Charles Koop American pediatric surgeon and US Surgeon General Date of Birth: 14.10.1916 Country: USA

1. Biography of Charles Everett Koop
2. Education and Early Career
3. Contributions to Pediatric Surgery
4. Appointment as Surgeon General
5. Advocacy and Controversies
6. Later Life and Legacy

Biography of Charles Everett Koop

Charles Everett Koop was an American pediatric surgeon and the Surgeon General of the United States from 1982 to 1989. He was born on October 14, 1916, in Brooklyn, New York, to John Everett Koop, a banker and descendant of 17th-century Dutch settlers, and Helen Eyapel.

Education and Early Career

Koop received his bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in 1937, where he earned the nickname "Chick" due to a play on his last name, which literally translates to "chicken coop." His interest in medicine developed after spending a year in the hospital recovering from a skiing accident and a brain hemorrhage. He obtained his medical degree from Cornell Medical College in 1941 and his doctorate in medicine from the University of Pennsylvania in 1947.

From 1946 to 1981, Koop served as the Chief of Surgery at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Under his leadership, the first neonatal intensive care unit was established in 1956. In collaboration with Morio Kasai, Koop pioneered a groundbreaking surgical procedure for patients with biliary atresia. He also developed a training program for pediatric surgery, and many of his students went on to become professors, department heads, and chief surgeons at children's hospitals.

Contributions to Pediatric Surgery

Koop performed innovative surgical procedures, including the separation of conjoined twins, which has now become a common practice in pediatric surgery. He saved the lives of countless children who were deemed incurable before his involvement. His reputation grew internationally when he successfully separated a female set of conjoined twins in 1957, who were joined in the coccyx area, and again in 1974 when he separated twins joined in the groin area.

Appointment as Surgeon General

Shortly after his inauguration in February 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed Koop as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health. As expected, Koop aspired to become the Surgeon General. However, his appointment faced opposition from liberal politicians and women's groups due to his conservative views and opposition to abortion. Nevertheless, he was appointed as the Surgeon General in November 1981.

Advocacy and Controversies

Koop gained fame for his advocacy of children's rights, as well as his efforts to combat tobacco use, AIDS, and abortion. Despite pressure from the Reagan administration in 1987, Koop prepared a report on the psychological consequences of abortion, acknowledging that while it was not a public health issue, it raised moral questions.

Koop became the first Surgeon General to be immortalized in a song, "Promiscuous," performed by Frank Zappa. He was known for his distinctive appearance, characterized by his beard that stretched from ear to ear, and his colorful bow ties.

Later Life and Legacy

Charles Everett Koop passed away on February 25, 2013, at the age of 97, in his home in Hanover, New Hampshire. His assistant announced that he had been suffering from kidney failure in the week leading up to his death. Koop's legacy includes his contributions to pediatric surgery, his advocacy for children's rights, and his influential tenure as the Surgeon General of the United States.