Robert M. Hess, Jr. (1931-2019) was born in Findlay, Ohio, and graduated from Findlay High School. Hess received his bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University and his medical training at The Ohio State University College of Medicine graduating in 1957. After completing his surgical residency and service in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Hess returned to Ohio State to complete a fellowship in neurosurgery in 1967. With his mentor and professor William E. Hunt, MD Hess authored two well regarded books about the repair of aneurysms. In 1968 they introduced the "Hunt and Hess Classification of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage." This is a method for classifying intracranial aneurysms that is still taught and used to predict patient outcomes. He entered private practice but also served as an instructor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Ohio State.
William E. Hunt, MD (d. 1999), a Columbus native, graduated from the Culver Military Academy in Indiana, then attended The Ohio State University for his bachelor’s degree and medical training. After service in the U.S. Army and neurosurgery training in St. Louis, Missouri, Dr. Hunt returned to Ohio State in 1953 where he practiced for 36 years. His positions at Ohio State included director of the neurological surgery division and leader of the spinal cord injury research center. Additionally, Tolosa-Hunt Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder discovered in the 1950s and characterized by headaches and painful eye movements, was named for Dr. Hunt.
The Robert M. Hess, MD and William E. Hunt, MD Papers (0.25 linear feet) contain materials about Hess and Hunt’s work in the field of neurosurgery. There are articles and talks by neurosurgeon William E. Hunt, MD and articles that he co-authored with colleagues John Meagher, MD and Robert M. Hess, MD. There are two articles authored by Michael B. Pritz, MD and J. Lawrence Pool, MD about treating aneurysms. There is also incoming and outgoing correspondence for both Doctors Hess and Hunt. There are multiple drafts of the “Surgical Risks as Related to Time of Intervention in the Repair of Intra-cranial Aneurysms” by Hunt and Hess. This article was published in the Journal of Neurosurgery in 1968. While most materials relate to Dr. Hunt and Dr. Hess’ work together in the 1960s, there is some material dating from the 1990s that represents the later portion of their careers. Additionally, there are advertisements for Nimotop (also known as nimodipine), a drug used to treat patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms.
Materials in this collection have been arranged by author and format and filed in alphabetical order by folder title.
The collection is open to the public and is available for viewing in the Medical Heritage Center. Materials do not circulate and must be used in the supervised reading room. Restrictions, including copyright, may exist and some materials may be too fragile to photocopy or digitize. The MHC charges for duplication services, which must be performed by staff.
[Identification of item], Robert M. Hess, MD and William E. Hunt, MD Papers, SPEC.202319.HESSHUNT, Medical Heritage Center, Health Sciences Library, The Ohio State University.