Edward Jackson, Ophthalmologic surgeon, author and organizer.
Although Dr. Jackson graduated in engineering from Union College (Schenectady, New York) in 1874, it was from reading medical articles during his recovery from diphtheria that prompted his interest in medicine. He received his M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1878 and practiced privately for six years in West Chester before moving to Philadelphia. In 1890 he was appointed Surgeon in the Willis Eye Hospital -- the youngest to have been appointed at the time. Unfortunately, his wife, Jennie (Price) Jackson, developed tuberculosis and in 1894 the family moved to Denver as therapy. She died in 1896 and the family returned to Philadelphia. However he longed for the benefits of high altitude living and accepted an appointment to the position of Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado in 1898. He was convinced that scientific advancement could be made only by the exchange of knowledge with colleagues and so he became actively involved in meetings and presentations in many states -- including a memorable meeting that was being held on April 19, 1906, in San Francisco. He later recounted that "to escape the immediate effects of the earthquake I hid beneath a bed to avoid a falling ceiling and then escaped across the bay to Oakland." He chaired many sections of organizations but his lasting contributions were the establishment of the American Ophthalmological Society in 1912 and the creation of the American Board of Ophthalmology in 1916 -- the first such independent Board to administer tests certifying professional excellence in medicine. He became the first president of the Society and in 1944 the Society established the Edward Jackson Memorial Lecture, a prestigious honor that continues to this day (2019). His report on school room lighting ("Daylight in the Classroom", School Life (Dept of the Interior, Bureau of Education), Washington DC, May 1, 1921, vol VI #9) became the basis for installing double high windows in classrooms throughout the country. Almost all schools built in the 1920s and 1930s had such windows but even Dr. Jackson felt that better lighting would come with the perfection of direct on-the-ceiling fixtures. These were perfected later with the development of efficient fluorescent lamps. His scientific publications, including book chapters and lectures, eventually numbered over 700 and he was in demand as a featured speaker for national and regional meetings on eye surgery long past his official retirement in 1921.
Although Dr. Jackson graduated in engineering from Union College (Schenectady, New York) in 1874, it was from reading medical articles during his recovery from diphtheria that prompted his interest in medicine. He received his M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1878 and practiced privately for six years in West Chester before moving to Philadelphia. In 1890 he was appointed Surgeon in the Willis Eye Hospital -- the youngest to have been appointed at the time. Unfortunately, his wife, Jennie (Price) Jackson, developed tuberculosis and in 1894 the family moved to Denver as therapy. She died in 1896 and the family returned to Philadelphia. However he longed for the benefits of high altitude living and accepted an appointment to the position of Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado in 1898. He was convinced that scientific advancement could be made only by the exchange of knowledge with colleagues and so he became actively involved in meetings and presentations in many states -- including a memorable meeting that was being held on April 19, 1906, in San Francisco. He later recounted that "to escape the immediate effects of the earthquake I hid beneath a bed to avoid a falling ceiling and then escaped across the bay to Oakland." He chaired many sections of organizations but his lasting contributions were the establishment of the American Ophthalmological Society in 1912 and the creation of the American Board of Ophthalmology in 1916 -- the first such independent Board to administer tests certifying professional excellence in medicine. He became the first president of the Society and in 1944 the Society established the Edward Jackson Memorial Lecture, a prestigious honor that continues to this day (2019). His report on school room lighting ("Daylight in the Classroom", School Life (Dept of the Interior, Bureau of Education), Washington DC, May 1, 1921, vol VI #9) became the basis for installing double high windows in classrooms throughout the country. Almost all schools built in the 1920s and 1930s had such windows but even Dr. Jackson felt that better lighting would come with the perfection of direct on-the-ceiling fixtures. These were perfected later with the development of efficient fluorescent lamps. His scientific publications, including book chapters and lectures, eventually numbered over 700 and he was in demand as a featured speaker for national and regional meetings on eye surgery long past his official retirement in 1921.
