On the Evolution of Our Knowledge of Congenital Malformations of the Heart

M Y WARM association with T. Duckett Jones when he was in charge of the House of the Good Samaritan makes it a genuine pleasure to give the T. Duckett Jones Memorial Lecture. Although a year younger than I, Duckett was 4 years ahead of me in medical school and by the time I graduated he was established at the House of the Good Samaritan. Duckett offered me my first jobas a histologist to the Good Samaritan. Although I did not accept the position, we remained warm friends throughout his life. His sister, Dr. Jean Jones Perdue has told me that when Duckett first expressed his desire to go into medicine their father, a dedicated general practitioner of the highest ideals, told Duckett that if he was going into medicine to make money he would give him no help, but if Duckett wanted to go into medicine to help the sick, he would support him to the hilt. Duckett dedicated his entire life to helping children with acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. It was primarily through his influence that the Children's Bureau recognized rheumatic fever as a crippling disease of childhood. He then translated thought into action by testifying in Congress for additional funds to be granted the Children's Bureau for the support of this extension of their work. We all know how important this support has been to patients