen blue” (Thomas, 96). After a long and slow recovery ”almost two months she was released from the hospital” (Thomas, 96).
4. Did Vivien Brother really sue a school system? Who was his lawyer?
Yes, Vivien’s brother felt he was being treated unfairly so he “filed suit on his own behalf and on the behalf of others, challenging the Board of Education of Nashville, Tennessee” (Thomas, 45). He was represented by “Thurgood Marshall” (Thomas, 45) when he went to trail. He won the case and later on stop teaching.
5. Was the heart surgery Vivien and Dr. Alfred the first heart surgery in the world?
No, they were the first to perfect heart surgery but not to attempt it “Dr. Arthur Vineberg had devised a method” (Thomas, 196) for the procedure. Dr. Vineberg tested his method but “its effectiveness was controversial” (Thomas, 196).
6. Was Vivien made into a Doctor?
Yes, Vivien eventually became a doctor “the University of Maryland did consider and unanimously recommended [him] for the awarding of an honorary Doctor of Science degree” (Thomas, 228).
7. Did Vivien sell antacid when he left John Hopkins?
Yes, at first he tried to become a salesman but no one would accept him. Eventually he was accepted as a detail man. He sold
Cited: Thomas, Vivien T. Partners of the Heart: Vivien Thomas and His Work with Alfred Blalock: An Autobiography. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 1985. Print.