Joseph Ransohoff

  Dr. Joseph 'Joe' Ransohoff, II (July 1, 1915- January 30, 2001) was a pioneer in the field of neurosurgery. In addition to training numerous neurosurgeons, his "ingenuity in adapting advanced technologies" saved many lives and even influenced a television program, Ben Casey. ^[1] Among other innovations, he created the first intensive care unit dedicated to neurosurgery, and helped define the fields of pediatric neurosurgery and neuroradiology. ^[2]

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Early Life and Education

Ransohoff was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, son of Dr. Joseph Louis Ransohoff II, a surgeon who himself was the son of a surgeon. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, although while attending Harvard he seriously considered dropping out in order to participate in the Spanish Civil War, due to his Communist sympathies. A favorite boast of his was that he was the only student in the history of the University to graduate on parole. He received his medical degree from the University of Chicago in 1941 and went on to become a surgery instructor at the University of Cincinnati. Three years into his residency, he was drafted into the United States Army where he was taught neurosurgery, and after seeing action at the Battle of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, and personally befriending General George S. Patton, was assigned to air evacuation centers in France and Germany.

Fame and Death

After three years in the military, he completed his residency at Montefiore Hospital. He went on to teach at Columbia University and practice surgery at the New York Neurologic Institute at Presbyterian Hospital before moving to New York University School of Medicine to become chairman of its neurosurgery department in 1962, holding this prestigious position for 30 years. While in this capacity, Ransohoff was famed for hosting a weekly spinal and neurosurgical gathering for doctors of the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to come and seek his advice on challenging cases.

In 1992, Dr. Ransohoff left New York University Hospital for Tampa, Florida, at the behest of the VA Hospital, which wanted to reform its neurosurgical department. Professionally he greatly improved the neurosurgical and spinal centers at the VA Hospital and Tampa General Hospital, and added greatly to the brain cancer research programs at Moffitt Cancer Center. In terms of his personal life, however, Dr. Ransohoff endured a spate of unwelcome publicity in 1999 after a 27-year-old lingerie model, Laura Holt, was sentenced to a year in jail for grand theft. She told police the doctor had given her more than $100,000 over time after her friends threatened to expose their affair.

Dr. Ransohoff died at his home on the morning of January 3, 2001, of Alzheimer's Disease.

Legacy and Influence

The book Brain Surgeon: An Intimate View of His World (ISBN 0-8041-0957-5) by Lawrence Shainberg was based on his life. He also served as a consultant to the popular television series Ben Casey and some viewers familiar with Dr. Ransohoff feel that Casey and Ransohoff have similar personalities. He was also a cousin on director/producer Martin Ransohoff.

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