Sombrero

Pima County Medical Society

Home Medical Society of the 17th United States Surgeon-General

FEBRUARY 2015

Introducing our new

board members

Humanism in medicine

Remembering the old

local photo studio

Pima Countys
Medical Staffing Experts!

Favorite

Healthcare Staffing, Inc.

Quality Staffing Solutions

with Exceptional Results!
Favorite Healthcare Staffing, serving
Pima County and the Arizona
healthcare community since 1981,
offers top quality personnel and
comprehensive staffing services with
preferred rates and pricing for Pima
County Medical Society members.

Our Clients Say It Best!

Came through in a pinch ...
Quick response ...
Professionalism ...
Kept us up-to-date on progress.
Ray W. - CFO

Staffing to Fit Your Needs!

Contract Placement
- Short or Long Term
Direct Hire / Permanent
Temp-to-Perm Placement
Temporary Placement
- Per Diem Just-in-time

520-777-1090

MedicalStaffing@FavoriteStaffing.com

Preferred Pricing for PCMS Members!

Revenue Cycle Protection
Comprehensive Solutions
Improved Cost Control

Consistent Staffing
Quality Patient Care
Increased Efficiency

Favorite Healthcare Staffing is the Exclusive

Staffing Partner of the Pima County Medical Society
2

SOMBRERO February 2015

Sombrero
Pima County Medical
Society Officers

Official Publication of the Pima County Medical Society

PCMS Board of Directors

Eric Barrett, MD
David Burgess, MD
Michael Connolly, DO
Jason Fodeman, MD
Howard Eisenberg, MD
Afshin Emami, MD
Randall Fehr, MD
G. Mason Garcia, MD
Jerry Hutchinson, DO
Kevin Moynahan, MD
Wayne Peate, MD
Sarah Sullivan, DO
Salvatore Tirrito, MD
Scott Weiss, MD
Leslie Willingham, MD
Gustavo Ortega, MD (Resident)

President
Melissa Levine, MD
President-Elect
Steve Cohen, MD
Vice-President
Guruprasad Raju, MD
Secretary-Treasurer
Michael Dean, MD
Past-President
Timothy Marshall, MD

Snehal Patel, DO (Alt. Resident)

Joanna Holstein, DO (Alt. Resident)
Jeffrey Brown (Student)
Juhyung Sun (Alt. Student)

At Large ArMA Board

Board of Mediation

Timothy C. Fagan, MD
Timothy Marshall, MD

R. Screven Farmer, MD

Pima Directors to ArMA

Timothy Fagan, MD
Thomas Griffin, MD
Evan Kligman, MD
George Makol, MD
Mark Mecikalski, MD

Delegates to AMA
William J. Mangold, MD
Thomas H. Hicks, MD
Gary Figge, MD (alternate)

Printing
Commercial Printers, Inc.
Phone: 623-4775
E-mail: andy@cptucson.com

Advertising
Phone: 795-7985
Fax: 323-9559
E-mail: dcarey5199@gmail.com

Art Director
Alene Randklev, Commercial Printers, Inc.
Phone: 623-4775
Fax: 622-8321
E-mail: alene@cptucson.com

Publisher
Pima County Medical Society
5199 E. Farness Dr., Tucson, AZ 85712
Phone: (520) 795-7985
Fax: (520) 323-9559
Website: pimamedicalsociety.org

$215,000

SOMBRERO February 2015

SOMBRERO (ISSN 0279-909X) is published monthly

except bimonthly June/July and August/September by the
Pima County Medical Society, 5199 E. Farness, Tucson,
Ariz. 85712. Annual subscription price is $30. Periodicals
paid at Tucson, AZ. POSTMASTER: Send address
changes to Pima County Medical Society, 5199 E. Farness
Drive, Tucson, Arizona 85712-2134. Opinions expressed
are those of the individuals and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the publisher or the PCMS
Board of Directors, Executive Officers or the members at
large, nor does any product or service advertised carry the
endorsement of the society unless expressly stated. Paid
advertisements are accepted subject to the approval of the
Board of Directors, which retains the right to reject any
advertising submitted. Copyright 2015, Pima County
Medical Society. All rights reserved. Reproduction in
whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Stunning Custom Home!

Beautifully landscaped setting offering

privacy & Catalina Mountain views. 3,754 sq. ft.,
5 bedroom, 3.5 bath, split bedroom plan.
Tastefully updated. Spacious great room
w/wall of windows capturing fabulous views.
Diving depth pool & grand 3 car garage.

Madeline Friedman
ABR, CRS, GRI

Thomas Rothe, MD
immediate past-president
Michael F. Hamant, MD
secretary

Richard Dale, MD
Charles Krone, MD
Jane Orient, MD

Editor
Stuart Faxon
E-mail: tjjackal@comcast.net
Please do not submit PDFs as editorial copy.

while dining in the breakfast nook of this

substantially up-dated patio home. New Hickory
cabinets, counter-tops, sink, hardware and
appliances. Located in the heart of the Foothills.
2 bedroom, 2 bath, great room floor-plan.
Community features: pool, spa & tennis.

Arizona Medical
Association Officers

Members at Large

Executive Director
Bill Fearneyhough
Phone: 795-7985
Fax: 323-9559
E-mail: billf 5199@gmail.com

Enjoy Catalina Mountain Views

Vol. 48 No. 2

$650,000

Vice President

296-1956 888-296-1956

Madeline is Your Connection to

Tucsons Favorite Neighborhoods!
www.tucsonazhomes.com TucsonHomeFinder@aol.com
3

Inside
5 Membership: We introduce our new Board of
Directors members.

7 Milestones: Notes on doctors Craig Hoover, Lori

Mackstaller, and Mateja de Leonni-Stanonik.

9 PCMS News: Pima County signs over what was

once Kino Community Hospital, the county
hospital.

10 Makols Call: Career elected officials: We

created what the Framers never imagined.

12 Time Capsule: A PCMS History Committee trip

to Superior.

17 Behind the Lens: Dr. Hal Travelin Tretbar

returned to his Kansas birthplace to get a whiff

of what every sizable town used to have: the
local photography studio.

19 Humanism: If youre unfamiliar with the link

between medicine and humanism, heres a
chance to link up.

21 Perspective: Dr. Richard Carmona on what politics

has done to the office of the nations top doc.

22 CME: Credits locally and out-of-town.

On the Cover
From the Stafford County Museum in Stafford, Kan., birthplace
of Dr. Hal Tretbar, this image from summer 1909 shows B.W.
and Rachael Snyder of St. John, Kan. in their Sunday-go-tomeetin togs, while showing off their 1908 Buick with its carbide
headlights, kerosene cowl lights, and squeeze-bulb horn under
the drivers right hand. Note the right-side steering and four
valve stems per tire. In this issues Behind the Lens, Dr. Tretbar
looks back at the days when the local photo studio was the
one-stop for portraits, developing, printing, and all things
photographic (Image permission Stafford County Museum).

Correction
Well, last month we said it was a mere reckoning, but were told that
Dr. Melissa Levine is not our 105th, but 106th president of PCMSs
112 years.

WE ANSWER FOR YOU!

Live Answering

Remote Receptionist
Appointment Scheduling
Order Taking

Message Delivery via Pagers

Live Operator, Email, Voice Mail
Text Messaging,
I.V.R. (InterActive
Voice Mail or Fax
Voice Response)

24 Hours 7 Days A Week

Authorized Answering Service for

PIMA COUNTY MEDICAL

SOCIETY SINCE 1981

Se Habla Espaol

2434 N. Pantano

Medical Society
Exchange

790-2121

Established
1971

www.RinconCommunications.com
4

SOMBRERO February 2015

Membership

Meet our new board members. . . and one returning!

