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Annals of Surgical Oncology
Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology 13/2021

01-12-2021 | Global Health Services Research

The MD Anderson Cancer Hospital That R. Lee Clark Built

Author: Charles M. Balch, MD, FACS, FASCO

Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology | Issue 13/2021

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Abstract

The MD Anderson Hospital for Cancer Research (as it was named in 1946) incorporated pioneering changes that set new standards in hospital design, construction, and function. It is remarkable that surgeon R. Lee Clark, the new Director of the MD Anderson Hospital, and with no previous experience in hospital construction, personally led the design and supervision of a world class medical care and research facility. This is the untold story of his leadership and his diligence visiting hospitals and cancer facilities in America and Europe, his clever hiring, his supervision of the architectural firms (through 23 versions of architectural plans), his adaptability to the market when building costs were skyrocketing, and his extraordinary ability in raising enormous funds from private, state, and federal sources. He was such a creative genius in his inaugural building project that the new MD Anderson “cancer station” was described by national magazines as totally unique in its design that set new standards in cancer care delivery. With his typical determination, enthusiasm, and creative approach to problem-solving, Clark embarked on this building project in 1946 with a budget of $1,750,000, expecting to complete this project in 2 to 3 years. In fact, the entire project took 8 years and cost five times more than the original estimate, at almost $9,000,000! The process took 2 years for Dr. Clark to visit more than 30 cancer facilities and many academic hospitals in America and in Europe, 2 years of architectural planning, and 4 years of construction. When MD Anderson opened its doors in 1954, it was described by national magazines as “one of the most modern hospitals in the nation.”
Footnotes
1
Early in his surgical training Clark was influenced by Dr Henry Cabot, one of his surgical mentors at the Mayo Clinic who believed indigent patients deserved medical treatments the same as the wealthy.21
 
2
Dr Clark personally visited over 30 institutions, including Memorial Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital, Roosevelt Hospital, the Cornell Medical School and New York Hospital, the Diseases, Hartford Hospital, National Institute of Health, National Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Army Medical Museum and Institute of Pathology, the Veterans Administration, the Mayo Clinic, the Goldblatt Memorial Cancer Hospital at the University of Chicago, Northwestern University Hospital, Evanston Hospital, the US Public Health Services Cancer Hospital, the Chicago Veterans Administration Cancer Hospital, the Ochsner Clinic, Lovelace Clinic, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Pondville Massachusetts Cancer Hospital, Hartford Hospital, University of Illinois Cancer Center, Ohio State University Hospital, Ellis Fischel Cancer Hospital, Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, Bellevue Hospital and New York Medical School, New York Cancer Institute, Hospital For Special Surgery.
 
3
MacKie and Kamrath was formed in 1936, in Chicago by Fred J. MacKie Jr. and Karl Kamrath. Offices were opened in Houston in 1937, for the general practice of architecture until 1942, when the office was closed for the duration of the war, and both principles volunteered their services as commissioned officers in the U.S. Army Core of the Engineers. In 1946, the office was reopened in Houston. MacKie and Kamrath were generally known for progressive architecture and was awarded prizes in national competitions and received favorable mention in national and international publications for their architectural work. Both Mr. Mackie and Mr. Kamrath were graduates of the University of Texas School of Architecture. Mr. Mackie was President of the Houston chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
 
4
On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, launching the Korean War. President Truman quadrupled the defense budget to $50 billion, and the government placed controls on prices, wages, and raw materials. Inflation soared and shortages in food, consumer goods, and housing appeared. On August 25, 1950, President Truman issued an executive order putting America’s railroads under the control of the U.S. Army in response to the railroad workers strike. More than 100,000 tons of steel production were lost.62 Later on, the steelworkers strike in 1952 greatly affected both the price and availability of steel, aluminum, and copper needed for civilian construction, especially since priority for these raw and finished materials were first allocated for the Korean War effort. The 53-day strike in July and August 1952 led to significant economic costs. More than 19 million tons of steel were lost to production, roughly 90 percent of all steel production for the two-month period and 1.5 million people became unemployed before full steel production resumed.63
 
5
At the outbreak of the Korean war, prices surged. By February 1951, the monthly increase in the consumer price index was almost 20 percent annualized. From the onset of the war to the start of the price freeze, prices increased at a rate of 11.1 percent annually. The government needed to implement price and wage controls in response to inflation which had increased due to the additional stimulus that was created by government spending.71,72
 
6
Only those unique and innovative features of the new MD Anderson Hospital will be featured here, as described in two comprehensive articles in Architectural Forum TABLE 22,8Architectural Forum was an American national magazine that covered the building industry and architecture, beginning in 1892 until it ceased publication in 1974. It was owned and published by Time Inc. from 1932 to 1964. During this time, it was the major nationally circulated architecture periodical.
 
