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Show In Memoriam Ronald M. Burde (1938-2015) R onald M. Burde, MD, a previous Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology (JNO), passed away on February 23, 2015, after a long illness. Ron was a polymath, an astute observer and gifted clinician who significantly influenced his generation of colleagues and his many students in the way they evaluated and managed their patients. He was a neuro-ophthalmology pioneer who played an important role in many facets of ophthalmology, neurology and neurosurgery. Ron was the first neuro-ophthalmologist to describe autoimmune retrobulbar optic neuritis, anterior ischemic optic neuropathy of the young, and the use of high-dose intravenous corticosteroids in the treatment of optic nerve disease ("Burde Unit" = 1 g solu-medrol). Starting in 1970 and for 30 years, he mentored 36 fellows, including 27 clinical, 6 research, 3 special fellows ("neuro-orthoptists"), over 200 residents, and countless medical students. He authored or edited 12 books, over 200 scientific articles and presented over 150 named lectures nationally and internationally. In 1985, he coauthored "Clinical Decisions in NeuroOphthalmology" with Peter Savino, MD and Jonathan Levy and Slamovits: J Neuro-Ophthalmol 2015; 35: 333-334 Trobe, MD. It was the first time in neuro-ophthalmology that decision trees were used, going from symptoms and signs to diagnosis instead of the usual way from diagnosis to their symptoms and signs. This was followed by treatment recommendations. Jonathan Trobe remembers: "Thirty years ago, when Ron, Peter and I were working on the book, we would meet in New York, Philadelphia, or Ann Arbor to fight over who was right about the proper way to take care of patients. Ron would challenge us with references that Peter and I had never heard of. For example, he would ask, ‘Have you read the article in the June issue of the Japanese Journal of Ophthalmology about fourth nerve palsy?' Peter and I would shrug and Ron would produce the article. It was exactly what he had predicted. He had to get it right and he usually did. It was sobering and edifying to work with someone who was such a scholar." Born in New York in December of 1938, Ron grew up in Connecticut and attended the Mass Institute of Technology (MIT) where he, in his junior year, worked in the laboratory of J. Y. Lettvin, MD, PhD. "That laboratory group changed my life by providing a rich milieu in which I could begin intellectual growth. Sitting around this genius were the likes of Pitts and McCullough. People were exchanging ideas on life as well as science." After graduating from MIT, he attended medical school at Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia and met his second mentor, Albert Sedar, PhD, an electron microscopist. "Working for him in my second year, I second-authored (with him) 2 papers that still stand as classics." He married his high school sweetheart, Sharon Kaplan. Her father, an ophthalmologist, introduced him to the field. That set the stage. During his internship at Jefferson Medical College in 1964, he was honored as the "most outstanding intern." The legacy of Ron had started. In 1965, he entered the ophthalmology residency program at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis. Mort Smith, MD, was then Chief Resident. It was during his ophthalmology residency that he met and ultimately worked for his third mentor, Bernard Becker, MD, chair of the ophthalmology department. "He was my intellectual father. He encouraged us to be eclectic and independent in our scientific interests." After completing his residency, Ron remained at Washington University for two 1-year fellowships in neuro-ophthalmology with Andrew Gay, MD, and a second year in glaucoma with Dr. Becker. He finished his training by becoming Chief Resident in 1969. Dr. Becker convinced him to stay in St. Louis, taking over the neuroophthalmology service and over the next 18 years converted this into a busy practice seeing a wide variety of diseases 333 Copyright © North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. In Memoriam incorporating the specialties of ophthalmology, neurology, and neurosurgery. He attained the ranks of Professor in all 3 specialties at Washington University. In 1988, Ron moved to New York, becoming Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology at Montefiore Hospital and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. During his 12-year tenure, the Department underwent impressive expansion, both in research and clinical services. While teaching the science of ophthalmology, Ron always stressed the importance of being a caring and humane physician. "I tried to teach.a mixture of science and humanism. You have to have science, but if you don't feel something for the patient and make the patient feel better, you're just a good doctor, not a great physician." Ron and his wife retired to Sarasota, FL in 2000. They were frequently visited by numerous colleagues, students, and residents. He commented that the distinction of mentor, teacher, and student blurred over time to the point of becoming equal. Ron's contributions to Neuro-Ophthalmology were numerous, including becoming one of the early members of the Frank Walsh Society and helping to integrate it into the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. He was the second editor-in-chief of the JNO after J. Lawton Smith, MD, and an editorial board member of the American Journal of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, Survey of Ophthalmology, Journal of Clinical NeuroOphthalmology, and the Journal of Neurosurgery. He belonged to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Ophthalmological Society, American College of Surgeons, International Neuro-Ophthalmology Society, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, and was President of the Association of University Professors in Ophthalmology. He was a fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences, director of the American Board of Opthalmology, and elected as Chair of the Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program. 334 People who additionally influenced him in his career included David Cogan, MD, William Hoyt, MD, and Melvin Rubin, MD. His closest friends in neuroophthalmology included Joel Glaser, MD, Norman Schatz, MD, and Neil Miller MD. Dr. Miller, in reflecting Ron's influence stated, "All I can say is that he was a neuroophthalmic mother hen to all of us junior students and physicians. He was dedicated to keeping us informed of the latest information available and to showing us the wonders of the field." Ron leaves behind his wife of 55 years, Sharon; 3 sons, Howard, Bradley, and Jeffrey; and daughter-in-law, Evelyn, along with his 3 grandchildren, Ariel, Simone, and Jed. We were both fortunate to have trained with Ron as clinical fellows and would describe him as a unique individual, an extremely "rare bird." He was blessed with a native intelligence, an inquisitive mind, and an extremely large heart. During our fellowships, we remember him constantly telling patients, "I'm neither omnipotent nor omniscient, but merely a physician." But, in fact, he was without a doubt the brightest, most caring, and intuitive physician we ever knew. He certainly was a role model for many who went into medicine and took pride in hearing from his students, residents, fellows, and patients years later, all those he influenced. We will never forget our years of with him and how he touched so many lives! Marc H. Levy, MD Sarasota Retina Institute, Sarasota, Florida Thomas L. Slamovits, MD Departments of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York Levy and Slamovits: J Neuro-Ophthalmol 2015; 35: 333-334 Copyright © North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. |
