Charles Everett Koop (October 14, 1916 – February 25, 2013)
was an American
pediatric surgeon
Pediatric surgery is a medical specialty, subspecialty of surgery involving the surgery of fetuses, infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
History
Pediatric surgery arose in the middle of the 1879 century as the surgical care of birt ...
and public health administrator. He was a
vice admiral in the
U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps,
and served as the 13th
Surgeon General of the United States
The surgeon general of the United States is the operational head of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government of the United States. Th ...
under President
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
from 1982 to 1989. According to the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
, "Koop was the only surgeon general to become a household name" due to his frequent public presence around the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s.
Koop was known for his work on
tobacco use
Tobacco smoking is the practice of burning tobacco and ingesting the resulting smoke. The smoke may be inhaled, as is done with cigarettes, or simply released from the mouth, as is generally done with pipes and cigars. The practice is believed ...
,
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
, and
abortion
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...
, and for his support of the
rights of children with disabilities.
Early life and education
Koop was born in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, New York, the only child of John Everett Koop (1883–1972), a banker and descendant of 17th-century Dutch settlers, and Helen (née Apel) Koop (1894–1970).
In 1937, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in zoology degree from
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...
,
where he was given the nickname "Chick" (occasionally used for his first name, Charles, but here an allusion to a
chicken coop
Poultry farming is the form of animal husbandry which raises domesticated birds such as chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese to produce meat or eggs for food. Poultry – mostly chickens – are farmed in great numbers. More than 60 billion chicke ...
). His interest in medicine followed a year in the hospital after a childhood skiing accident and
brain hemorrhage
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), also known as cerebral bleed, intraparenchymal bleed, and hemorrhagic stroke, or haemorrhagic stroke, is a sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain, into its ventricles, or into both. It is one kind of bleed ...
. He earned his
MD degree from
Cornell
Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...
Medical College in 1941 and
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science ( la, links=no, Scientiae Doctor), usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D., or D.S., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries, "Doctor of Science" is the degree used f ...
degree in medicine from the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
in 1947.
Medical career
From 1946 to 1981, Koop was the surgeon-in-chief at the
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is a children's hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with its primary campus located in the University City neighborhood of West Philadelphia in the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. The h ...
(CHOP). Koop was able to establish the nation's first neonatal surgical intensive care unit there in 1956.
He helped establish the
biliary atresia
Biliary atresia, also known as extrahepatic ductopenia and progressive obliterative cholangiopathy, is a childhood disease of the liver in which one or more bile ducts are abnormally narrow, blocked, or absent. It can be congenital or acquired. I ...
program at CHOP when Japanese surgeon
Morio Kasai
Morio Kasai (; September 29, 1922 – December 8, 2008) was a Japanese surgeon who had a strong interest in pediatric surgery. While Kasai went into practice at a time when pediatric surgery was not an established subspecialty, much of his clinica ...
came to work with him in the 1970s. He also established the pediatric surgery fellowship training program at CHOP. During his tenure there he graduated 35 residents and 14 foreign fellows, many of whom went on to become professors of pediatric surgery, directors of divisions of pediatric surgery, and surgeons-in-chief of children's hospitals.
Koop became a professor of pediatric surgery in 1959 and professor of
pediatrics
Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until th ...
in 1971 at the
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
The Perelman School of Medicine, commonly known as Penn Med, is the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1765, the Perelman School of Medicine is the oldest medi ...
.
While a surgeon in Philadelphia, Koop performed groundbreaking surgical procedures on
conjoined twins
Conjoined twins – sometimes popularly referred to as Siamese twins – are twins joined ''in utero''. A very rare phenomenon, the occurrence is estimated to range from 1 in 49,000 births to 1 in 189,000 births, with a somewhat higher incidence ...
, invented techniques which today are commonly used for infant surgery, and saved the lives of countless children who otherwise might have been allowed to die. He invented anesthetic and surgical techniques for small bodies and metabolisms and participated in the separation of several sets of conjoined twins whose condition other physicians at the time considered hopeless. He first gained international recognition in 1957 by the separation of two female pygopagus infants (conjoined at the
pelvis
The pelvis (plural pelves or pelvises) is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the thighs (sometimes also called pelvic region), together with its embedded skeleton (sometimes also called bony pelvis, or pelvic skeleton).
The ...