By Stuart Faxon
Avid readers of our page 3were there such readerswould notice the results of the PCMS Board of
Directors election following the ballot in November 2014. We introduce them to you here.
Dr. Burgess is a family practitioner
who speaks Spanish and German. He
earned his M.D. In 1987 at the UofA
College of Medicine and did his
general surgery residency at the
University of Chicago. He did his
residency in gynecological oncology
at University of Texas at San Antonio.
His office phone is 547.5812.

engaged with the dynamic of healthcare in our community, Dr.

Hutchinson said, similar to my reasons for serving on the Tucson
Osteopathic Medical Foundation Board.
I always learn something when I get involved, so I always get
back at least as much or more than the effort cost. So on the
whole, my goal is to help as much and where I can, and continue
to appreciate the bigger picture of healthcare delivery in
Southern Arizona.

My thanks to all for the opportunity

to participate in the institution we all
J. David Burgess, M.D.
know as Pima County Medical Society,
Dr. Burgess said. Im honored, and glad to serve the board.
Bringing some experience in organized medicine from the Family
Practice Committee at Carondelet and St Josephs, I look forward to
getting acquainted with the other members, and to making a
contribution to the PCMS mission and the community at large.
We profiled Dr. Garcias new Sunrise
Cardiology practice in our November
issue. Dr. Garcia earned his M.D. at the
Autonomous University of the City of
Juarez, Mexico. He did his IM internship,
residency, and cardiology fellowship at
Christ Hospital and Medical Center, Oak
Lawn, Ill. He is board-certified in
internal medicine and cardiology. His
office number is 207.0962

Im very excited to have been

elected to the Pima County Medical
Society Board, Dr. Sullivan said. Im anxious to participate more
fully with the Society in helping to represent physicians from the
Northwest side of Tucson, and collectively in our goals.
Historically, PCMS has done excellent work with the legislative
committee and in pursuing public health concerns. I am very
proud to have been chosen to a part of this!
Sarah E. Sullivan, D.O.

Becoming a PCMS board member

G. Mason Garcia, M.D.
allows me the opportunity to give back
to the medical community, Dr. Garcia said. PCMS has been true to
its charter, and has been unwavering in its mission for all of us.
We had a brief profile of Dr.
Hutchinson in our November issue,
noting his recent return to primary
care at Camp Lowell Medical
Specialists. Dr. Hutchinson earned his
D.O. in 1985 at Kirksville College of
Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville, Mo.
He interned and did his residency at
Tucson General Hospital and is boardcertified in internal medicine.
I have an interest in being involved
with medicine in Tucson, and
SOMBRERO February 2015

Dr. Sullivan, a native of Muncie, Ind.,

specializes in neurology and practices
with Northwest NeuroSpecialists.
She earned her D.O. in 2003 at
Arizona College of Osteopathic
Medicine at Midwestern University in
Glendale. She interned and did her
residency at Garden City Hospital in
Garden City, Mich. Her office number
is 742.7890.

Brooklyn, N.Y.C.-born Dr. Tirrito, a

cardiologist with Pima Heart Physicians,
P.C., earned his M.D. in 1998 at Emory
University School of Medicine, Atlanta,
Ga., where he also did his IM internship.
He did his residency in cardiovascular
disease at Tulane University School of
Medicine, New Orleans, La.
In 1993-93 he was a Fulbright Fellow
and Research Associate in the
Department of Medical Genetics at the Salvatore J. Tirrito, M.D.
University of Helsinki, Finland. He has
published journal articles in echocardiography, hypertriglyceridemia,
and molecular genetics. His office number is 624.8935.

Dr. Jerry H.
Hutchinson, D.O.

Sombrero tried to reach Dr. Tirrito Jan. 5 through 15 and was

unsuccessful.
5

Re-elected to a second two-year

board term, Dr. Weiss is a hospitalist
with Internal Medicine Associates. He
earned his M.D. In 1988 at New York
Medical College at Valhalla, N.Y. He
interned and did his IM residency at
Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk, Conn.

Now youre
Thinkin Smart

I have been a member of the PCMS

Board for two years, Dr. Weiss said,
and I decided to run again because I
believe that more than ever, we as
Scott S. Weiss, M.D.
physicians need to stay together. I
joined the board so I could help shape healthcare policy in Pima
County and throughout Arizona. Just being part of the board adds
invaluable knowledge to my understanding of what is happening
at the legislative level.

n

STARonSthe
e

l Av
mpbel

Ca

AVENUE
PRESENTED BY THE

Pima County
Medical Society

Simplify your communications with

Simply Bits state-of-the-art managed
voice and data services

Save that date!

The date is April 18, 2015, and the

reason is the return of Stars on the
Avenue! Its at St. Philips Plaza,
4280 N. Campbell Ave., 6:009:00 pm.

To purchase tickets, log onto www.pimamedicalsociety.

org and click on Purchase Stars on the Avenue Tickets
at the top of the home page. Sponsor packages are also
available. Call the Society at 795-7985 to find out more.
Look for more in months to come.

Lynn Polonski, M.D.

4021 E. Sunrise Dr.

Ste. 121
Tucson, Arizona 85718
Phone: (520) 576-5110
Fax: (520) 529-7165

ROC #278632

Excellence In:

Cataract Surgery w/ Specialty Implants

Eyelid Lesion Excisions and Reconstruction

Eyelid Lifts
Oculoplastic Surgery and Orbital Traumas
Retinal Diseases and Glaucoma Management

Most Insurance Accepted Same Day Appointments Available

SOMBRERO February 2015

that patients should discuss with their

physicians.

Milestones

Dr. Hoover joins CHVI

Carondelet recently announced that
Craig A. Hoover, M.D., F.A.C.C.,
F.S.C.A.L., interventional cardiologist,
has joined Carondelet Heart and
Vascular Institute Physicians. He is
based at CHVICardiology West, 445
N. Silverbell Rd., Suite 201, Tucson
85745 (520.396.1370), and will also
see patients at Carondelet Medical
Groups River/Stone and Northwest
offices.
Dr. Hoover earned
his bachelor of
science degree in biological sciences at
Stanford University, and his M.D. at Columbia
University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
After returning to San Francisco for his IM
residency, he completed a fellowship in
cardiovascular diseases at the University of
Arizona. He joined the UofA and Southern
Arizona VA Medical Center as a faculty
member before going into private practice in
Tucson, where he has been working for the
last 15 years.
Dr. Hoover is board-certified in cardiovascular
diseases. While he practices general
cardiology, Carondelet reported, he focuses
on application of new technologies in
interventional cardiology to improve patient
outcomes. He brings more than 20 years of
experience in advanced interventional
cardiology to Carondelet Heart & Vascular
Institute Physicians. We are excited to have
him a part of the CHVI team!

Sorting the info

overload
Dr. Lori Mackstaller continues to educate the
lay public about her IM specialty, heart and
vascular disease. In Green Valley twice last
month, in cooperation with Green Valley
Recreation, Inc., she addressed the copious
amount of recent heart health news.
Her premise was, with new heart health
studies coming out early daily, which
information should patients believe? Are
there contradictions? Confusion over what
guidelines to follow can arise. Dr. Mackstallers
mission was to provide an update on recent
heart health news, and recommend questions
SOMBRERO February 2015

Dr. Mackstaller is an associate

professor of clinical medicine at the
UofA Sarver Heart Center, the first
recipient of the Edwin J. Brach
Foundation/Hazel and Bertram
Brodie Endowed Lecturer for Heart
Disease in Women, speaker on
womens health and cardiovascular
risk factor awareness through the
Sarver Heart Center outreach
program, and specializes in providing primary care to patients
with complex heart conditions.

James R. Carlson, M.D., M.B.A.

Board Certified Otolaryngologist
Fellow American Academy of Otolaryngology
Head and Neck Surgery
Fellow American College of Surgeons
Fellow of American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy
Federal Aviation Administration
Senior Aviation Medical Examiner

David H. Zacheis, M.D.

