University of Maryland School of Medicine - Terrae Mariae Medicus (Baltimore, MD)

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In Memoriam It ft. A 4 m JACOB E. FINESINCER, A.B., M.A., M.D. Jacob Ellis Finesinger. professor of psychiatry, chairman of the department, and director of the Psychiatric Institute since 1950, died in University Hospital on June 19, 1959 at the age of 56, after an illness of more than a year. He played a vital role in the placement of psychiatry in medical education through his stimulating classes at the school, and through the numerous channels in communication he explored during his lifetime, including movie making, writing, editing, and public speak- ing. Most recently, he was appointed editor- in-chief of the ]o ir hil of Nervous and iWoital Disease. He wrote over 100 scien- tific papers. Among numerous other accom- plishments, Dr. Finesinger served as con- sultant in psychiatry to the United States Government. Receiving his early training at Johns Hopkins, he continued at Harvard; then he studied psychoanalysis in Vienna in the Freudian school, and worked in Russia with Pavlov. At Maryland, he devoted himself to teach- ing. His mastery of interview technique and short term psychotherapy was undisputed. Students from as far as Europe and South America came to study his methods. As medical students, we shall never for- get the greatness of this man whose principle it was to expose the student to a wide area of human behavior by interviewing patients and demonstrating interpersonal rehuionships. Dr. Finesinger was understanding and com- passionate with his patients, and in class stirred much thought by his presentation of mental functions in a Socratic method. Kindly in appearance, and simply dressed, he not only made us aware of the subtleties in the doctor-patient relationship, but of those often unspoken ami important inter- actions which exist whene er two people are together. 12

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came deeply interested in the newly-defined specialty of Gynecology and soon developed considerable proficiency in this field. In 1905 he was appointed Associate Professor of Gynecology at the Baltimore Medical Col- lege. From 1909 to 1915, he served in the same capacity at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Baltimore. In 1915 Dr. Novak was appointed Assistant Professor of Gynecology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He held this position until his retirement some thirty-five years later. His close application and thirst for knowledge soon established his reputation as a teacher of Gynecology and particularly of Gynecologic Pathology. During his lifetime, Dr. Novak published over three hundred original articles in the field of Gynecology and wrote four text- books, among them, Gynecologic and Obste- Emil Novak, M.D. (1894—1957) Assistant Professor of Gynecology JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY trical Pathology, and A Textbook of Gyne- cology. The latter is used as a standard text by many medical schools throughout the country. Dr. Novak was awarded innumerable honors by many colleges and universities. Trinity College and the University of Dublin in Ireland honored him with Doctor of Science degreees. Tulane University be- stowed upon him a similar honor. He was made an honorary member of many obste- trical and gynecologic societies, notably the American College of Surgeons, the American Gynecologic Association, and the American Association of Abdominal Surgeons, Gyne- cologist and Obstetricians. He was a member of the editorial boards of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Can- cer, the American Journal of Surgery, and numerous other publications. In 1953, the University of Maryland confer red upon him its Alumni Honor Award and Gold Key. This same year, he was elected President of the Obstetric and Gynecological Society. Dr. Novak died in 1957, leaving behind him a life full of contributions to Medicine and Medical Education. One cannot fail to appreciate the achieve- ments of the men just described. They are representative of the ultimate goal of medical education — physicians and teachers of the healing art. Without them, the body of Medicine would atrophy. Because of them, there is growth and progress. 11

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