) and then, again, in 1974 by the separation of two ischiopagus twins (conjoined at the
spine
Spine or spinal may refer to:
Science Biology
* Vertebral column, also known as the backbone
* Dendritic spine, a small membranous protrusion from a neuron's dendrite
* Thorns, spines, and prickles, needle-like structures in plants
* Spine (zoolog ...
) sharing a liver, colon, and parts of the intestines with their entire trunks merged.
Koop was active in publishing articles in the medical literature. Koop later wrote that Koop helped rectify this by publishing his own findings and results. Additionally, he became the first editor of the ''Journal of Pediatric Surgery'' when it was founded in 1966.
In contrast to his years as surgeon general, when it was his policies and speeches that had bearing on other people, his years as an operating pediatric surgeon involved a more individualized, direct, hands-on effect on others. During the course of his long career, for example, he performed some seventeen thousand
inguinal hernia
An inguinal hernia is a hernia (protrusion) of abdominal-cavity contents through the inguinal canal. Symptoms, which may include pain or discomfort especially with or following coughing, exercise, or bowel movements, are absent in about a third ...
repairs and over seven thousand
orchidopexies (surgery for correcting
undescended testicle
Cryptorchidism, also known as undescended testis, is the failure of one or both testes to descend into the scrotum. The word is from Greek () 'hidden' and () 'testicle'. It is the most common birth defect of the male genital tract. About 3% of ...
). He developed new procedures, such as the colon interposition graft for correcting
esophageal atresia Esophageal can refer to:
* The esophagus
* Esophageal arteries
* Esophageal glands
The esophageal glands are glands that are part of the digestive system of various animals, including humans.
In humans
Esophageal glands in humans are a part of a ...
(congenital lack of continuity of the esophagus) or ventriculoperitoneal shunts for treatment of
hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus is a condition in which an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) occurs within the brain. This typically causes increased intracranial pressure, pressure inside the skull. Older people may have headaches, double vision, poor ...
(accumulation of excessive cerebral spinal fluid in and around the brain causing neurological problems).
He also tackled many difficult cases ranging from childhood cancer to surgeries done on
conjoined twins
Conjoined twins – sometimes popularly referred to as Siamese twins – are twins joined ''in utero''. A very rare phenomenon, the occurrence is estimated to range from 1 in 49,000 births to 1 in 189,000 births, with a somewhat higher incidence ...
, of which he and his colleagues operated upon ten pairs during his 35-year tenure. In all he operated on many children and babies with congenital defects 'incompatible with life but amenable to surgical correction'.
In 1976, Koop wrote ''The Right to Live, The Right to Die'', setting down his concerns about abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia.
Koop also took some time off from his surgical practice to make a series of films with Christian apologists
Frank Schaeffer and his father
Francis Schaeffer
Francis August Schaeffer (January 30, 1912 – May 15, 1984) was an American evangelical theologian, philosopher, and Presbyterian pastor. He co-founded the L'Abri community in Switzerland with his wife Edith Schaeffer, , a prolific author ...
in 1978, entitled ''Whatever Happened to the Human Race?'' based on the book of the same title that was previously written by the elder Schaeffer.
Frank Schaeffer and his associate, Jim Buchfuehrer provided a private, five hour screening to
U.S. Rep. Jack Kemp and wife Joanne on their home that, according to Frank Schaeffer's account of the late evening and early morning event in his book ''Crazy for God'', led to both the Schaeffers and Koop obtaining "...access to everyone in the Republican Party".
President Ronald Reagan, shortly after his first inauguration, appointed Koop Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health in February 1981.
It was understood that Reagan would later nominate Koop to be surgeon general.
Surgeon General of the United States
As expected, Koop was nominated to be Surgeon General of the United States by Reagan later in 1981.
Many liberal politicians and women's groups opposed the nomination because of Koop's very conservative views and strong anti-abortion beliefs.
His nomination was confirmed by the
U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
on November 16, 1981, by a vote of 60–24.
He was sworn into office on January 21 the following year.
Abortion
Though Koop was opposed to
abortion
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...
on personal and religious grounds,
he declined to state that abortion procedures performed by qualified medical professionals posed a substantial health risk to the women whose pregnancies were being terminated, despite political pressure to endorse such a position.
Koop Report
Koop, an opponent of abortion, resisted pressure from the
Reagan administration
Ronald Reagan's tenure as the 40th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1981, and ended on January 20, 1989. Reagan, a Republican from California, took office following a landslide victory over D ...
in 1987 to prepare a report stating that abortion was psychologically harmful to women.