Board Certified Otolaryngologist
Fellow American Academy of Otolaryngology
Head and Neck Surgery
Fellow American College of Surgeons
Member of American of Otolaryngic Allergy

520-795-8777
3172 N Swan Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85712

1521 E. Tangerine Rd.

Suite 225
Oro Valley, AZ 85755

Monday Friday 7am 5 pm

Saturday 9 am 12 Noon

www.carlsonent.com
7

Dr. de Leonni opens new clinic

Mateja de Leonni Stanonik, M.D.,
M.A., Ph.D., who joined PCMS last
year, recently announced that she
has opened a new neurology clinic in
Tucson, VitaMedica Institute,
focusing on stroke/vascular neurology
as well as womens issues in
neurological disorders. She said it
is the first clinic in Arizona with
specific focus on womens
neurological issues.
The clinic incorporates an integrated
medicine and multidisciplinary approach to patient care, as
opposed to one based solely on pharmacology. Executive
neurological evaluations are also offered for those who would like
to address preventative/anti-aging issues of the brain and spine
as well as the peripheral nervous system, in order to efficiently
manage health and continue with optimal health through the
aging process.
Dr. de Leonni Stanonik is a board-certified neurologist with
additional training in vascular/stroke neurology,
neurodegenerative diseases, and headache/pain, as well as
neurological issues pertaining to women. She finished her
training at The George Washington University where she
currently serves on faculty. She currently holds active privileges

at Northwest Medical Center, TMC, Oro Valley Medical Center,

Carondelet St. Marys abnd St. Josephs hospitals, Carondelet
Holy Cross Hospital in Nogales, and Mount Graham Regional
Medical Center in Safford.
She is also former surgeon-general of the Republic of Slovenia,
and the republics consul to the U.S. She is in process of opening a
Slovenian consulate in Tucson.
Dr. de Leonni Stanonik has had 15 years experience designing
and implementing telemedicine systems in the U.S. and around
the world. As a telemedicine expert she incorporates treatment
and evaluation at a distance into her daily neurological practice.
Dr. de Leonni Stanonik says she is passionate about womens
issues in neurology. Conditions that affect the brain can be
trickier to treat in women than men, she said. Hormones and
reproductive concerns men dont encounter can influence
womens neurological conditions and courses of treatment.
VitaMedica Institute is designed to better serve female patients
at all stages of life, including pregnancy and menopause, and to
advance research in neurological conditions facing women. The
Womens Neurology Center at the Vita Medica is one of its kind
in Tucson, and one of only a small number of such womenfocused neurology centers nationwide. Patients will have the
opportunity to participate in research trials focused on female
neurological issues.
Dr. de Leonni Stanonik has been appointed as primary
coordinator for the Women in Neurology highlight section of
presentations at the upcoming 2015
Annual Academy of Neurology meeting in
Washington, D.C. She served on the
Executive Board of the AHA/ASA Chapter
for Southern Arizona 2013-14; chaired the
2014 Heart and Stroke Walk; and is an
adviser to the Southern Arizona Chapter of
the Alzheimers Association.
VitaMedica is accepting referrals including
for headaches and pain disorders, stroke/
TIA/vascular disorders, vertigo/dizziness,
lower back pain, neuropathy and
radiculopathy, chronic pain and
fibromyalgia, nerve blocks and other
procedures for nerve disorder treatment,
post-stroke and post-spinal cord injury
spasticity, dystonia, blepharospasm
treatments, myopathies and other
muscular disorders; vision disturbances,
sleep disorders, brain injury disorders,
neurodegenerative disorders, and womens
neurological issues in pregnancy and
perinatal period.
VitaMedica Institute is at 2850 E. Skyline
Drive, Suite 103, Tucson 85718; phone
520.638.5757; fax 520.447.5701; e-mail:
vmi@vmi.global; website: www.vmiglobal. n

SOMBRERO February 2015

PCMS News

Supes approve transfer

of countys former hospital
Pima County government reported Jan. 7 that its Board of
Supervisors voted that day to approve transferring the lease of its
hospital from University of Arizona Health Network to Banner
University Medical Center South Campus, LLC, in anticipation of
Banners merger with UAHN.
Republican Supervisor Ally Miller was the dissenting vote, the
county reported.
Banner and the Arizona Board of Regents announced last
summer the intent of the Phoenix-based hospital corporation to
merge with UAHN, which owns University Medical Center and
operates the countys hospital, formerly Kino Community
Hospital and currently called University of Arizona Medical
Center South Campus, the county reported.
Pima County reached an agreement with UAHNs predecessor,
University Physicians Healthcare, in 2004 to take over operation
of the county facility. UPH subsequently merged with the

company operating University Medical Center to form UAHN,

prompting a new lease agreement with the county in 2010.
Since UPH/UAHN took over operation of the hospital the
number of annual patient days has increased by 124 percent,
the average daily census has increased 78 percent, surgeries
have increased 434 percent, and clinic visits have increased
237 percent.
As part of the countys agreement with UAHN and the Arizona
Board of Regents, the county provides $15 million a year to UAHN
in consideration for a variety of services being provided at the
South Campus complex that benefit the county and the health of
its residents. Part of that contribution is used for Medicares
Graduate Medical Education program, which allows the hospital
to have these funds matched by the federal government at a
more than a 2:1 ratio.
Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry, in his request for
approval to the board, wrote, The hospital continues to increase
patient services, train a new generation of Pima County health
care professionals, and improve the health of the community.
Pima County staff will continue to monitor the operations of the
hospital and Banner Health will be held to the same rigorous
standards as was its predecessor and as befits an agency
receiving Pima County funding.
The merger was expected to be finalized later in January, the
country reported.

UofA has new grad program

in nutrition
The University of Arizona Department of Nutritional Sciences
recently announced its new graduate program, a Graduate
Certificate in Applied Nutritional Sciences (GCAN).
As recently as a decade ago, physicians themselves had little or
no training in nutrition. Designed to be completed in only eight
months, the UofA said, this 14-unit online program provides
students with an opportunity to learn and apply nutrition
knowledge and skills outside of a traditional, research-intensive
degree program.
Flexible in design and delivery, the GCAN is appropriate for
students seeking entry into the nutrition workforce, health
professionals who wish to enhance their knowledge in applying
evidence-based principles in nutritional sciences, or individuals
interested in pursuing graduate studies in a highly sought after
discipline.

Newly elected 2015 PCMS President Melissa Levine, M.D.

presents Past-President Timothy Marshall, M.D. with the
traditional service plaque at the PCMS Board meeting Jan. 6
(Dennis Carey photo).
SOMBRERO February 2015

For more information on this route to pursuing advanced

training in nutritional sciences, please visit: http://nutrition.cals.
arizona.edu/online-gradcert or e-mail Jennifer Ravia at jravia@
email.arizona.edu
n

Makols Call

Nice work if you can get it

By George J. Makol, M.D.

ts 2022 or somewhat
thereafter. Dr. Smith, a
young surgeon known to his
patients as Dr. Smitty, strolls
into his new, totally solarpowered office. The morning
was overcast, so there was not
enough overhead lighting to
see patients yet, but Dr. Smitty,
like most folks, had become
accustomed to such
inconveniences.
It was April and tax time, so he
got out the governmentprovided postcard that everyone used to file taxes. Using a
flashlight, he filled in his net proceeds from the practice,
multiplied by 15 percent, and filled in with those figures the only
two spaces on the card, and he was done with tax preparation.
He naturally had deducted the expenses required to run the
office, but since there was no malpractice insurance anymore, he
was planning to use the savings to take his family on a second
vacation this year.
He had noted on the way in today that there were more
homeless people on the streets. He had passed his former
accountant, his tax attorney, and a once-famous TV advertising
tort lawyer, all together in line at the food bank. It seems that
without hundreds of pages of tax law, all thrown out after the flat
tax was passed, that they had seen their lucrative professions
evaporate. Congress had also passed laws reinstating the British
tort system, where no one could sue without putting up
expenses, and then paying the other partys costs if they lost.
They had also outlawed payments for pain and suffering after
an Omaha jury awarded $1 trillion to a man who had chipped his
tooth at a restaurant.
Dr. Smitty glanced at his schedule and noticed that his first
patient was a formerly spectacularly rich real estate investor, now
barely making do, as Congress had repealed the notorious
exchange clause 1031 for real estate, allowing an investor to take
the profits from one project and within 18 months, roll them in to
a new larger venture, deferring virtually indefinitely paying
federal income tax on the capital gain. Now, a huge backlog of tax
revenue came due.
The doctor laughed because the real estate lobby had previously
convinced lawmakers that apartments, hotels, houses, and
vacant lots were all like properties. In fact, so much tax revenue
was generated by eliminating such ridiculous writeoffs that there
was virtually no national debt!
Dr. Smitty was not sure if he had enough time this morning to file
to run for U.S. Senator from Arizona, which he could now afford
10

