2003/04/01 by Stefan Timmermans · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Medicine · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · #Medical History and Innovations #History of Medical Practice #Occupational and Professional Licensing Regulation #Dilemma #Technician #Race (biology) #Sociology #Subordination (linguistics) #Heart defect #Law #Medicine #Political science #Epistemology #Philosophy #Gender studies #Heart disease #Pathology
paper · doi:10.1177/03063127030332014
openalex publication_date 2003/04/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
In this paper, I discuss the many contributions of a versatile black technician, Vivien Thomas, to surgical animal research between 1930 and 1979 at Vanderbilt University and Johns Hopkins University. Thomas' experimental work led to a surgical solution for a life-threatening heart defect, called tetralogy of Fallot. Children with this condition lack sufficient oxygenation and were referred to as 'blue babies'. Following Thomas' research trajectory and his relationship with surgeon Dr Alfred Blalock, I review the conditions under which differing expectations towards race and occupation clashed, creating a status dilemma for Thomas. While the torsion originated in the laboratory where technical skills are valued, the research locale also facilitated a temporary, fragile solution for the status dilemma, because it separated Thomas from public view. Yet, Thomas' dexterity as a laboratory researcher enhanced his dilemma, because credit kept eluding him. In order to track the dynamics of race and occupational subordination as lived experience in the laboratory, I argue for an analysis of the process of crediting people for their scientific accomplishments.