David Clayson endows chair in neurology, scholarship in psychology

By Gila Reckess

Alumnus David Clayson, Ph.D., has established a professorship in the Department of Neurology and a scholarship for graduate studies in the Department of Psychology at the University. Both will bear his name.

The announcement was made by Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton and William A. Peck, M.D., executive vice chancellor for medical affairs and dean of the School of Medicine.

"We are honored that Dr. Clayson's name will be associated with Washington University in perpetuity," Wrighton said. "His generous contributions to both the Department of Psychology and the Department of Neurology demonstrate his lifelong commitment to our University."

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Nitrous oxide reduces children's pain, anxiety during suturing

By Anne Enright Shepherd

To young children and their parents, a trip to the emergency room for stitches can mean not only the pain of an injury but also anxiety about the procedure.

In a new study, School of Medicine researchers determined that nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is more effective in sedating young children during facial suturing than the more traditional use of an oral pain medication. The study, which appears in a recent issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine, examined 204 children ages 2 to 6. Lacerations requiring sutures contribute to as many as half of emergency department visits by injured children.

"The nitrous oxide worked very well at reducing anxiety in the age group we studied," said Jan D. Luhmann, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics. "Prior to this study, nitrous oxide had not been commonly used in pediatric emergency units. We knew of its widespread and successful use by dentists in the outpatient setting, so we postulated that it would work well in our setting, too."

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Gelberman elected president of American Academy of Orthopaeddic Surgery

By Jim Dryden

The head of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery was elected the new president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, the largest medical organization of its type in the world.

Richard H. Gelberman, M.D., the Fred C. Reynolds Professor and head of orthopaedic surgery, became president of the 25,500-member academy March 2 at its 68th annual meeting in San Francisco.

He has been a member of the academy since 1981 and has served on more than a dozen of its committees and task forces. Most recently, he had been one of the organization's vice presidents.

As president, he plans to initiate a new program designed to improve musculoskeletal care for the public through better education for doctors.

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Checking up on health At a recent health fair for the local Chinese community, first-year medical student Peggy Chern takes blood from Hsueh Shih for a cholesterol check. The Asian-Pacific American Student Association (APAMSA) sponsors the annual fair, held this year at the Chinese Baptist Church in Maryland Heights. APAMSA also sponsors an annual health fair for the Vietnamese community.