to do, since it only cost $10,000 to enter the race and media
outlets had agreed years ago to provide free airtime to all
candidates. Lobbyists, those practitioners of legal bribery, had all
been eliminated awhile back. No more political contributions
were allowed, as no U.S. Senator or Representative could be
elected to more than one term.
Holy back to the future! you are probably saying Makol has
gone off the deep end again! You might be justified in this,
because none of the aforementioned is likely ever to happen. It is
likely we will never realize the day where a flat tax is accepted,
where tort reform will occur, where a certain class of individuals
because of lobbying cannot get preferred tax treatment, and
never, ever will we see the American royalty we call Senator
and Representative vote themselves out of a virtual lifetime
cushy job.
Who says theres no free lunch? Not only do congressional
elected officials get free lunches at a posh Capitol dining facility:
They also have free gym membership, free haircuts (not the kind
they give us), government-supplied automobiles, blue-chip
healthcare free of ObamaCare mandates, unlimited franking
privileges (free mail to constituents), and the ability to make as
many airline reservations as they wish, only taking the flight they
need with no cancellation fees for multiple reservations.
Almost as an afterthought, their compensation averages more
than $200,000 annually. But the real power they have is to
control tax policy, giving members of the U.S. Senate and House
the power to tell the common man and woman how to spend his
or her money, how to save, when to give to charity, and how
much you must take out of your own retirement accounts when
you do retire.
A Washington Post article of July 13, 2014 reported that
companies that donated to members of the powerful House
Ways and Means Committee, who control tax policy, received an
average of $3.3 million in tax savings over six years. Incumbents
get the big money, and get re-elected again and again. We in
Arizona had 34 years of Rep. Jim Kolbe in office, and only were
spared 34 more years because he resigned. Similarly, Sen. Jon Kyl
resigned after 18 years in office. Sen. John McCain may be there
forever! Are these the only people competent to run our
government, or should I ask, are any of them competent to run
our government?
We desperately need term limits for our elected officials. A U.S.
Senator should serve six years and be done, barred from reelection. A U.S. House of Representatives member should serve
four years and never run again. Regular people who are not
millionaires or billionaires could run for office instead. In my
whole professional life I have met one U.S. Senator, mainly
because I took care of his wife as a patient. Wouldnt it be great
SOMBRERO February 2015

to have met a bunch of lawmakers because they were chosen

from your neighborhood?
But you might point out the value, for example, of having years of
foreign-policy experience. If our foreign policies of our president
and Congress for Russia and the Middle East over the last few years
are examples, I would prefer PeeWee Herman were in charge.
Unfortunately, our Founding Fathers made one small mistake in
writing an otherwise brilliant U.S. Constitution. They did not put
term limits on our president, nor on members of Congress, as
they never foresaw serving in Congress as a career and a road
to riches. Ratification of the 22nd Amendment in 1951 set the
presidency at two terms. When our Framers such as Washington
and Jefferson returned to their plantations after serving, their
estates were in arrears, and their absence caused them
significant financial difficulty. They never imagined someone
could have a lucrative career by being elected repeatedly.
The Constitution provides that it takes a two-thirds vote of the
Senate and House to propose a constitutional amendment such
as term limits for Congress members. A convention may also be
called by a vote of two thirds of the states. For that first provision
to happen, the foxes in essence would have to vote themselves
out of the henhouse.
Dont hold your breath.
Sombrero columnist Dr. Makol, a PCMS member since 1980,
practices with Alvernon Allergy and Asthma, 2902
E. Grant Rd.

Superior medical care, right in your neighborhood!

Valley ENT is proud to offer Southern Arizona
residents the most comprehensive treatment
of the diseases of ear, nose and throat (ENT).

Steven J.
Blatchford,
MD

Our services include:

Effective, minimally invasive in-office procedures,

geared to improve your quality of life

Standard and no-shot allergy treatment
State of the art services in audiology and
hearing aids
Standard and at-home studies for sleep apnea

Call our office today to schedule an appointment!

A. J. Emami,
MD, FACS

James D.
Gordon,
MD

(520) 792-2170
Adam D. Ray,
MD

OFFICES LOCATED IN:

Tucson
Nogales
Willcox
SOMBRERO February 2015

Green Valley
Sierra Vista
Marana

David T.
Miyama
MD

11

Time Capsule

A Superior trip
By Nick Mansour, M.D.

uperior is my hometown. I was born there in January 1937.

I know some of its history, and Ive seen many of the changes
that have since occurred.
My brother-in-law Donald Hammer was born in 1929 in Casa
Grande, and is a mining engineer with a masters degree in
geology. He has explored and researched Arizona history which of
course includes mining, and he is probably as knowledgeable
about the geology of the mining areas in Arizona as anyone.
So when Dr. Jim Klein, PCMS History Committee chairman,
approached me about a history tour to Superior, I had the ideal
tour guide already in mind. Dr. Klein was interested not only in
mining history, but in such details as that Pinal City, near Superior,
was once home to Wyatt Earps common-law wife Mattie, real
name Celia Ann Blaylock. She lived in the old town of Pinal for a
year, and apparently died there as a result of suicide from
consumption of alcohol and laudanum. Her gravesite is in the
Historical Pinal Cemetery.
Pinal, a few miles west of Superior, was where silver ore from
the Silver King mine, one of the first Arizona silver mines,
was processed.

The Faces of Casa are the

Legendary Apache Leap Butte provides a backdrop for Superior

High School, fronted by its four Greek-revival columns.

Donald Hammer, Dr. Klein and I met for lunch shortly thereafter
and discussed what would be of interest, and my brother-in-law
and I went there in August 2014, toured the area, and mapped
out points of interest, though we did not find Mattie Earp
Blaylocks grave. Superior is in a valley, surrounded by formidable
mountains west and east of town.
About a month later Don and I made a second trip to retrace our
steps, and spent more time looking for the Pinal cemetery where
Mattie Earp Blaylock was buried. We re-traced our route and
came to a fork, the left branch of which we took the first time,
but decided to take the right branch the
second time. We traveled abut a mile and
came upon a wrought-iron fence with the
sign Historical Pinal Cemetery. This time we
found the grave location.

Dr. Ann Marie Chiasson

Associate Medical Director

Working in hospice allows me to

practice both the science of medicine
and the art of medicine. Put simply,
wonderful holistic patient care focused
on comfort allows patients to live longer
and more comfortably.

520.544.9890 | www.casahospice.com
Hospice services are paid for by Medicare

12

The six-hour strip was planned for Saturday,

Nov. 1, and we assembled at Oracle Junction
at 8:30 a.m with about 20 PCMS members
and their spouses. We took SR 79 through
Florence to Florence junction, then east on
US 60 toward Superior. Our first stop was a
spot four miles east of Florence Junction, and
from there we could see the valley north of
Florence with mountains to the west.
Don Hammer described the valleys flatness,
noting that there had been a mountain
rangehe called it part of the Mogollon
highlandsand it stretched from south of
Casa Grande to Superior, and from Tucson to
Wickenburg. He noted how the land had
sunken about 17 million years ago and
formed the valley we see today.
From there we traveled east on US 60 to the
Picket Post Trailhead turnoff. The road from
the highway to the trailhead is dirt to a
stretch of paved highway and was in poor
repair. This was the original highway US 60-SR
SOMBRERO February 2015

This stone in Historical Pinal Cemetery memorializes lawmanoutlaw Wyatt Earps common-law wife, before he met the love
of his life, Josephine Sarah Marcus.

