Since 1940 there have been three chairmen — Dr. Bradley Patten, Dr. Russell Woodburne, and Dr. J.A. Rhodin.
To meet the needs of the rapid expansion of the entire Medical School, the departmental faculty grew from 10 to 20 members under Dr. Patten and has increased further to a present total of 31. In addition to coverage of the conventional fields of developmental, microscopical, neural, and gross anatomy, it has been necessary to provide faculty coverage for newly emerging specialized fields. These include organ culture, histochemistry, electron miscroscopy, endocrinology, radioautography, immunochemistry, electromyography, tissue regeneration, reproductive biology, and teratology.
The most outstanding research contribution of the department during the past thirty years has been the investigation of human and comparative neuroanatomy by Dr. Crosby and her many students and associates. Her laboratory of comparative neurology has been recognized as one of the world's leading centers for neuroanatomical research. Since retirement in 1959, Dr. Crosby continues to be active in research as consultant in neurosurgery at Michigan and consultant in anatomy at the University of Alabama. The department houses Dr. Crosby's collection of comparative anatomical preparations — one of the world's largest.
The research of Dr. Patten in the field of embryology has led to the accumulation of an extensive collection of over 1,000 human fetuses demonstrating congenital defects, particularly those of the heart and the nervous system.
In 1948 Dr. Wayne Whittaker and Dr. Burton Baker first demonstrated that adrenal cortical steroids can effect tissue structures by direct action on local areas of the body. The direct application of cortical steroids is now commonly used for the control of inflammation in dermatology, ophthalmology, and otology.
In 1957 Dr. Robert Hunter, collaborating with Dr. Clement Marquart of the Department of Zoology, developed a method for identifying enzymes, which is now widely used in general biological research, particularly in the matter of genetic control of enzyme synthesis.
In 1962 Dr. Maynard Dewey and Dr. Lloyd Barr of physiology, demonstrated by electronmycroscopy, the "nexus," a connection between smooth and cardiac muscle cells which provides for electrical cell-to-cell communication. Since 1962 Dr. Donald Huelke of Anatomy and Dr. Paul Gikas of Pathology have made an intensive study of fatal automobile accidents, which has led to many improvements in car design and modifications of highway construction.
The department has continued to maintain its position of leadership in American anatomy. Sixty-three graduate students have been awarded Ph.D. degrees since 1940, and many others have earned doctoral degrees in medicine and dentistry.
The University of Michigan, an Encyclopedic Survey Supplement, Page 192.
