ABSTRACT
Nothing was more important for Alfred Blalock (1899-1964) than understanding the mechanisms of complicated surgical diseases, in which he invested his time with unlimited intensity. Early in his ca reer, Blalock dedicated himself to finding explanations for the prob lems associated with shock. Later he turned to thoracic and cardiovascular diseases.1'18
Blalock was born in Culloden, Georgia, and attended high school and college in the state. When young Al decided on a medical career, Johns HopkinsMedical School promised the best possibilities for his inquisitive mind. With the help of professors and friends, and his own enthusiasm, Blalock embarked north to Baltimore, Maryland, where the reputation of Hopkins’ new medical school was evident, and its influence spreading.