He said it was not a public health issue but a moral one.
Koop assigned an assistant, George Walter, the task of researching the matter. Walter obtained a list of articles from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...
(CDC), authored mostly by CDC abortion-surveillance staff, and consulted with
Alan Guttmacher Institute
The Guttmacher Institute is a research and policy NGO that aims to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide. This research organization was started in 1968 and works to study, educate, and advance sexual and reproductive health ...
personnel. Walter wrote a draft report on his findings and gave it to Koop.
In a January 10, 1989 letter to Reagan, Koop said that there was insufficient evidence to substantiate issuing the finding desired by the administration.
He also commented about how some of the president's advisers thought that "it was a foregone conclusion that the negative health effects of abortion on women were so overwhelming that the evidence would force the reversal of ''
Roe v. Wade
''Roe v. Wade'', 410 U.S. 113 (1973),. was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States conferred the right to have an abortion. The decision struck down many federal and st ...
''".
Koop did not present the draft report to Reagan and claimed he never approved it.
In March 1989, the "Koop Report" became public after it was
subpoena
A subpoena (; also subpœna, supenna or subpena) or witness summons is a writ issued by a government agency, most often a court, to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of ...
ed and became part of a
Congressional subcommittee hearing.
Although there were allegations that the report had not been released previously because it was biased, the document contained all arguments on both sides of the issue.
Tobacco
In his 1988 Report of the Surgeon General, it was reported that
nicotine
Nicotine is a natural product, naturally produced alkaloid in the nightshade family of plants (most predominantly in tobacco and ''Duboisia hopwoodii'') and is widely used recreational drug use, recreationally as a stimulant and anxiolytic. As ...
has an addictiveness similar to that of heroin or
cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...
. Koop's report was somewhat unexpected, especially by those who expected him to maintain the status quo in regard to his office's position on tobacco products. During his tenure, in 1984, Congress passed legislation providing for new, rotated health warning labels on cigarette packs and required advertising to include the labels. Those labels remain unchanged today. New labels containing graphic depictions of smoking-caused illness and death have been announced by the FDA, but are on hold pending the outcome of tobacco industry legal challenges. Koop issued a challenge to Americans in 1984 to "create a smoke-free society in the United States by the year 2000." As Surgeon General, he released eight reports on the health consequences of tobacco use, including the first report on the health consequences of involuntary tobacco smoke exposure. During Koop's tenure as Surgeon General, smoking rates in the United States declined significantly from 38% to 27%.
AIDS
Koop was Surgeon General when public health authorities first began to take notice of
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
. For his first four years in office, Koop, the nation's top health officer, was prevented from addressing this health crisis, for reasons he insisted were never fully clear to him but that were no doubt political. Koop wrote the official U.S. policy on the disease, and in 1988 he took unprecedented action in
mailing AIDS information to every U.S. household. Gay activists and their supporters were unhappy with the way in which he targeted gay sex and the risk of infection through anal sexual intercourse as primary vectors of the disease, but Koop was unapologetic, claiming such activities entail risks several orders of magnitude greater than other means of transmission. Religious activists, upset over the pamphlet's frank discussion of sexual practices and advocacy of condom use, called for Koop's resignation. Koop also infuriated some former supporters by advocating sex education in schools, possibly as early as the third grade, including later instruction regarding the proper use of condoms to combat the spread of AIDS. While a straightforward telling to the public about the disease was controversial, Koop was also criticized by some health activists who claimed that his office had not gone far enough in attempting to develop a cure or vaccine, reducing the role of his office to educating the public on health concerns.
Disability
In April 1982, a child born in
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County, Indiana, Monroe County in the central region of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the List of municipalities in Indiana, seventh-largest city in Indiana and the fourth-largest outside ...
, was diagnosed with
Down syndrome
Down syndrome or Down's syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is usually associated with physical growth delays, mild to moderate intellectual dis ...
as well as
esophageal atresia Esophageal can refer to:
* The esophagus
* Esophageal arteries
* Esophageal glands
The esophageal glands are glands that are part of the digestive system of various animals, including humans.
In humans
Esophageal glands in humans are a part of a ...
with
tracheoesophageal fistula
A tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF, or TOF; see spelling differences) is an abnormal connection (fistula) between the esophagus and the trachea. TEF is a common congenital abnormality, but when occurring late in life is usually the sequela of surgica ...