The entrance to Historical Pinal Cemetery with Picket Post

Mountain behind.

70. When I was in high school, this stretch of road had been
abandoned for the newer highway which now is US 60, and it was
where high school boys would drag-race their souped-up cars.

deep ruts remain from the wagons that transported silver ore
from the mine to the town. There also appear to be several
metates in the rocks between the ruts, about two feet apart. We
speculated that these could be remains of where Native
Americans ground grains, since space between them appeared to
be about two shoulders width.

Picket Post Trailhead, the site marked with a plaque, is also where
the Arizona Trail passes through. For hikers this is the start to hike
to the top of Picket Post Mountain. The trail is fairly good at first,
is later marked with arrows, and the last 1.3 miles is a rugged,
From there, we proceeded east about a mile east on 60 and
Gnot go to
almost vertical climb up to the top of the mountain. There is a red
turned north onto Silver King Mine Road.BThe
ZINdid
UZroad
T
INNITUS
mailbox on the top where visitors can leave
their names and any comments. Hikers say
BUZZING
TINNITUS
this one is not for the weak or feeble. There
are restroom facilities at the trailhead stop,
TINNITUS
but no water.
TINNITUS

RING
BUZZ

Our next stop was the Pinal townsite. This

was a town established as Picket Post in
1877, when silver was discovered north of
Superior, and the mine was named Silver
King. It operated profitably from 1875 to
about 1887. At Pinal are some metal rods
that were cemented into the rock, the last
remnants of the stamp mill that processed
the ore. The town was placed five miles from
the mine because water from nearby Queen
Creek was needed for milling. There are still
some piles of ore from the mine, and on a
small hill just east of the mill you can find
remains of rock paths and what appear to
have been footings and cellars from houses
built there. In its day Pinal was a going
community, with all the amenities of an
Arizona mining town.
The road from US 60 to Pinal is a bit rough,
and traveling a bit slow. About a quarter-mile
in from the highway is a sign pointing to
wagon trail ruts. We returned from Pinal to
the sign and walked a short distance where
SOMBRERO February 2015

BUZZING

RING

HUMM

RINGING
HUMMINGGING
RIN

Your patients
deserve the
best hearing
care possible

ING

HUMM

TUS
INNI ING

RINGING

BUZ

G
N
I
G

We offer
comprehensive
tinnitus
consultations.

RINGING

HUMMING
RINGING

BUZZING

HUMMING

TINN

ITUS
RINGIN
G

BU

HU ZZING
MM
ING

IN
Learn more about why we are a
R
preferred audiologistplease visit our website: www.arizonahearing.com
We are preferred providers
on most insurance plans.

520.742.2845

7574 N La Cholla Blvd Tucson

520.742.2845

6969 E Sunrise Dr, Ste 203 Tucson

520.648.3277

Helping you hear your best.

512 E Whitehouse Canyon Rd, Ste 196

Green Valley
Janis Gasch, Au.D.
Doctor of Audiology, Founding Director
13

Looking down Superiors Magma Avenue, the once-dangerous

suicide curve can be seen, where more than 32 trucks
overturned after coming downhill and failing to make the
90-degree turn.

Part of MacPhersons Hotel Magma, right, was too far gone to

rebuild and was razed. Part of the 1963 MGM Western epic How
the West Was Won was filmed in Superior, with some of the
all-star cast saying at the Magma. The John Ford-directed
family saga won three academy awards.

the mine, but veered off to the west and up a hill. On the top of
the hill, we were able to retrace our route to Historical Pinal
Cemetery. We noted many graves, some of which had
headstones, but most did not. A plaque noted that Mattie Earp
Blaylock is buried in this cemetery, but that the gravesite is
unknown. Apparently a larger memorial to her had been taken
down. A local resident told me and Don Hammer that there was a
tendency for people to defile the grave.

From the cemetery we returned to US 60 and drove through

Superior, up Queen Creek, over a high bridge and through a
tunnel. This road was built in the early 1950s. Previously the old
road wound up the side of the creek walls. One can still see
remains of the old road and the Claypool tunnel. From one point
of the road we could look down into the canyon and see a large
water tank, once the towns main water supply.

Call to set up your appointment!

Allergies
Nasal/sinusitis problems
Hearing & balance disorders
Hearing aids & tinnitus
Endocrine & salivary gland disease
Voice disorders
Snoring and sleep apnea
Thyroid and parathyroid gland surgery
Cosmetic/Aesthetic surgery

Jonathan Lara, DO

Thomas S. Kang, MD

Amanda Kester, Au.D.

office: 775-3333 fax: 775-3334

www.sonoranent.com
6340 N. Campbell Ave., Ste. #256 Tucson, AZ 85718
14

About three miles east of Superior we turned onto the road to Oak
Flat, a picnic ground developed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and containing picnic tables and two erosion control
dams. We stopped a few yards inside the area and Don Hammer gave
a talk on the mines development of the mine, whose two headframes
could be seen in the distance. To the north is Magmas No. 9 shaft, in
use from 1972 until the mine was closed in 1996.
The newer headframe a few yards to the south is over
Resolutions No. 10 shaft, the location of present mine
development. Don Hammer gave a brief history of how the mine
was discovered, and about some of the development done to
reach the ore body more than 4,000 feet below.
We left Oak Flats and returned to Superior on U.S. 60, which
descends westward along Queen Creek Canyon across a high
bridge going south, then takes a long curve of about 90 degrees
and a long span until it reaches the town. To get to the town, one
has to veer off to the right and at the bottom there is a very sharp
90-degree turn onto Magma Avenue.
In 1952, at about 7:30 a.m., I heard a truck honking its horn in the
distance. My first thought was that a runaway truck had burned
out its brakes coming down the mountain, and so it might not
make the curve. But it did, and roared up Magma Avenue
stopping about a quarter-mile from the turn. My neighbor, owner
of a drugstore, was leaving to open his pharmacy when the truck
came to a stop and the two drivers emerged.
From what I remember, he said they were white as sheets. I
nicknamed this place suicide curve because at about 9 a.m.,
SOMBRERO February 2015

another truck also lost its brakes and came down at a very speed.
It did not make the curve and turned over. I recall that about 32
trucks wrecked on that curve. The highway department built a
runaway-ramp at the beginning of the curve. One truck made it
up the ramp but still turned over. No one was killed in any of the
crashes, but the fuel tanks of the one truck that turned over on
the runaway- ramp caught fire. The driver was badly burned and
died later of his injuries. Had his truck not caught fire, he
probably would have lived.
Another time, a car with several children as passengers lost its
brakes, went up the ramp and turned over. The occupants were
ejected, and fortunately no one was killed. To stem these tragedies,
the highway department had built a wide pullout area across from
the entrance to Oak Flats, and warned truckers of the curves
danger, and that they should check their brakes and go down in low
gear. This essentially ended the runaway truck problem. The
highway department later straightened the road, which now goes
straight through the town of Superior but south of Queen Creek.
Superior has several interesting buildings. The old high school still
stands, and I believe is one of the few high schools that had
Greek-revival columns in front, which became so typical of our
public buildings. Mine tailings can still be seen, though covered
with earth to make them more aesthetically pleasing. To the west
of town is the slag dump, and just north is the old smelter stack,
still standing although the furnace buildings were razed.
Superior had two grade-schools. Harding School, was at the west
end of town and is no longer used for classes. Roosevelt School,
more uptown and a block north of Main Street, is still in use. This
school had two classes for each grade, A Class for the Englishspeaking students, and B Class for those who did not primarily
speak English.
On Main Street toward the east end of town stands the old
Coleman Hotel, no longer in use. It burned down in the late 1950s
and was rebuilt. One man died in the fire and his body was found
in the stairwell.
Superiors main hotel was the Magma, which fell into disrepair,
and part of it is being rebuilt. This was where some of the stars of
the 1963 MGM film How the West Was Won stayed. The movies
railroad scene was filmed on the Magma Railroad. The old
Uptown Theater is gone, the drugstores have closed, and many of
the buildings are boarded up. We stopped at the Bob Jones
Museum, named for Bob Jones, Arizona governor in the late
1930s who had a drugstore in Superior. Id hoped we could have
gone in, but it was closed.
We toured some of the backstreets going by Roosevelt School
and down Pinal Street. On the way out we stopped at the location
of the old train depot. The depot building is no longer there, but
some of the tracks are still visible, some covered by the roadway.
This was effectively the entrance to the smelter area. The
company built housing there in 1924, and this section was called
Smelter Town. The company also built housing near the main
mine yard, and all these homes were occupied by administrative
personnel of Magma Copper Co.
The tour ended about 4 p.m. as we had planned, but we did not
SOMBRERO February 2015

