James Herrick (1861–1954): Consultant physician and cardiologist

Abstract

In 1910, James Bryan Herrick published the first clinical and laboratory description of sickle cell anemia. Two years later, he published a case report on coronary thrombosis. Together, these case reports solidified his reputation as one of the premier diagnosticians of his generation. Now regarded as a central figure in the history of American medicine, Herrick played an integral role in the clinical adoption of the electrocardiograph and the professionalization of cardiology in the United States. Although a full decade passed before the medical profession recognized his clinical description of coronary thrombosis and myocardial infarction, it has had profound implications for cardiovascular medicine and prevention over the past hundred years. As a consultant physician, Herrick advocated in favor of incorporating chemistry and laboratory evaluation into clinical practice.

Endothelial Dysfunction and Coronary Vasoreactivity - A Review of the History, Physiology, Diagnostic Techniques, and Clinical Relevance

“…Edward Jenner (best known for later introducing vaccination in 1798) performed the autopsy with John Hunter in 1772 (9), however as there was no recognition for a causal link between angina and coronary artery disease at the time, the coronary arteries were not assessed in any detail and so an opportunity to record the association was missed (7,8). It was not until 1786 when after performing further autopsies on patients with similar symptoms that Jenner wrote in his letter to Heberden that coronary artery disease was explicitly linked to angina (10).…”

“…Subsequently, James Herrick's paper from 1912 "Certain clinical features of sudden obstruction of the coronary arteries" popularised the hypothesis. These led to a much greater scrutiny of the coronary artery circulation for strategies for diagnosis and treatments of ischaemic heart disease (8,10). The management of ischaemic heart disease changed drastically with the development of selective coronary angiography in 1958 by Sones, Judkins and Amplatz as a method for identifying coronary stenosis and laying the foundation for novel treatments (12).…”