Fred Plum, MD Papers

Fred Plum was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey on January 10, 1924. He received his B.A. from Dartmouth in 1944, and obtained his medical degree at Cornell University Medical College in 1947.

He began his career as an intern at New York Hospital. During the early 1950s, he first worked as a neurology instructor at Cornell University Medical College. In addition, Dr. Plum also headed the neurology section at the U.S. Naval Hospital in St. Albans, New York. In 1953, he became a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Dr. Plum returned to the medical center in 1963. At that time, he was appointed the Anne Parrish Titzell Professor and Neurologist-in-Chief of the Department of Neurology. In 1968, he became the first chairman of the department.

His tenure included being an active member on several committees and a frequent contributor to medical publications. Among the many responsibilities Dr. Plum has assumed over the years, he has been the Fellowship Committee Chairman of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, an editor-in-chief of the Contemporary Neurology Series, and a member of the National Advisory Council for the National Institute of Neurological and Comunicative Disorders and Stroke.

As a neurologist, he has been at the forefront of the debate surrounding treatment options for patients who are still physically alive, but have suffered severe brain damage. Dr. Plum has testified before Congresss and written extensively on the subject. He also treated Richard Nixon after the former President suffered a stroke. President Nixon's living will indicated that he did not want a respirator used if he lost his coginitive functions. President Nixon passed away a few days after he fell ill.

Study of the brain can even generate a good deal of interest from the public. He had significant involvement with WNET's "Brain" Series in 1984. Dr. Plum also played a major role in a second production, "The Brain Reel."

He retired in 1998.