Why choose
Desert Mountain Insurance?
see why our customers did...
Our physicians were so
impressed with how multitalented your team was and
that we were able to get our
malpractice, office, workers
comp, health and disability
policies in what seemed
like an instant. I would not
hesitate to say Desert
Mountain Insurance is the
best insurance source in
the Southwest!
Eric, Administrator
Read more testimonials at
desertmountaininsurance.com

VALUED VENDOR FOR THE

PIMA COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY
AZ MGMA MEMBER

ONE STOP INSURANCE FOR

Physicians & Surgeons
Other Medical Professionals
Healthcare Facilities & Services

COVERAGE INCLUDES
Professional Liability
General Liability & Property
Employee Benefits

866.467.3627
866.467.3611 fax

info@desertmountaininsurance.com

www.desertmountaininsurance.com
15

get to explore some other Superior points of interest. About

three miles west of town is the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, a
botanical garden established by Boyce Thompson, one of those
responsible for starting the mine in 1910. Originally the town was
called Queen, then Hastings, and later Superior, after the Lake
Superior and Arizona Company, which did shallow exploration of
the ore deposit 1902-1912.
The arboretum has plants from all over the world and includes an
olive garden, cactus garden, and eucalyptus and herbal groves.
The house on the hill overlooking the arboretum is where Boyce
Thompson lived during his visits. It is a large mansion-like
building, part of which has burned down. An arboretum visit
alone is well worth a weekend trip.

The Superior valleys scenery includes a prominent volcanic butte

called Picket Post, to the right as one enters from Gonzales Pass.
This feature was so named because there was a heliograph on
the top of the mountain that the cavalry used during early
territorial days and the Indian wars. There is a rugged trail to the
top and, from what Ive heard, the climb is worth it. Scenery from
the top is vast, including four peaks, the Superstition Mountains
and Weavers Needle, which can also be seen from the
arboretum. Possibly Tucsons Santa Catalinas are in view as well.

To the east is a formidable vertical volcanic bluff called Apache

Leap. Legend says that in the late 1800s some Apaches, to avoid
capture by the cavalry, rode their horses off the edge of the
mountain onto the rock down below. There are stories that bones
and skulls have been found. When I grew up
in Superior, common belief was that this was
legend, and untrue. There is no official
record of this happening, but some of the
history books do state that this actually
occurred. Apaches are legendarily proud and
We are Tucsons homegrown, full-service law firm providing legal services for
fierce warriors, but its still a mystery if this
Southern Arizona since 1969. We provide a wide array of legal services in business
event was because of that reputation, or
and corporate transactions, litigation, estate planning, bankruptcy, creditors
invented to fit it.

We know Tucson. We are Tucson.

rights, international transactions and disputes, personal injury, DUI, divorce, child
custody, and employment law.

Barry Kirschner professionally handles claims of persons who have become

medically disabled from employment through personal or group disability
insurance policies and are denied benefits. Barry has successfully litigated on
behalf of doctors, lawyers, and other professionals. Barry has handled ERISA
terminations administratively and in court, opposing every major disability
insurance carrier. Barry continues to be selected by his peers for inclusion in
The Best Lawyers in America in the field of Litigation ERISA and continues
to receive the highest AV ranking for quality and ethics from Marindale Hubbell.

For more info visit

www.wechv.com
An independent member of
MERITAS LAW FIRMS WORLDWIDE

West of town are some perlite mines. This

white rock expands when roasted and can be
ground to powder and used for lightweight
concrete and plastering. There are dark
obsidian remnants formed in the perlite that
are called Apache tears, representing the
tears Apache women shed for the warriors
who died jumping off the cliff.
A trip to Superior or the arboretum is about
an hour-and-a-half drive from Tucson. The
best time to go is early or mid-spring, at the
end of April or in May, and in Fall, in either
early or mid-November. The town has two
Mexican restaurants and two American-food
restaurants. If Internet material is current,
Copper Mountain Motel is on West Kiser
Street in Superior. East on US 60 is an
American Best Value Inn, and east on US 60,
Globe has a Travelodge and four other
motels.
If you go, take water, sunscreen, and hand
wash, as roadside facilities are a bit bare.
But this scenic trip makes a wonderful
weekend excursion.
Dr. Mansour, a hematologist-oncolgist
retired since 2005, joined PCMS in 1971. He
thanks Donald Hammer and Dr. James Klein
for their help in preparing the Superior trip
and this report. Without Donalds expertise
and knowledge, he said, this trip would not
have been possible.
n

Williams Centre | 8th Floor | t 520.790.5828

16

SOMBRERO February 2015

Behind the Lens

The old photography one-stop

By Hal Tretbar, M.D.

hen I grew up in Stafford,

Kansas, a farming
community in the central
plains, every town had a local
portrait studio. The
photographer usually had been
there for years, and knew
everyone in town.
They photographed families, from baptisms to funerals. For
portraits, the studios used large-format cameras and soft natural
light from large, north-facing windows. The local studio was also the
place to have the film from your box camera developed and printed.
Its fascinating today to see these old studio photos. By studying

Michael Hathaway monitors the 11 ledgers of vital information

for each glass plate.

these images you can find clues to what was important to the
people who lived there almost a century ago.
I still have the portraits of my family taken in Staffords Durham,
and later Rader studios. The image is usually sepia-toned and
presented in a firm cardboard mount with a folding cover.
Last fall I was back in my hometown to visit the Stafford County
Museum. I wanted to see the unique collection of W.R. Gray
images. He had had a studio for many years in St. John, the
nearby county seat.
Here is my father, J.J. Tretbar, M.D. when he was the towns
most eligible bachelor, in 1920 at age 35. He is looking suave
and relaxed with a half-smoked cigar. He is fashionably dressed
in a vested suit. His necktie puffs out a little to show a pearl
stickpin. The collar appears to be detachable, one that allows
collars to be changed so a starched shirt can be worn longer.
Finally there is the gold watch-chain from the coat button hole
to the left chest pocket. Note the soft lighting, partially sharp
focus, and Durham studio background.
SOMBRERO February 2015

The museum offices looked somewhat familiar when I walked in

the front door. They should be, because they are on the premises
of the old Tretbar Clinic. My father, his M.D. brother, his dentist
brother, and later a nephew, had the clinic in this building for
more than 50 years.
I was welcomed by Michael Hathaway, the museum curator. The
museum was established in 1976 and incorporated in 1979.
17

Michael has done a fantastic job of preserving the history of

Stafford County by collecting and organizing genealogy records,
newspapers back to 1877, and many historical artifacts.
In 1986 the museum received 32,700 glass-plate negatives from
William R. Grays daughter Jessie. Michael told me the story of
W.R. Gray.
Gray, 1865-1947, opened his studio in St. John in 1905. He, his
wife, and five children lived in a two-story apartment in the back.
Two of the children became photographers. His son Royal had a
studio in Ulysses, Kansas, and his daughter Jessie took over the
business when he died. Another son, Arzy, became a Ph.D. and
chemist for Eastman Kodak.
Gray did not use film; he used nothing but glass-plate negatives.
They were sharper because of the flat surface and less easy to
damage. He shot mostly 5x7-inch plates, but sometimes larger.
Gray was a meticulous artist. He kept a record of every image
with the date and the name of the person or place. Eleven
ledgers with the vital information came with the plates when
they were donated to the museum.
Because of the collections significance, the museum has been
able to obtain grants and funding to preserve the plates and
records. Each plate is brushed on the emulsion side with an antistatic brush. The glass side is washed with a cotton ball and
distilled water. When dry, the plate is inserted into an acid-free
folder that is placed in an archival box. All plates are stored in an
old bank vault. The information for each negative is entered in a
computer database.
Here are several images used with the permission of the Stafford
County Museum:

In August 1908, Fred Van Lieu posed with his bicycle. This
handsome guy with a derby and fancy watch-fob holds a pant clip
in his left hand. Another clip is on the cycle frame. The bike has a
bell on the right handle and is equipped with a carbide headlight,
a tire pump, a rear wheel brake, and has ridged pedals.