7
It was very futuristic for Clark to introduce color television in a hospital for the first time. Color TV was at its infancy; the inaugural national color broadcast had occurred only a few months earlier on January 1, 1954, with the Tournament of Roses Parade. Despite the feasibility of color television, nearly all local programming, continued to be in black-and-white over the next dozen years. It was not until the mid-1960s that color television sets were selling in large numbers.
 
8
A 1949 letter from Dr Clark describes his extraordinary vision in a historical context: “When this hospital was established by law in 1941, there was no such thing as isotope or atomic research in the biological fields. Since Hiroshima, a new world in research and possible treatment has been opened to us. The citizens of Texas should have the opportunity to benefit by this new knowledge and we would propose to bring it to them through the establishment of such a program within our cancer hospital.”87
 
Literature
1.
Pink Palace of Healing series VIII. Time Magazine, 13 December 1954, box 154; file 5.
2.
Architectural Forum February 1952 series VIII, box 385, file 4.
3.
MD Anderson Hospital Tops in Cancer Research and Care. Austin Daily Texan, 5 March 1953, page 1.
4.
Dedication News, University of Texas MD Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute Saturday, 23 October 1954. Series X, box 18, file 1.
5.
Clark RL. Letter to Ms. Nina Putnam, Mexico, 29 November 1957. Series VIII, box 79, file 9.
6.
Heflebower. RC Presentation of Plaques to Dr. R. Lee Clark 17 January 1955. Series I, box 32, file 5.
7.
Cotton Merchant’s Bequest Launches Cancer Center. Houston Post, page 7D. 26 September 1976.
8.
Architectural Forum December 1954 series VI. box 2, file 17.
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Clark RL. Script of at MD Anderson Groundbreaking Ceremony, 20 December,1950. Series X, box 34, file 3.
10.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. Theophilus Painter, 3 January 1951. “During the four years that we have been working towards this [building] goal, you have been a constant source of sage advice and a bulwark which has added great stability and effectiveness to our program.” MS VIII, box 79, file 11.
11.
Clark RL. letter to Dr. T. S. Painter, Acting President, University of Texas, 26 March 1946. Series I, Box 11, file 1.
12.
Clark RL. Letter to UT President Theophilus Painter reporting on travel to institutions interested in malignant disease from 9 October to 30 October 1946. Series X, box 42, file 1.
13.
Macon ND. Clark and the Anderson; An Oral History. Texas Medical Center Publishing, Houston TX, 1976, pp 184–187, 245.
14.
Macdonald EJ. The founding of the first department of epidemiology in a cancer hospital. Cancer Bull. 1979;31:S18–19.
15.
Clark RL, The MD. Anderson Hospital for Cancer Research. Texas State J Med. 1948;48:620–2.
16.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. Theophilus Painter, President, University of Texas, 1 November 1947. Series X, box 42, file 1.
17.
Clark RL. Policy on patient admission: an editorial. Med Records Ann. 1966;59:53–4: “Only those patients who were referred by a physician for consultation or diagnosis and treatment will be accepted for admission…. We receive patients irrespective of their financial status…. Every patient is evaluated as to his ability to pay, and if financially able, is expected to pay for his services. Residents in Texas are assigned a pay classification in accordance with their financial ability. Free care is given residents who are considered medically indigent…. There is no charge to patients on research protocol.”
18.
Clark RL. Updated Summary of MD Anderson Activity (probably 1948). Series X, box 27, file 4.
19.
Clark RL. Summary of the clinics of MD Anderson Hospital dated October 1948. Series X, box 27, file 4.
20.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. O. B. Kiel, State Board of Health, 12 August 1949: “There is no question but that our institution is state-wide in its service. Last year, only 6 % of our patients were from Harris County, and we have admitted patients from 170 counties in the State of Texas.” Series X, box 42, file 1.
21.
Olson JS. Making cancer history. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press; 2009. p. 23.
22.
Beardsley EH. Good-Bye to Jim Crow: the desegregation of southern hospitals. 1945–70. Bull Hist Med. 1986;60:367–86.PubMed
23.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. R. O’Hara Lanier, President of the Texas State University for Negros, 6 June 1949. MS VIII, box 102, file 3.
24.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr Tom Throckmorton, Des Moines Iowa, 12 July 12 1966. MS VIII, box 253, file 4.
25.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. Theophilus Painter, President, University of Texas, 5 March 1948. Series X, box 29, file 6.
26.
Ryan G. Profile on Dr. R Lee Clark, 31 August 1972. Series VI, box 15, file 1.
