Humanitarian Physician: Fascinating
Autobiography of Dr. Samuel Rosen
Caricatures
A Review
By ALLEN A. WARSEN
for your party
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY of DR-.
SAMUEL ROSEN, New York; Al-
fred A. Knopf, 1973, 268 pp.
By
SAM FIELD
"The Autobiography of Dr.
Samuel Rosen" is a touching
chronicle of a physician-in-
ventor whose specialty was
otology or ear surgery.
Dr. Rosen, Emeritus Clini-
cal Professor of Otolaryngol-
ogy, received his M.D. from
the University of Syracuse
in 1921. Since then until his
Call
399-1320
QUILTS & PILLOWS
TRAURIG'S FACTORY SHOWROOM
MADE TO ORDER AND REMADE
15144 W. 7 Mile Rd.
".
•
342-9448
Sat. By Appointment
— Since 1919
INDIAN
JEWELRY SHOW
OVER $100,000 ON DISPLAY
FREE ADMISSION
RESERVATION PRICES
N. MEXICO AND ARIZONA PRICES
SPECIAL
GROUPS
JO%
UPle
TO
OFF
Thurs., Fri., Sat. 12-8 Sunday 12-6
18631 W. 7 MILE
SUNBIRD SILVER
retirement, he was an at-
tending doctor at Mount Sinai
Hospital in New York.
At first, Dr. Rosen prac-
ticed with great success the
simplified technique of fen-
stration operation for otos-
clerotic deafness devised by
Dr. Lampert. Other otolo-
gists, however, ignored Dr.
Lampert and his method of
ear surgery. According to the
author, the reasons for this
negative attitude were: Dr.
Lampert was
born and raised in
the ghetto on New York's
East Side, he was a thorn
in the side of respectable
members of i his profession.
He was smart; he was
acquisitive; he was con-
temptuous of the comfort-
able morality of his more
successful colleagues. And
he was a Jew."
The last "reason" for doc-
tors disliking a colleague
reminds this reviewer of the
British medical practitioners'
contempt of Edward Jenner,
the conqueror of smallpox,
because he was a country
doctor.
- By accident Dr. Rosen dis-
covered a still more simpli-
fied technique of fenstration
that became known as stapes
Mobilization or the Rosen
Technique. Like Dr. Lampert,
he, too, was ignored by his
colleagues, and it took many
years for them to overconie
their resistence to the inno-
vation which replaced the
obsolete skills.
It is noteworthy that Dr.
Rosen's autobiography is re-
plete with numerous vig-
nettes. We will relate some.
The Rosens and Helen Kel-
ler were close friends who
often visited one another.
Miss Keller, deaf and blind,
enjoyed "showing off her
garden" to her visitors. "Re-
lying entirely on her sense
JU DI ES
Fine Fashions
Fall
Merchandise
.
of smell" she would point
out "the roses, the tulips,
and other flowers."
Mrs. Rosen once asked her
friend whether she felt the
loss of sight was worse than
the loss of , hearing. Helen
Keller's reply is worth
repeating.
"My dear, you -can touch
a rose. You can smell it.
You do not have to see or
hear it to know it. But not
to hear a fellow human
being's voice is the great-
est of deprivations.
Dr. Rosen, widely known as
an authority on otology re-
ceived from numerous coun-
tries invitations to lecture
and demonstrate his techni-
que of ear surgery. Among
the countries the Rosens
visited (Mrs. Rosen always
accompanied her husband)
were Israel, Egypt, Jordan,
China and Spain.
In Egypt, Nasser invited
Dr. Rosen to his palace. The
U.S. Ambassador to Egypt
learning of the invitation,
promptly asked Dr. Rosen to
lunch with him in the Ameri-
can Embassy. At first the
ambassador congratulated
Dr. Rosen on the goodwill he
"was creating for the U.S."
Then he diplomatically hinted
that Dr. Rosen "keep in mind
the delicateness of the situa-
tion here in the Middle East,"
and "refrain from bringing up
the subject of Israel." "I'm
here as a' surgeon, not as a
diplomat or a politician," Dr.
Rosen told him.
From Egypt the Rosens
flew to Amman and from
there to Israel. In Jerusalem,
the late Ben-Gurion, then
Prime Minister, invited the
Rosens to visit with him.
After some preliminaries, the
following dialogue ensued:
"I understand you saw
President Nasser."
"Yes."
Bowing Rite During_ Prayer_
Arriving ) By
RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX practice does not allow one
Daily
•
N
PANT SUITS
• DRESSES
SIZES 3-241/2
• COATS
• SPORTSWEAR
• LINGERIE
• JEWELRY
FINE & COSTUME JEWELRY
14kt. and 18kt. Gold
• Birthstone and Dangle Rings • Bracelets
• Chains • Pendants • Charms
• Antique Jewelry
Large Selection of 17 Jewel
Ladies Fashion Watches
2635 Coolidge (Near Catalpa) 548-0390
Mon.-Sat. 10-4:30
BANKAMERICARD
Open Thurs. 10-8
wilibrat, /fire
1•/I
)
(Copyright 1974, JTA, Inc.)