. Six days later, after court involvement and parental discussion involving disagreement among physicians about whether or not to treat the baby or let him die, the baby died, having been denied surgical treatment to correct his esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula. Baby Doe, as he would be known, became a symbol for newborns with birth defects, children with disabilities, and the debate over infanticide. Koop was not initially involved with the Baby Doe case but had a special interest in it. As a pediatric surgeon in Philadelphia, he and his colleagues had operated on 475 such babies during his 35 years there, with ever-increasing survival rates. During his last eight years in active practice, Koop never lost a full-term baby upon whom he had operated to correct esophageal atresia. It was due to this background that he became actively involved in championing policies to protect the rights of newborns with disabilities, which led to Congress passing the
Baby Doe Amendment.
Style
These four issues, combined with Koop's personality and his willingness to make use of mass media, brought to the office of Surgeon General a higher public profile than it previously had merited; he is, for instance, the first Surgeon General to have been the subject of a popular song – "Promiscuous" by
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...
. He was interviewed by
Ali G
Alistair Leslie Graham, better known as Ali G, is a satirical fictional character created and performed by English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. A faux-streetwise poseur from Staines, Ali G speaks in rude boy-style Multicultural London English a ...
for comedic effect.
Koop was well known for his
mustache-less beard and colorful
bow tie
The bow tie is a type of necktie. A modern bow tie is tied using a common shoelace knot, which is also called the bow knot for that reason. It consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar of a shirt in a symmetrical manner so that th ...
s. During much of his day-to-day work, Koop wore the Surgeon General's US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps uniform, a uniform similar to that of a
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
Vice Admiral's. During his tenure he re-instated the daily wearing of the PHS uniform by the officers of the PHS.
Later career
Following his career as Surgeon General, Koop was on The Firestorm Solutions Expert Council. Koop hosted a documentary series in 1991, simply titled ''
C. Everett Koop, M.D.'' It aired for six episodes on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
.
Koop and other investors established drkoop.com in 1997, during the
dot-com bubble
The dot-com bubble (dot-com boom, tech bubble, or the Internet bubble) was a stock market bubble in the late 1990s, a period of massive growth in the use and adoption of the Internet.
Between 1995 and its peak in March 2000, the Nasdaq Compo ...
.
This medical information website was one of the first major online sources of health information. Critical review of the site content revealed that many of the private care listings, medicinal recommendations, and medical trial referrals were paid advertisements. The company went bankrupt in 2001.
Koop continued to endorse
Life Alert
Life Alert Emergency Response, Inc. is a nationwide American company, with headquarters in Encino, California, which provides services that help elderly contact emergency services. The company was founded in 1987. The company's system consists ...
bracelets for the elderly.
In 1999 testimony before Congress, Koop minimized concerns from health groups about the severity of allergies to latex gloves.
It was later discovered that a company that manufactured latex gloves had previously paid Koop $650,000 for consulting work.
Koop held three professorships at
Dartmouth Medical School
The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth is the graduate medical school of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. The fourth oldest medical school in the United States, it was founded in 1797 by New England physician Nathan Smith. It is o ...
, where he was also the senior scholar at the C. Everett Koop Institute.
Personal life
In early 1968, Koop's son David was killed in a rock climbing accident on
Cannon Mountain during his junior year at Dartmouth College. Koop later wrote that because of his son's death he thought, "I might be better able to help parents of dying children, but for quite a while I felt less able, too emotionally involved. And from that time on, I could rarely discuss the death of a child without tears welling up into my eyes."
[''Koop: The Memoirs of America's Family Doctor'', Charles Everett Koop, HarperPaperbacks Mar 1, 1993, p. 126] Years later, he and his wife wrote a book called ''Sometimes Mountains Move'' to help others who had lost a child. Koop's son Rev. Norman Koop attended
Eastern Baptist College (now Eastern University) and graduated in 1969. The following year the elder Koop was elected to the board of trustees, becoming the first non-Baptist member of the board.
In February 2007, Elizabeth Koop, his wife of nearly 70 years, died. On April 17, 2010, he married Cora Hogue, a former staff member of
Tenth Presbyterian Church
Tenth Presbyterian Church is a congregation of approximately 1,600 members located in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Tenth is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a denomination in the Reformed (Calvi ...
in Philadelphia.