27.
Anderson cancer research chief to tour hospitals. Houston Chronicle. 6 October 1946.
28.
Contract due to be awarded for cancer hospital. Houston Chronicle. 25 October 1950: “Since 1946, when plans for the hospital began, he has visited every cancer hospital in the nation.” Series X, box 40, file 7.
29.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. Theophilus Painter, 30 September 1946: “I am planning to visit the principal institutions in this country that are engaged in cancer work.” MS VIII, box 79, file 12.
30.
Clark RL. Report on travel to institutions interested in malignant disease from 9 October to 30 October 30 1946. “Almost one week was spent at Memorial Hospital, each day carefully ascertaining their practices on different general problems.” Series X, box 42, file 1.
31.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. Frank Foote Jr, Memorial Hospital, New York, 8 January 1947: “I was out of Texas for almost the entire month of December furthering my educational knowledge at various founts in the east and the north.” MS VIII, box 75, file 7.
32.
Clark. RL Letter to Dr. Donald Balfour, Mayo Clinic, 30 December 1946: “I have been on a medical tour of almost one month…” Series VIII, box 69, file 10.
33.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. Claude Dixon, Mayo Clinic, 18 July 1947: “Dr. Bertner, along with one or two members of the Anderson foundation, are planning on being in Rochester the week of August 11. They are very interested in seeing the general organizational set up of the Mayo Clinic and the Mayo foundation and would also be interested in seeing the plans for the new hospital.” MS VIII, box 74, file 10.
34.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. Claude Dixon, 28 February 1952: “The hospital is making good headway toward completion…. I really feel that this is partially your project here and would like to bring you up to date on it.” Series VIII, box 74, file 10.
35.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr Theophilous Painter, President, University of Texas, 30 August 1947: “Mr. MacKie and Mr. Kamrath, as any other uninitiated architects, are in need of securing the basic program that will be activated by our hospital once it is built, I feel this can best be obtained by visiting the outstanding cancer institution in the nation, the Memorial Hospital.” MS VIII, box 79, file 11.
36.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. C. P. Rhodes, Director of Memorial Hospital, New York, 29 September 1947: “The administrator of your hospital, Dr. Pratt, was very helpful to us during our recent visit to Memorial Hospital. We had occasion to discuss with him the architectural program for our hospital in the Texas Medical Center. He furnished us a great deal of valuable information and advice and gave, unstintingly, of his time and thoughts.” MS VIII, box 80, file 10.
37.
MacKie FJ, architect. Letter to Dr. Henry W. Pratt, Administrator of Memorial Hospital, New York, 23 September 1947: “We wish to express our very deep appreciation for your time and courtesy given us on our recent inspection trip through your hospital, with Dr. Clark. It was very enlightening in every respect. We were particularly impressed in inspecting the new Sloan-Kettering section in its state of construction, showing the various ways that flexibility has been achieved. We also appreciate your generous offer to allow us to have your copy of the hospital report with the diagrammatic plans of future development, together with your very sound suggestions for our project.” MS X, box 33, file 2.
38.
Pratt HN, administrator, Memorial Hospital. Letter to Mr. Fred MacKie, architect for MD Anderson Hospital: “I have read over your notes and made a few penciled alterations here and there. It seems to me that you have gained a remarkably accurate picture of the operations of Memorial Hospital.” MS X, box 33, file 2.
39.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. Frank Foote Jr, Memorial Hospital, 5 November 1946: “Thank you for the grand reception that was given to me when I visited you in New York recently. I did not realize how much information had been obtained until returning home and making a record of my trip. Your candid discussions relative to your record system has been most helpful. I feel like I have obtained the real inside facts that can really be helpful.” MS VIII, box 75, file 7.
40.
Clark RL. Letter to Mr. Harry J Harwick, manager, Mayo Clinic, Rochester Minnesota, 25 August 1947: “I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the time you gave Dr. Bertner and me during our recent visit to Rochester. The Mayo Clinic is having a profound influence at the present time on the practice of medicine in the United States. It is my sincere belief that the type of medicine developed there furnishes us the best method for combating socialized medicine. You yourself, have furnished a model for medical administration second to none.” Series VIII, box 75, file 14.
