A History of the Pathology Department
by Philip J. Daroca, Jr., M.D.
Original publication: January 18, 2005
John Duffy’s “The Tulane University Medical Center: One hundred and fifty years of Medical Education” (1984) notes that in 1834 the College of Louisiana had 66 students in the institution of higher learning. On September 29, 1834, the New Orleans Bee announced on its front page “the establishment in this city of a medical college” – the Medical College of Louisiana. The announcement was largely the work of Dr. Thomas Hunt assisted by Drs. John H. Harrison and Warren Stone – not one of the three was older than 26. Dr. Hunt recognized that “a close relationship with Charity Hospital could provide ample clinical facilities and subjects for dissection – essential to the medical school’s success”. The prospectus of the new Medical School was signed by seven physicians who were to serve as professors: Drs. Thomas Hunt, Professor of Anatomy and Physiology; John H. Harrison, Adjunct; Charles A. Luzenberg, Professor of Principles and Practice of Surgery; J. Monroe Mackie, Professor of Theory and Practice of Medicine; Thomas R. Ingalls, Professor of Chemistry and Pharmacy; Edwin B. Smith, Professor of Materia Medica and Augustus H. Cenas, Professor of Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and Children. Harrison succeeded Hunt when he resigned in 1836. By December 28, 1836 the student body had grown to 22. Professor John L. Riddell succeeded Dr. W. Byrd Powell as professor of chemistry in 1836. Professor Riddell was a noted microscopist who invented the binocular microscope and first demonstrated the instrument in New Orleans in 1852. By the end of 1843 the medical school was housed in a handsome structure at the corner of Common and Philippa Streets. In February 1847 the medical college became, by legislative act, the Department of Medicine of the University of Louisiana. The medical department was given free access to Charity Hospital at all times. In March 1849 Professor John Harrison died and Dr. Thomas Hunt replaced him. The Chair of Physiology was renamed “Department of Physiology and Pathological Anatomy” because of Dr. Hunt’s interest in the latter. In his inaugural lecture he claimed for the medical school the distinction of having “founded the first professorship of special pathological anatomy in the United States”. In 1858 Dr. T. G. Richardson was appointed as chair of Anatomy and Dr. Stanford E. Chaille was elected as one of the two demonstrators in anatomy.
During the 1850’s Charity Hospital averaged 12,000-15,000 admissions per year. By the close of the year 1860/61, the University of Louisiana Medical Department had awarded 133 degrees in medicine. The University of Louisiana Medical Department suffered greatly reduced enrollments and had only four remaining faculty during the Civil War years. An attempt to conduct the activities of the school on November 2, 1863 failed and the school remained closed for the remainder of the war years.
![]()
Dr. Stanford E. Chaille
|
![]() Charles W. Duval, M.D.
|
![]()
Dr. Granville Bennett |
![]()
Dr. Charles Dunlap
|
![]()
Dr. William Howard Sternberg
|
![]()
Dr. Richard Jay Reed
|
![]() ![]() |
Dr. Horton Anton Johnson
![]()
Dr. Emanuel Shapira
In 1981 David English Smith, M.D. who is, currently in Galveston, Texas and is a volunteer instructor at UTMB, joined the department as Professor of Pathology while also serving as an Associate Dean of the School of Medicine. In 1983 Bryce Owen Bliss, M.D., a former resident, joined the department as Professor of Pathology as did George Louis Leonard, M.D. as Associate Professor of Pathology. George L. Leonard, M.D. had a deep interest in the history of medicine and he chaired the arrangements committee for the meeting of the American Association for the History of Medicine (AAHM) in New Orleans, in 1982. Theodore William Koerner, Jr., M.D. also joined the department as Assistant Professor (Clinical Pathology). The academic year 1983-84 was the last to be chaired by Horton A. Johnson, M.D. |
![]()
Dr. Bryce Bliss
In 1984-85 the Acting Chairman of the Pathology Department was Bryce Owen Bliss, M.D. Under his tenure Steve Michael Covington, M.D., as Assistant Professor, and Waltraud Maria Watzinger, M.D. as Assistant Clinical Professor in Cytopathology became academic staff to the department. |
![]()
Dr. Michael A. Gerber
|

Dr. and Mrs. John R. Krause
With the passing of Dr. Gerber, John Krause, M.D. became Acting Chairman of the Department of Pathology and was appointed as Chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in 1999. Dr. Krause established the Molecular Pathology Laboratory at Tulane University Medical Center. During his tenure the following individuals joined the faculty of the department: Byron E. Crawford, M.D., Mary B. Beasley, M.D., Meena Bhattarcharjee, M.D., James Hyland, M.D.,Ph.D., Frank Bastian, M.D., Odile David, M.D., Jane Dry, M.D., Mahnaz Shahidi-Asl, M.D., Janet L. Schmid, M.D., and Alun Wang, M.D. Dr. Wang is the first appointee to the Richard J. Reed Professorship in Dermatopathology. Fellowships in Hematopathology, Dermatopathology, and Cytopathology have been valued additions to the department’s educational mission. That educational mission has recently achieved renewed recognition by an Owl Club award for best sophomore course in 2003-04 and by Dr. B. Crawford being chosen as recipient of the Teaching Scholar Award on May 13, 2004. The Department of Pathology meets its mission of resident education in its diversity including service, applied research, comprehensive interdepartmental clinico- pathologic conferences and Tumor Boards, and its basic research arms - including lung biology, molecular and cell biology, hepatopathology, gynecologic pathology and cytopathology, gastrointestinal pathology, neuromuscular pathology, hematopathology, and dermatopathology. While by comparison this department is relatively small for such diverse missions, it meets its missions through the dedication of its attendings, residents, technical staff and its supportive and capable administrative and clinical staff. Also instrumental in meeting the missions of the Department, are the former photographers, Raymond Johnson and Ellis Diaz, and the current photographer, Donald Olivares, whose efforts cannot go unrecognized.