It is required to bow dur-
ing the opening and closing
benedictions of the main body
of prayer in the Sh'moneh
Esrei.
This practice is already
mentioned in the Talmud
(Tractate Berakot). The Tal-
mud mentions the contention
that there— are 18 verta-
brae in the human spine
corresponding to the 18
benefictions of the main body
of prayer so that a person
might worship the Almighty
by bowing which involves
the flexing of the 18
vertabrae. Some claim the
bowing is a symbol of hu-
mility before the Almighty.
Others claim the bowing is
like bending over to pull up
the blessings from the eter-
nal source. of blessing. Some
claim the bowing is like
pouring oil on the attributes
and virtues of life.
Interesting is the fact that
the Hebrew word that is
usually translated as "bless-
ing" (i.e.. B'rochoh) is asso-
viated with the Hebrew word
for knee and the verb im-
plies bending the knee, i.e.
bowing. Thus "blessing" the
Almighty really means "bow-
ing" in respect and humility
before Him. It should be in-
teresting to note that Jewish
to remain in a bent over
position. One only bows at
the first word of the 4ene-
diction (i.e. Boruch) and
immediately straightens up
when directly referring to
the Almighty (i.e. art Thou).
This indicates two things.
First, that the Almighty
wants the human being to
retain his dignity and not
to be constantly humiliated.
Second, it is the Almighty
Himself who raises the
human being from a humili-
ated state to a level of dig-
nity. Bowing thus is a pro-
logue to the upright dignity
of the individual. No indi-
vidual can have dignity be-
fore humbling himself in the
presence of his Maker.
The basic body of prayer.
(i.e. the Sh'moneh Esrei)
shorter on the Sabbath than
it is on weekdays.
The intermediary benedic-
tions of the basic body of
prayer are ones of petition
which make the individual
cognizant of his need and
shortcomings. On the Sab-
bath, an individual should
feel secure and satisfied,
being at rest not only physi-
cally but also emotionally.
Thus it would be out of place
to express these requests
and needs on the Sabbath.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, Sept. 6, 1974-39
"Did you talk to him cal moment in the lives of a
about the Israeli ques- hundred fellow-Jews and had
tion?"
crossed that river of hope,
No," I said lamely. "I the Jordan, with them."
didn't."
He listened as I explain-
ed the briefing given me
by the American Ambas-
sador.
"And Nasser didn't men-
tion Israel either," Ben-
Gurion observed.
"No, he didn't."
The Prime Minister's
white mane shook as he
laughed heartily:
"Somebody briefed Nas-
ser, too."
This review would be in-
complete if we did not men-
tion that Dr. Rosen took part
in one of the missions of
the Magic Carpet (mass air-
lift of Yemenite Jews to Is-
rael) and "shared the criti-
"The Autobiography of Dr.
Samuel Rosen" is the story
of a physician who, in ac-
cordance with his Jewish
heritage and humanitarian
convictions dedicated his pro-
fessional Life to the service
of people. It is interestingly
written, though it could have
been more selective of people
and events and less self-
centered.
Interested in
CHESS
Call Richard
After 7 p.m.
541-8227
The Creative Touch in Fine Photography
I. MARSHALL STERN
557-5221
557-1960
Sheifividook Cotattry eigb
For All Occasions
Call Our
Banquet Manager
at
682-4300
(
We Cater for All Occasions—Seating for 400
JUST WHAT
THE 7 TO 14
SIZE GIRLS
WOULD LIKE
TO WEAR
Loads of slacks in solids,
patterns, denim knits,
wovens, plaids ; solids,
checks and corduroys.
• DANSKIN
*HILLBILLY
•AILEEN
• NIS
•PRETTY PLEASE • GIRLTOWN
Burgundy, Brown, Rust, Navy
and Many Other Colors.
SIZES 7 TO 14
$9 to $1 3
LOADS OF SHRINKS
AND LONG SLEEVE
ORLON SWEATERS
IN A RAINBOW OF COLORS
TO MATCH
SIZES 7 TO 14
$ 7 to $1 3
DEPARTMENT STORE FOR CHILDREN
TEL-TWELVE MALL, 12 Mile & Telegroph
OPEN DAILY
10 GA. to 9 p.m.
SUNDAY 12 to 5 P.M.
ALSO NORTHWQOD SHOPPING CENTER
13 MILE AT WOODWARD
OPEN EVERY EVENING UNTIL 9
USE YOUR BANK AMERICARD OR MASTER CHARGE
1