What is happening here? On Oct. 3, 1921, R. J. McCormick peered

through his Buick while casually holding a revolver. Mostly
unseen behind the car, a man relaxes in front of the hardware
store. There is a spotlight on the windshield, so he could be a cop
answering an emergency call.

Miss Gould, Clara Dunn, Merle Smith, and Eva Dunn of St. John put
on their fancy hats for a group photo on March 27, 1909. For some
reason Clara Dunn and Smith are wearing mens suits and hats.
18

The Forsyth Library at Fort Hays State College in Kansas has put
the images that have been processed so far on its website.
Youll find fascinating what was going on in the American
Midwestern early 1900s by pulling up: http:/contentcat.fhsu/
cdm/landingpage/collection/Stafford. The Stafford County
Museum website is museum.staffordcounty.org.
n
SOMBRERO February 2015

Humanism

Whats gone missing

By Stuart Faxon

hy is there a Humanism department in my Sombrero?

youre asking. Isnt that for university catalogs and
liberal arts syllabi?
Its also for medicine, but its gone missing these days, say
organizers of the Sixth Annual Cindy Wool
Memorial Seminar on Humanism in Medicine,
7 p.m. Tuesday March 31 at the Fox Tucson
Theatre, with guest speaker Siddhartha
Mukherjee, M.D. Tickets are available at www.
foxtucsontheatre.org.

Currently Dr. Muhkerjee is an assistant professor of medicine at

Columbia University and staff physician at Columbia University
Medical Center in New York City. He has been the Plummer Visiting
Professor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., the Joseph

Dr. Muhkerjee will also be speaking at noon

March 31 at DuVal Auditorium at UAMC before
his appearance the Fox, geared toward medical
students, house staff and faculty, but like the
seminar it is open to all. RSVP by March 27 to
College of Medicine Special Events Office,
specialevents@medicine.arizona.edu .
Organizers say the seminars goals are to
sensitize and enhance insight into the unique
relationship between healthcare professionals
and their patients. This recognizes the concept
that each clinicians ability to participate in the
healing process derives from his or her
capacity for compassion and empathy.
As the Arnold P. Gold Foundation puts it,
Humanism in medicine describes
relationships between physicians and their
patients that are respectful and
compassionate. It is reflected in attitudes and
behaviors that are sensitive to the values,
autonomy, and cultural and ethnic background
of other. The Gold Foundation, started at
Columbia University, has been closely aligned
with the lecture series since its inception.
Dr. Mukherjee is an Indian-born American
physician, scientist, and writer best known for
his 2010 book, The Emperor of All Maladies: A
Biography of Cancer, for which he won a
Pulitzer Prize. Time named it one of the 100
most influential books written in English since
1923, and the New York Times Magazine
called it one of the 100 notable books of 2010.
SOMBRERO February 2015

19

Garland lecturer at the Massachusetts Medical Society, and an

honorary visiting professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
A hematologist and oncologist, Dr. Mukherjee is also known for
his work on the formation of blood and the interactions between
the micro-environment (or niche and cancer cells. As a biology
major at Stanford University, he worked in Nobel Laureate Paul
Bergs laboratory defining cellular genes that change the
behaviors of cancer cells.
He then won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, where he
earned a D.Phil. in immunology from Magdalen College, Oxford.
After graduation, he attended Harvard Medical School (HST)

where he earned an M.D. His postgraduate years consisted of a

residency in internal medicine followed by an oncology fellowship
at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Event founder Steven A. Wool, M.D. has been a PCMS member
since 1985. An IM and family medicine physician with an accent
on geriatrics, he has built exercise into his practice as well as his
own life. Dr. Wools wife of 27 years, Cindy, died at 54 in 2008 of
complications from leukemia. She had been active in her
husbands practice and was much loved.=
After Cindy died, Dr. Wool said, the event was set up by
interested physicians. Physicians interested in humanism: Is this
not a given? We would hope that our
physicians would have those qualities,
Dr. Wool said, but in modern medicine
we have abandoned much of this. Its a
consequence of overwork, insurance
requirements, time, and lack of training in
physicians schooling.
In our healthcare system everyones
making money, while the only people
who really suffer are the patients, Dr.
Wool said. The humanistic aspects of
medical care are not often discussed in
medical schools.
At 6 p.m. March 31, an hour before the
event start at the Fox, you can attend a
VIP reception with Dr. Mukherjee.
Tickets are $100 and available at www.
foxtucsontheatre.org.
The Maimonides Society of the Jewish
Federation of Southern Arizona, in
conjunction with the University of
Arizona College of Medicine, sponsor
the event. The Gold Foundation, TMC,
and Radiology Ltd. have all been big
supporters, Dr. Wool said. Its not about
raising money. Its about getting the best
people in the medical field to incorporate
humanism in the teaching of medicine.
Its also not just for the Jewish community,
but the whole Tucson medical community.
Its in the spirit of Maimonides to extend
throughout the community, in the
spiritual and academic senses.
Dr. Wool also encouraged anyone
interested in future topics for the lecture
series to contact the JFSAs Bryan Pisetsky
at 577.9393 or bpisetsky@jfsa.org.
n

20

SOMBRERO February 2015

Perspecve

How politics ruined the office of surgeon-general

By Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S.

n Dec. 15, 2014, the U.S.

Senate took action, largely
along party lines, to confirm
Dr. Vivek Murthy as the next
U.S. Surgeon-General. The
nomination had languished for a
year due to insufficient Senate
support for Dr. Murthy.

Dr. Richard Carmona during

his service as U.S. SurgeonGeneral.

But, as the lame duck session

entered its 18th hour, Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid
(D-Nev.) again invoked the
nuclear option to clear the way
for Dr. Murthys confirmation.
Culling together the support of
51 senators mainly along party
lines, Dr. Murthy barely received
enough votes to be confirmed.

is equivalent to the surgeon-general of the Army, Navy, or Air Force.

The difference is that the Army, Navy, or Air Force surgeons-general
earn rank and title after decades of selfless service, as did the U.S.
Surgeon-General before politicians, for their own benefit, began to
circumvent the unformed service merit system.
This blatant political self-interest is of no public benefit; it
undermines the credibility of the office of surgeon-general; and
serves to demoralize and demean the career service of our
uniformed men and women. It leaves them marginalized, and
prevented from meritoriously being considered for U.S. SurgeonGeneral as they once were.
Partisan politicians acting in self-interest is nothing new, but we
should recognize that by conferring politically the rank of viceadmiral and the title of surgeon-general on anyone who has not
earned that right, the partisan pols disadvantage that person from
the start. Inside the D.C. Beltway, where the U.S. Surgeon-General
lives and works, his peers are genuine admirals, generals, and senior
health professionals who have earned their respective positions.

This was truly unfortunate, since the nations doctor needs

bipartisan support to be successful: Disease and public health have
no party affiliation.