Edward Jackson, Ophthalmologic surgeon, author and organizer.
Although Dr. Jackson graduated in engineering from Union College (Schenectady, New York) in 1874, it was from reading medical articles during his recovery from diphtheria that prompted his interest in medicine. He received his M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1878 and practiced privately for six years in West Chester before moving to Philadelphia. In 1890 he was appointed Surgeon in the Willis Eye Hospital -- the youngest to have been appointed at the time. Unfortunately, his wife, Jennie (Price) Jackson, developed tuberculosis and in 1894 the family moved to Denver as therapy. She died in 1896 and the family returned to Philadelphia. However he longed for the benefits of high altitude living and accepted an appointment to the position of Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado in 1898. He was convinced that scientific advancement could be made only by the exchange of knowledge with colleagues and so he became actively involved in meetings and presentations in many states -- including a memorable meeting that was being held on April 19, 1906, in San Francisco. He later recounted that "to escape the immediate effects of the earthquake I hid beneath a bed to avoid a falling ceiling and then escaped across the bay to Oakland." He chaired many sections of organizations but his lasting contributions were the establishment of the American Ophthalmological Society in 1912 and the creation of the American Board of Ophthalmology in 1916 -- the first such independent Board to administer tests certifying professional excellence in medicine. He became the first president of the Society and in 1944 the Society established the Edward Jackson Memorial Lecture, a prestigious honor that continues to this day (2019). His report on school room lighting ("Daylight in the Classroom", School Life (Dept of the Interior, Bureau of Education), Washington DC, May 1, 1921, vol VI #9) became the basis for installing double high windows in classrooms throughout the country. Almost all schools built in the 1920s and 1930s had such windows but even Dr. Jackson felt that better lighting would come with the perfection of direct on-the-ceiling fixtures. These were perfected later with the development of efficient fluorescent lamps. His scientific publications, including book chapters and lectures, eventually numbered over 700 and he was in demand as a featured speaker for national and regional meetings on eye surgery long past his official retirement in 1921.
Although Dr. Jackson graduated in engineering from Union College (Schenectady, New York) in 1874, it was from reading medical articles during his recovery from diphtheria that prompted his interest in medicine. He received his M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1878 and practiced privately for six years in West Chester before moving to Philadelphia. In 1890 he was appointed Surgeon in the Willis Eye Hospital -- the youngest to have been appointed at the time. Unfortunately, his wife, Jennie (Price) Jackson, developed tuberculosis and in 1894 the family moved to Denver as therapy. She died in 1896 and the family returned to Philadelphia. However he longed for the benefits of high altitude living and accepted an appointment to the position of Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado in 1898. He was convinced that scientific advancement could be made only by the exchange of knowledge with colleagues and so he became actively involved in meetings and presentations in many states -- including a memorable meeting that was being held on April 19, 1906, in San Francisco. He later recounted that "to escape the immediate effects of the earthquake I hid beneath a bed to avoid a falling ceiling and then escaped across the bay to Oakland." He chaired many sections of organizations but his lasting contributions were the establishment of the American Ophthalmological Society in 1912 and the creation of the American Board of Ophthalmology in 1916 -- the first such independent Board to administer tests certifying professional excellence in medicine. He became the first president of the Society and in 1944 the Society established the Edward Jackson Memorial Lecture, a prestigious honor that continues to this day (2019). His report on school room lighting ("Daylight in the Classroom", School Life (Dept of the Interior, Bureau of Education), Washington DC, May 1, 1921, vol VI #9) became the basis for installing double high windows in classrooms throughout the country. Almost all schools built in the 1920s and 1930s had such windows but even Dr. Jackson felt that better lighting would come with the perfection of direct on-the-ceiling fixtures. These were perfected later with the development of efficient fluorescent lamps. His scientific publications, including book chapters and lectures, eventually numbered over 700 and he was in demand as a featured speaker for national and regional meetings on eye surgery long past his official retirement in 1921.
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