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Ernest Stanley Crawford Pioneering Doctor

 

 

 

     Ernest Stanley Crawford, M.D. was a pioneer, surgeon, teacher, and medical statesman. He was born May 12, 1922 in Evergreen. He worked at Conecuh Drug Co. as a youngster and graduated from Evergreen High School in 1940. His undergraduate degree was received from University of Alabama (1943), his Medical Degree from Harvard Medical School (1946) and he completed his surgical training at Massachusetts General Hospital(1954).

     An intense interest in the newly developing fields of open heart surgery and replacement of major blood vessels drew Dr. Crawford to Houston, Texas, where he worked for the next 37 years at Baylor College of Medicine, becoming full Professor Surgery in July 1966. A master surgeon with tireless devotion to the education of young surgeons and to the betterment of mankind, Dr. Crawford became internationally renowned for surgical techniques he developed for the treatment of aneurismal disease of aorta. He became a member of every international vascular society, lectured in many countries, and his textbook, Diseases of the Aorta became a reference source in vascular surgery. Dr. Crawford profoundly influenced the field of surgery and lives throughout the world.

     A marker honoring Dr. Crawford was placed in downtown Evergreen on May 16, 1992 and he was present here for this day honoring him. Dr. Stanley Crawford died several years ago in Texas.

 

Source: Heritage of Conecuh County, pp. 44, submitted to the "Heitage of Conecuh County" book by Earsie Delchamps

 

 

     Dr. Ernest Stanley Crawford graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Alabama in 1943 and Alpha Omega Alpha from Harvard Medical School in 1946. He started an internship at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, New Hampshire from 1947 to 1949. He completed his surgical residency as chief resident at Massachusetts General Hospital. Under the guidance of his mentor, Dr. Edward Churchill, Dr. Crawford decided to join Dr. Michael E. DeBakey at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston where he spent the next thirty-eight years. He served as a professor in surgery from July 1966 until his death in 1992.

     Dr. Crawford became internationally know for his innovative surgical techniques in the treatment of complex aortic diseases particularly Marfan syndrome and aortic dissection. He authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters and co-authored a textbook, Disease of the Aorta, with his son Dr. John Lloyd Crawford II.

     Dr. Crawford was co-inventor of the Baylor Rapid Autologous Transfusion System. This machine recycles a patient’s washed red blood cells during surgery. This reduces the amount of blood and blood products needed during complex aortic aneurysm and other arterial surgeries.

     Dr. Crawford was a true pioneer in medicine. The innovations he made in surgery and research are used to train future generations of surgeons and treat patients today. His legacy will always live on.

 

Source: Michael E. Debakey Department of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine - Legacy of Leadership webpage: http://www.debakeydepartmentofsurgery.org/home/content.cfm?content_id=289

 

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