41.
Meeting notes by Mr. Fred MacKie and Karl Kamrath at Memorial Hospital, New York, 12 September 1947 with Dr. R. Lee Clark: “Meeting with Mr. Henry Pratt, administrator for Memorial Hospital, hospital architects, and administrators at Memorial Hospital. They inspected the new Sloan-Kettering section that was under construction, showing various ways that flexibility has been achieved in the building. They also provided copies of the hospital including diagrammatic plans for future development.” Series X, box 33, file 2.
42.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. C. P. Rhodes, director of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Hospital, New York City, 8 June 1948: “Mrs. Edna Wagoner, who is in charge of our social service department, plans on visiting Memorial Hospital.” Series VIII, box 80, file 10.
43.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr Theophilus Painter, 26 April 1948: “The dedication of the Sloan-Kettering Institute marks an epoch in cancer research. Here, for the first time, will be a completely designed institute coordinated with a hospital in which basic research can be done on human cancer…. It is sincerely hoped that we may have something not too far removed from it in the relatively near future.” Series VIII, box 79, file 11.
44.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. Fred Stewart, Memorial Hospital, 20 February 1950: “I enjoy visiting with you and Frank Foote and always come back with new ideas and feel further stimulated to continue our efforts in these parts.” MS VIII, box 83, file 3.
45.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. C. P. Rhoades, director, Memorial Hospital Center for Cancer, New York City, 7 February 1951: “I am writing you as per our discussion on my recent visit in New York. We would particularly like to know about the Jamestown metal products of Jamestown, New York, and their status as builders of laboratory equipment…. Also, we are quite interested in Hans Knoll and Knoll Associates. After talking with you, I spent Sunday morning with the Knolls in their showroom in New York.” Series VIII, Box 80, file 10.
46.
Rhodes CP, director of Memorial Hospital, New York. Letter to Dr. R. Lee Clark, 4 April 1956: “You have, by sheer force of energy, intelligence, and personality created an outstanding program. It is in its beginning, it is true, but its successful course is inevitable unless major error is made…. Sloan-Kettering is now mature. Mature organizations are immobilized by the circumstances existing when they were young. You are still young and flexible, able to take the best from the mature and convert it.” MS VIII, box 80, file 10.
47.
Adair Frank, medical director of Memorial Hospital. Letter to Dr. R Lee Clark, 8 December 1948: “I have just had the opportunity and great pleasure of looking over the MD Anderson Hospital and I am being shown the blueprints for the institution.” MS X, box 33, file 3.
48.
Clark RL. Summary of meeting in Austin with Dr Painter, 7 November 1946. MS VIII, box 79, file 2.
49.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. I. A. Bigger, 11 April 1947. Series VIII, box 69, file 10.
50.
Clark RL. Letter to Mrs. Edgar Tobin, member Board of Regents, University of Texas, 15 May 1947. Series X, box 8, file 5.
51.
Crow, Corrine Oral History with Dr. R. Lee, East Texas State University, 14 December 1976. MS I, box 48, file 8.
52.
Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas. tshaonline.org.
53.
University of Texas Board of Regents Minutes 1947. Hiring the architectural firm of MacKie and Kamrath. Series X, box 33, file 17.
54.
MacKie FJ, architect, to Dr. R. Lee Clark outlining the 19 components of MD Anderson Hospital, 18 June 1947: “It is respectfully requested that a more detailed description be prepared by your office indicating the various patient flow, sequence and use of the rooms, in connection with the medical function to be accomplished.” MS X, box 33, file 2.
55.
Clark RL. Letter to Honorable Doug Crouch, Denton Texas, member of the UT Board of Regents, 6 September 1950: “Last month as a result of several years of planning the specifications and plans for our permanent building in the Texas Medical Center were approved by the University of Texas Board of Regents. They have since been released to bidders, and bids are to be opened on September 28 in Austin, contracts awarded, and construction begun.” MS VIII, box 73, file 8.
56.
Erickson C. Letter to Dr. R. Lee Clark with cost estimates of the MD Anderson Hospital, 18 October 1948: “If we add the smaller figure to the building costs, we arrive at a total of $5,192,000; if we had a larger amount to the larger estimate, we arrive at a figure close to $7 million. If the funds are not in sight it should be remembered that some drastic cuts of the program must be based.” Series X, box 33, file 5.
57.