Ironically, had it not been for a late-night political strategic blunder

by a Republican senator, Dr. Murthys name may never have been
advanced for confirmation.

Dr. Murthy is a gifted young physician, still early in his career, and
already has significant accomplishments, but no formal public
health training, and little management or senior leadership
experience. His nomination became controversial due to this, and
his political advocacy and perceived bias on several issues.

Politics aside, Dr. Murthy is fortunate that in protecting the health,

safety, and security of the nation he will be surrounded by members
of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. These are
true professionals who, after after many years of public health
leadership and management experience, can provide him with
historical perspective and public health guidance moving forward.

That said, its important to recognize that the problem is in the

politicization of the surgeon-general nomination process, and Dr.
Murthys nomination and confirmation reflect that dysfunction.
The U.S. Surgeon-General has the rank of vice-admiral, and leads
the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, one of the
seven United States uniformed military services. The three-star rank

SOMBRERO February 2015

Dr. Murthy would be wise to follow their lead.

PCMS member Dr. Carmona is 17th U.S. Surgeon-General, former
U.S. Senate candidate, vice-chairman of Canyon Ranch, and
president of Canyon Ranch Institute. This opinion piece was posted
Dec. 18, 2014 on The Daily Caller website.
n

21

CME

Local CME from Pima County

Medical Foundation
Pima County Medical Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit
organization derived from but separate from PCMS, presents
Continuing Medical Education lectures by our members and
others, for our members and others, on second Tuesday evenings
monthly at PCMS headquarters. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m. and
presentation is at 7. The 2015 schedule is:
March 10: Breast Reconstruction SurgeryImplants and
Complications with doctors Swen Sandeen and Richard Hess.
April 14: Cancer of the LungNewer Treatments and Cancer
Screening with physicians from Radiology Ltd.
May 12: Healthcare Reform 2015What the Hell is
Happening?? with several speakers coordinated by Dr. Timothy
C. Fagan. Foundation Awards are presented at this time.
June 9: Heart-Healthy Diet with cardiologists Dietmar Gann
and Charles Katzenberg.
Sept. 8: Vasectomy Reversals and Impotence with Dr. Sheldon
Marks.
Oct. 13: Common GI Viral DiseasesDiagnosis, Mechanisms
of Action, and Treatment with Claire Payne, Ph.D.
November 10: PharmacogenomicsHow Medicines Affect
Differing Demographics of Patients with Dr. Timothy C. Fagan.

February
Feb. 16-19: The 2015 Update on Psychiatry: Continuing a Proud
23-Year Tradition is at the JW Marriott Star Pass resort in Tucson.
Event targets physicians, NPs, RNs, PAs, RNs, psychologists, allied
health students and interested community members.
This four-day live activity will provide an overview and
practical summary of the latest information on psychiatry and
psychopharamcology, organizers said. This is a multi-accredited
course with 23.25 CME hours. The course is designed to keep you
current in your daily practice and help you prepare for MOC by
the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Conference website is www.psychofarm.arizona.edu for a
complete course schedule and list of speakers, and to register
online.

March
March 5-7: The 11th Annual Mayo Clinic Womens Health
Update is at Firesky Resort, 4925 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale
85251; phone 480.945.7666 or 1800.528.7867.
Accreditation: 18.5 AMA PRA Category 1; 18.5 AOA Category
2-A.
Course addresses needs of female patients and their
healthcare providers. Participants should gain comprehensive
insight into relevant medical problems uniquely found in women
as well as a basic approach to addressing and improving common
health concerns. Topics include cardiovascular health, breast
health, Ob-Gyn and menopause, infectious disease,
22

endocrinology, dermatology, ophthalmology, musculoskeletal

health, and psycho-social health.
Contact: Gloria Cadden, Mayo Clinic Scottsdale, 13400 E. Shea
Blvd., Scottsdale 85259; phone 480.301.4580; fax 480.301.8323
mca.cme@mayo.edu http://www.mayo.edu/cme
Website: http//www.mayo.edu/cme/women-s-health2015s880
March 25-28: Clinical Reviews 2015: The 26th Annual Family
Medicine and Internal Medicine Update is at Westin Kierland
Resort, 6902 E. Greenway Pkwy., Scottsdale 85254; phone
480.301.4580; e-mail info@kierlandresort.com .
Accreditation: 27 PRA Category 1 credits; and 24 AOA and
Attendance.
Four-day course on diagnosis and treatment of hematologic
and oncologic disorders targets hematologists, oncologists, PAs,
NPs, RNs, pharmacists, and allied health professionals, and
features the most recent medical updates and management
strategies for various diseases. Program includes lectures, Q&A
panel discussions, audience interactive format.
Website: https://ce.mayo.edu/family-medicine/node/1606.
Contact: Lilia Murray, Mayo School of Continuous Professional
Development, 13400 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale 85259; phone
480.301.4580; fax 480.301.8323. mca.cme@mayo.edu www.
mayo.edu/cme

June
June 27-July 3: February is not too early to think about
summer, especially because there are only four spots left for
THMEPs Fifth Bi-Annual Colorado River Medical Conference.
This trip-of-a-lifetime runs down the Colorado River through the
Grand Canyon, leaving at 8 a.m. Saturday June 27 from Lees
Ferry, and returning there Friday July 3.
The trip is mildly strenuous and potential dangerous due to
large rapids, Dr. Dick Dale said, but its extremely fun and
educational. I need a commitment from 23 people in order to
schedule the conference for 12-14 CME credits. Deadline is fast
approaching for the four more spots to fill, so please call me at
721.8505, or e-mail rdale9136@aol.com about your interest as
soon as possible.
Significant others and children 8 and older are invited. Cost is
$2,600 per person (not payable to Tucson Hospitals Medical
Education Program) for the full trip plus registration fee (payable
to THMEP) exclusive of one nights lodging at Marble Canyon.
Registration fee is $200 for physicians and dentists, and $100 for
nurses, residents, allied health professionals, and physician
retirees.
The events education component will have physicians
presenting updates in IM, orthopedics, ENT, vascular surgery,
general surgery and traumas.

Members Classifieds
SHARED SPACE FOR RENT: Active Neurology office in Northwest Tucson
has office space to lease. Renter does not need to be in Neurology field. If
interested, contact Mike at Northstar Neurology at 520-229-1238 or e-mail
clhmaxwell@aol.com and refer to Space for Rent.
SOMBRERO February 2015

Take care of your health.

Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening

Its quick, easy and could save your life.

Lung cancer is responsible for 1 of every 3 cancer deaths and is the most
common cause of cancer death in most populations. Low-Dose Chest CT
(LDCT) screening can detect many small lung cancers before they are visible
on a regular chest X-ray, increasing treatment options and survival rates.
By finding a lung cancer with a screening LDCT scan when the cancer is small,
more effective and potentially curable treatment options become available.
Who should be screened?
Smokers age 55 - 74 with a 30 or more pack-year history of smoking.
Former Smokers age 55 - 74 with a 30 or more pack-year history of smoking
who have quit within the past 15 years.

If you are a smoker, have

a history of smoking or
have other risk factors for
lung cancer, please contact
your doctor to see if LDCT
Lung Cancer Screening is
appropriate for you.
For more information about
this and other screening
exams provided by Radiology
Ltd., please visit our website at
www.radltd.com.

A TUCSON TRADITION FOR MORE THAN 80 YEARS

SOMBRERO February 2015

23

MICA_Sombrero02'15ad_MICA_Sombrero05'04ad 1/14/15 11:34 AM Page 1

MICA MEMBERS RECEIVE

TH CONSECUTIVE DIVIDEND

MICAs Board of Trustees is pleased to announce

a $27 million dividend for the 2014 policy year.
This is our 10th consecutive dividend and our
24th dividend since MICAs founding.

MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE

(602) 956-5276, (800) 352-0402
www.mica-insurance.com
Dividends declared for a given policy year reflect the Companys financial performance
during that year. Past performance does not guarantee future dividends.

24

SOMBRERO February 2015