NEONATOLOGY ON THE WEB


Dr. Julius H. Hess (1876-1955)

Dr. Julius Hess was born on January 26, 1876 in Ottawa, Illinois. He obtained his MD at Northwestern University Medical School, did his internship in Chicago, and then went to Johns Hopkins University for additional training.

After returning to Chicago to work at the Michael Reese Hospital, he worked with nurse Evelyn Lundeen to establish the first special nursery for premature infants. Dr. Hess created (and patented) incubators for newborns, and also invented a transport incubator. In addition, he authored the first textbook focused on the care of premature and sick infants, which was published in 1922, and published many definitive articles about newborn care, some of which are available on this web site (see links below).

Dr. Hess died in 1955. He is remembered as the father of neonatology in the United States.


Above: Hess Transport Incubator as of 1922.


Above: Hess Incubator as of 1934.


Julius Hess, Wikipedia.
Julius Hess and the Premature Infant, British Medical Journal
Obituary in the New York Times, November 3, 1955.
Hess Incubator at the Spertus Museum in Chicago.
Hess Medallion at the Neonatal ICU of the Michael Reese Hospital.
Experiences Gained in a Thirty-Year Study of Prematurely Born Infants, by Julius Hess, MD.
Chicago Plan for Care of Premature Infants, by Julius Hess, MD.
Oxygen Unit for Premature and Very Young Infants, by Julius Hess, MD.
Heated Bed for Transportation of Premature Infants, by Julius Hess, MD.
An Electric-Heated Water-Jacketed Infant Incubator and Bed For Use in the Care of Premature and Poorly Nourished Infants, by Julius Hess, MD.
Premature and Congenitally Diseased Infants, by Julius Hess, MD.
Julius Hess's incubator patent dated March 7, 1933.
Julius Hess's incubator patent dated November 7, 1933.

Created 4/27/2002 / Last modified 8/31/2022
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