Clark RL. Letter to Mr. H. M. Wilkins, MD Anderson Foundation, 29 November 1948: “The study of this problem from every angle, both national and state, would lead me to urge the building of the complete unit from the beginning.” Series VIII, box 85, file 4.
58.
Clark RL. Letter to Mr. Carl Erickson, 8 February 1949: “If for any reason we do not secure any more than the present $3 million, the board stipulated that we should so design the present building that we could proceed to build with the minimum alterations in the plans. We have every hope of obtaining the additional money.” Series X, box 33, file 5.
59.
Architectural Forum, February 1952: “Even more impressive is the fact that the hospital was designed so that whole sections, wings, or floors could be chopped off without affecting other hospital functions in the event fundraising did not come up to expectations.” Series VIII, box 385; file 4.
60.
Clark RL. Letter to Mr. John Freeman, MD Anderson Foundation, 28 September 1949. Series VIII, box 75, file 8.
61.
UT Board of Regents Meeting 24 and 25 March 1950: “The Board authorized the completion of plans for the construction of the MD Anderson Hospital for Cancer Research on the basis of 285,000 square feet.” Series X, box 20, file 1.
62.
Delay in ending rail walkout brings big sag in production. Austin American Statesman, 11 February 1951.
63.
64.
Clark RL. Letter to Mr. John Freeman, Chairman, MD Anderson Foundation, 5 October 1950: “As you know, the bids for construction contracts with the MD Anderson Hospital for Cancer Research were received and opened in Austin, September 28. We had anticipated a considerable rise in cost as the result of the state of conflict in Korea. The actual bids, however, were in excess of our expectations by approximately $1.5 million.” Series VIII, box 75, file 8.
65.
Awarding a contract for construction of the new $5,000,000 cancer hospital plans approved. Houston Post, 28 October 1950: “The Regents meeting awarded the contract to Farnsworth & Chambers Construction Co. Inc. The reduction [of $2 million] was achieved by cutting out one wing of the building so that it would have 150 beds instead of the planned 300 beds.” Series X, box 40, file 7.
66.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. Claude Dixon, Mayo Clinic, 14 November 1950: “[Construction bids] were opened in the latter part of September in the middle of the Korean affair. We had $6,000,000 on hand, and the bids as received were $7,500,000. As you can see, this has created quite a difficulty as even in Houston this amount is not obtained overnight.” Series X, box 40, file 7; MS VIII, box 74, file 10.
67.
Clark RL. Letter to Mr. Carl Erickson, Chicago, 13 December 1950: “We were able to let a contract for our hospital, accepting a number of alternatives that will result, temporarily at least, in the reduction of the size of the building. However, it is our hope that before the building program has progressed too far, we will be able to restore as many of the alternates as possible, in order to have a complete building as originally planned.” Series X, box 33, file 5.
68.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. Claude Dixon, Mayo Clinic, 14 December 1950: “We have finally let the contract for our hospital. We feel the necessity for proceeding in all haste to get our building as nearly completed as possible before further restrictions develop. The total bid was for $7.5 million, so in order to complete the building it will be necessary for us to raise the additional sum (one of the nursing wings is excluded in the present contract). In view of the fact that in the past four years we have accumulated over $5 million of our present funds, I believe we will be able to obtain the remainder.” Series VIII, box 74, file 10.
69.
The Houston Post article on the MD Anderson Cancer Center, 26 September 1976.
70.
Clark RL. Letter to Mr. John Freeman, Chairman, Board of Trustees, The MD Anderson Foundation, 30 June 1950: “The plans for the MD Anderson Hospital for Cancer Research have progressed to the point where they will be presented for approval in their final form to the Board of Regents on July 13 and 14…. It is a rule of the University of Texas that no construction bids may be let without the necessary funds in hand to finance such construction.” MS X, box 42, file 1.
71.
Economic Consequences of War on The U.S. economy. pages 10–11. The Institute for Economics & Peace. New York-Washington D.C. 2011 
72.
Impact of the Korean War on the economy of the United States. Wikipedia.
73.
Clark RL. Letter to Dr. Jim Clagett, Mayo Clinic, 26 March 1951: ”Our bids for the building were $7,590,000. We still have approximately $1,500,000 to raise but are proceeding with the building and leaving some portions of it unfinished…. This last fund-raising is going to be the most difficult I feel sure…. James Anderson has been a staunch supporter and we could not have gotten the program started nearly as well without his help. As a matter of fact, he has been our contact with the Anderson Foundation.” MS VIII, box 73, file 13.
