NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — On June 29, Dr. Mildred Stahlman died at the age of 101.
Dr. Stahlman was a professor of Pediatrics and Pathology, and Microbiology and Immunology, with a long list of professional successes.
She established the nation's first newborn intensive care unit at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, helped create the treatment of lung disease in premature infants, started Vanderbilt's Division of Neonatology, and trained generations of physician-scientists from around the world.
The Stahlman Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Vanderbilt University Hospital has been around for over 40 years. It was one of the first modern neonatal intensive care units in the world.
“Forever an aggressive advocate for the tiny babies she dedicated her life to saving, Dr. Stahlman set the standard for generations of neonatologists at Vanderbilt and throughout the world to follow," Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer for VUMC and Dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, said.
Dr. Stahlman's first major successes came earlier on, after she was admitted to Vanderbilt medical school in 1943 — one of only 4 women in her class of 50. She went on to do a fellowship in Stockholm, Sweden at Karolinska Institute where she studied pediatric cardiology. This is where she first found her love of caring for newborn infants.
In 1951, Dr. Stahlman was working as an instructor in pediatrics at Vanderbilt. In 1954, after receiving a grant from the National Institute of Health to study hyaline membrane disease, her and her team developed ways to diagnose and monitor the disease.
Around the same time, they also began experimenting with "irong-lung" machines for babies to ventilate them when they are premature. One of the babies, Martha Humphreys (Lott), was born at VUMC prematurely and placed in to a negative pressure breathing machine. Eventually she was able to breathe on her own.
Martha now works as a nurse in the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Meg Rush is President of Monroe Carrell Jr.'s Hospital at Vanderbilt and a Professor of Pediatrics — she is also a neonatologist who trained under Dr. Stahlman and served with her until retirement. She shared her reflections on Dr. Stahlman's life and legacy:
“It is hard to capture in a few sentences the profound influence Millie had for so many during her lifetime. She founded the field of neonatology, pioneering and permanently integrating the principles of science and bedside care for prematurely born babies. Her discoveries have been instrumental in shaping the field for the past 60-plus years. She never wanted accolades for her work, or her influence for countless women entering medicine, yet she changed lives through strong mentoring, her passion for curiosity, her wisdom freely offered to anyone around her, her generosity of time and philanthropy to enable others to find their paths, and perhaps most importantly, her presence with people she cared about. While never overly demonstrative, she cared about her circle deeply. For those of us who knew her, worked under or with her, and were the recipients of her many gifts, we offer gratitude for her amazing life and career."
Amidst their own grief and facing hatred these gentlemen worked to save lives. Forrest Sanders brings us a history lesson that's ripple effects are still evident across Nashville.
-Carrie Sharp