Death and legacy
At a November 2010 news conference, Koop spoke from a wheelchair and said that he was "very, very deaf" and
legally blind
Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment, is a medical definition primarily measured based on an individual's better eye visual acuity; in the absence of treatment such as correctable eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment†...
.
Koop died on February 25, 2013, at the age of 96 at his home in
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 11,870. The town is home to the Ivy League university Dartmouth College, the U.S. Army Corps of Eng ...
.
According to a Koop aide, he had been ill for several months and had suffered
kidney failure
Kidney failure, also known as end-stage kidney disease, is a medical condition in which the kidneys can no longer adequately filter waste products from the blood, functioning at less than 15% of normal levels. Kidney failure is classified as eit ...
the previous week.
No official determination of cause of death has yet been announced.
Remarking on Koop's death,
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association (AMA) is a professional association and lobbying group of physicians and medical students. Founded in 1847, it is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Membership was approximately 240,000 in 2016.
The AMA's state ...
president Jeremy Lazarus commented, "Because of what he did, and the way he did it, he had a dramatic impact on public health."
The Associated Press called his impact "great",
while ''
The Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
'' called him "a courageous and brilliant pediatric surgeon who pioneered techniques ... and became an outspoken surgeon general".
Writing for ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'',
Michael Specter
Michael Specter (born 1955) is an American journalist who has been a staff writer, focusing on science and technology, and global public health at ''The New Yorker'' since September 1998. He has also written for ''The Washington Post'' and ''The ...
said, "I don't think I have ever met anyone for whom I had more respect... In this era, during which progress, facts, and science are under unrelenting siege, it is thrilling to remember that even ideologues can love the truth."
In popular culture
* In the ''
Futurama
''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of the professional slacker Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1000 years a ...
'' season 4, episode 16, "
Three Hundred Big Boys", a brand of cigars known as "Royal Kooparillo" shows the likeness of Koop. Koop's likeness appears again in the season 6, episode 21, "
Mobius Dick", as the head on Fry's Pez dispenser of heart attack medicine.
* In season 3 episode 17 " The Boy Friend, Part I & II" of ''
Seinfeld
''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. It aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, over nine seasons and List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It stars Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld ( ...
'', Jerry likens Elaine to C. Everett Koop, because she breaks up with Keith Hernandez for being a smoker.
* In the ''
King of the Hill
''King of the Hill'' is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired its original non-syndicated run from January 12, 1997, to September 13, 2009, and centers on the Hills, an Am ...
'' season 1, episode 6, "Hank's Unmentionable Problem", Peggy watches an advertisement on TV featuring C. Everett Koop. Later she dreams of Hank's funeral, in which C. Everett Koop is giving the eulogy.
Awards and honors
![C](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/C._Everett_Koop_%2826939048052%29.jpg)
*
Public Health Service Distinguished Service Medal
The Public Health Service Distinguished Service Medal is an honor award presented to members of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and to members of any Uniformed Services of the United States whose accomplishments or achie ...
* Public Health Service Meritorious Service Medal
*
Surgeon General's Medallion
The Surgeon General's Medallion is the fourth highest award of the Public Health Service and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. The medal is awarded in the name of the United States Surgeon General for actions of except ...
* Surgeon General's Exemplary Service Medal
* Public Health Service Citation Medal
* Public Health Service Outstanding Unit Citation
*
Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially merito ...
(1995)
* Public Health Service Foreign Duty Service Award
* Public Health Service Regular Corps Ribbon
*
Légion d'Honneur
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
(1980)
*
Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella
The Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella (''Orden al Mérito de Duarte, Sánchez y Mella'') is the principal order of the Dominican Republic. It was established on 24 February 1931 as the ''Juan Pablo Duarte Order of Merit'' (''Orden al M ...
, the highest award of the Dominican Republic
* Association of Military Surgeons of the United States with gold star
* Denis Brown Gold Medal by the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons
* William E. Ladd Gold Medal of the American Academy of Pediatrics
*
Fellow of the American College of Surgeons Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (or FACS) is a professional certification for a medical professional who has passed a set of criteria for education, qualification, and ethics required to join the American College of Surgeons.
''FACS'' ...
(FACS)
*
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) is an independent professional body and registered charity that promotes and advances standards of surgical care for patients, and regulates surgery and dentistry in England and Wales. The ...