I would like to thank Beatris DeLucca, Charlene Esteves and Corlis Trepagnier for their administrative assistance, patience, and attention to detail on this project. I would also like to thank Dr. Richard J. Reed and Dr. Wallace K. Tomlinson for their suggestions and critique of this work.
References:
1. Duffy, John: The Tulane University Medical Center. One hundred and fifty years of medical education. 1984, Louisiana State University Press. Baton Rouge and London.
2. Tulane University of Louisiana. Medical Department Bulletins. 1900-1910.
3. Tulane University of Louisiana. Medical School Bulletins. 1910-1995.
4. T-Wave 1982. Tulane University School of Medicine (yearbook).
CHAIRMAN
KRAUSE, John R, M.D., Professor of Pathology, Director of Laboratories: (Hematology, Molecular Diagnostics, Flow Cytometry)
VICE-CHAIRMAN
BRODY, Arnold R., Ph.D., Professor of Pathology, Chief of Lung Biology, Pulmonary Biology and Environmental Diseases
PROFESSORS
CLEJAN, Sanda, Ph.D., Professor of Pathology and Biochemistry, Head of Chemistry: Biochemistry and Membrane Pathology, Director: CORE Laboratories GCRC.
DHURANDHAR, Nina R., M.D., Professor of Pathology; Director of Anatomic Pathology, Head of Cytopathology: Surgical Pathology, Cytopathology, Fine Needle Aspiration and Gynecologic Pathology (GYN Biopsies)
FERMIN, Cesar D., Ph.D., Professor of Pathology, Head of Morphological Services: Electron Microscopy, Microphotography and Computerized Imaging
LEUNG, Wai-Choi, Ph.D., Professor of Pathology, Head of Molecular Pathology: Molecular Biology and Cytokines and Growth Factors
MELEG-SMITH, Suzanne, M.D., Professor of Pathology and Medicine, Head of Autopsy Services and Head of Renal Pathology: (Renal Biopsies)
REED, Richard J., M.D., Emeritus Professor of Pathology
RESEARCH PROFESSORS
BASTIAN, Frank, M.D., Research Professor of Pathology
ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS
CRAWFORD, Byron E., II, M.D., Associate Professor of Pathology and Director of SophomorePathology Course: Surgical Pathology
DAROCA, Philip J., Jr., M.D., Associate Professor of Pathology: Surgical Pathology
DASH, Srikanta Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pathology: Hepatitis Research and Testing
FLEMINGTON, Eric, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pathology; Co-director, Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program;
HAQUE, Salima, M.D., Associate Professor of Pathology: Surgical Pathology and Gastrointestinal Pathology (GI Biopsies)
MOROZ, Krzysztof, M.D., Associate Professor of Pathology, Co-Director Cytopathology Fellowship Program, Head of Image Analysis: Cytopathology and Fine Needle Aspiration (ER/PR Analysis)
MORRIS, Gilbert F., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pathology: Viral and Cellular Gene Regulation
SCHMID, Janet L., M.D., Associate Professor of Pathology: Clinical Pathology, Transfusion Medicine and Hematology
ASSISTANT PROFESSORS
DAVID, Odile, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pathology; Surgical Pathology; Cytology
DRY, Jane, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pathology; Surgical Pathology
SULLIVAN, Deborah, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Pathology;
WANG, Alun, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Pathology and Dermatology
INSTRUCTOR
Mahnaz Shahidi-Asl, M.D., Instructor Pathology, Hematopathology
Dept. of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112 504-988-5224 tulpath@tulane.edu