74.
Cancer Hospital given $1,200,000. Houston Chronicle, 24 November 1952. Series X, box 40, file 9.
75.
Cumley RW. The First Twenty Years of The University of Texas MD Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute. Austin: University of Texas Press; 1964.
76.
MD Anderson Hospital Fundraising Proposal to Texas citizens, 1952. A 10-page booklet describing components of the furnishings and equipment inside the hospital as “Living Memorials.” Examples of memorial gifts included Nursing Unit: $100,000; Operating Room Suite: $100,000; Blood Bank: $3000; Examining room: $1000; Doctor’s Conference Room: $500. Houston Texas.
77.
Woodward DK. Chairman UT Board of Regents at the groundbreaking of the MD Anderson Hospital for Cancer Research, 20 December 1950. “It is the first time that a partnership has been set up in Texas between private citizens and the University of Texas, The implications of the pattern thus established are significant.” MS X, box 42, file 1.
78.
Macon ND. Oral history with Ms. Frances Goff, 7 June 1977. Series VIII, box 75, file 12.
79.
MD Anderson Hospital 16-page summary from 1941 to 1964 to the UT Board of Regents: “Bids for the new building, in 1950, resulted in the award of a contract for $5,242,104 with portions to be added as alternatives as funds became available. Characteristic of Dr. Clark’s tenacity is the fact that, by 1954, the building was completed with additions as a total cost of $9,001,198, the needed funds having been accumulated through his extraordinary efforts during construction. Of that total, 47.5 % came from private philanthropy.” MS X, box 20, file 5.
80.
Houston Chronicle article about Governor Shivers dedicating the MD Anderson Hospital, Sunday 24 October 1954. Series VIII, box 385, file 2.
81.
Profile on Dr. R. Lee Clark Jr in Cancer News published by the American Cancer Society, October 1953, pp 10–11: “Architects, engineers, and even carpenters have been amazed at Dr. Clark’s versatility, as demonstrated by his knowledge of structure and design.”
82.
Dedication News. University of Texas MD Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute, Saturday, 23 October 1954. Series X, box 18, file 1.
83.
Hyatt E, Vice President, The Georgia Marble Company, Tate Georgia. Letter to Dr. R, Lee Clark, 3 February 1953: “We have indeed appreciated the privilege of working with you and being permitted to furnish Etowah Marble for use in the construction of the MD Anderson Hospital for Cancer Research.” MS X, box 9, file 7.
84.
Clark RL. Letter to Col. William Powell, Office of the Air Surgeon, Washington DC, 14 November 1946: “I am planning on talking to Colonel Harry Armstrong to see if we can’t organize a mutually beneficial project on atomic energy…. We will be interested in the effects on normal cells when this material is used for treating malignant areas…. We will have available to us any of the materials of a possible medical nature from the Manhattan project as we are a contributing member of that project.” MS VIII, box 79, file 8.
85.
Clark RL. Letter to Mr. Gerald Dokka, 21 October 1959. Series VIII, box 74, file 4.
86.
The University of Texas Record, Spring 1959, vol. 4, no. 4 featuring Dr. R. Lee Clark and the MD Anderson Hospital. Series VIII, box 385, file 2.
87.
Clark RL. Letter to Hon. Searcy Bracewell Texas state legislature, 26 January 1949. Series VIII, box 385, file 9.
88.
Letter of Agreement between the University of Texas MD Anderson Hospital for Cancer Research and the Oak Ridge Institute for Nuclear Studies, November 1949. MS X, box 42, file 1.
89.
Cancer machine grant received. Houston Post, 23 July 1952. Series X, box 40, file 9.
90.
Summary of Development MD Anderson Hospital. Series X, box 42, file 1.
91.
Governor Shivers Dedicates MD Anderson Hospital. The Houston Chronicle. 24 October 1954, p. 8.
92.
Balch CM. The surgical legacy of Randolph Lee Clark Jr, MD, first Director and Surgeon-in-Chief of UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. II. Surgical practice and leadership at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center (1946 to 1978). Ann Surg Oncol. 2021. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1245/​s10434-020-09514-2.
93.
Balch CM. The surgical legacy of Randolph Lee Clark Jr, MD, first Director and Surgeon-in-Chief of UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. I. Training and surgical practice before recruitment to UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. Ann Surg Oncol. 2021. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1245/​s10434-021-09666-9.
Metadata
Title
The MD Anderson Cancer Hospital That R. Lee Clark Built
Author
Charles M. Balch, MD, FACS, FASCO
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Annals of Surgical Oncology / Issue 13/2021
Print ISSN: 1068-9265
Electronic ISSN: 1534-4681
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-021-10210-y

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