(1982)
*
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, is an institute of physicians and surgeons in Glasgow, Scotland.
Founded by Peter Lowe after receiving a royal charter by James VI in 1599, as the Glasgow Faculty, it originally exist ...
(1987)
*
Royal Society of Medicine
The Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) is a medical society in the United Kingdom, headquartered in London.
History
The Society was established in 1805 as Medical and Chirurgical Society of London, meeting in two rooms in barristers’ chambers ...
(1997)
* Honorary
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (FRCS) is a professional certification, professional qualification to practise as a senior surgeon in Republic of Ireland, Ireland or the United Kingdom. It is bestowed on an wikt:intercollegiate, in ...
of Edinburgh (HonFRCS) (2009)
* U.S. Senator John Heinz Award for Greatest Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official (1988
Jefferson Award
The Jefferson Awards Foundation was created in 1972 by the American Institute for Public Service. The Jefferson Awards are given at both national and local levels. Local winners are ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectation ...
)
*
Public Welfare Medal The Public Welfare Medal is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences "in recognition of distinguished contributions in the application of science to the public welfare." It is the most prestigious honor conferred by the academy. First awar ...
from the
National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...
(1990)
*
Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism
The Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism is a prize given to people who made exemplary contributions to humanity and the environment. The goal of the prize is to advance the cause of humanitarianism. The prize was established in 1986 by Al ...
(1991)
*
Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement
The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement is an annual award for environmental science, environmental health, and energy. Tyler Laureates receive a $200,000 cash prize and a medallion. The prize is administered by the University of Southern Cal ...
(1991)
*
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
in the News and Documentary category for "C. Everett Koop, MD," a five-part series on health care reform (1991)
* The 2nd Annual
Heinz Award
The Heinz Awards are individual achievement honors given annually by the Heinz Family Foundation. The Heinz Awards each year recognize outstanding individuals for their innovative contributions in three areas: the Arts, the Economy and the Enviro ...
in Public Policy (1996)
* Member of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and ...
(1990)
* Member of the
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communit ...
(1992)
Publications
*
*
*
* ''Sometimes Mountains Move'' by C. Everett Koop and Elizabeth Koop. Tyndale, 1974. (revised edition published by Zondervan in 1994, )
* ''Visible & Palpable Lesions in Children'' by C. Everett Koop. Grune & Stratton, 1976.
* ''The Right to Live, the Right to Die'' by C. Everett Koop. Tyndale, 1976.
* ''Whatever Happened to the Human Race?'' by Francis A. Schaeffer and C. Everett Koop. F.H. Revell, 1979. (revised edition published by Crossway Books in 1983, )
* ''Koop: The Memoirs of America's Family Doctor'' by C. Everett Koop. Random House, 1991.
*
* ''Let's Talk: An Honest Conversation on Critical Issues: Abortion, Euthanasia, AIDS, Health Care'' by C. Everett Koop and G. Timothy Johnson. Zondervan, 1992.
*
*
* ''Critical Issues in Global Health'' by C. Everett Koop, Clarence E. Pearson, and M. Roy Schwarz. Jossey-Bass, 2001.
*
References
Further reading
* ''
Soul Survivor: How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive the Church'' by Philip Yancey. Galilee/Doubleday, 2003.
External links
C. Everett Koop Papers (1933–2005)– National Library of Medicine finding aid
The C. Everett Koop papers– Profiles in Science, National Library of Medicine,
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health, commonly referred to as NIH (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in the late ...
Biography from the C. Everett Koop Institute at
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...
C. Everett Koop (1982-1989)– biography from the Office of the
C. Everett Koop - His Legacya
LifeStory.com*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koop, C Everett
1916 births
2013 deaths
Activists from New York (state)
American Presbyterians
American anti-abortion activists
American health activists
American pediatric surgeons
American people of Dutch descent
Television personalities from New York City
Anti-smoking activists
Dartmouth College alumni
Disability rights activists from the United States
Geisel School of Medicine faculty
HIV/AIDS activists
New York (state) Republicans
People from Brooklyn
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania alumni
Physicians from New York City
Physicians from Philadelphia
Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients
Reagan administration personnel
Surgeons General of the United States
United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps admirals
Weill Cornell Medical College alumni
Recipients of the Public Health Service Distinguished Service Medal
Members of the American Philosophical Society
Members of the National Academy of Medicine
Léon Bernard Foundation Prize laureates