Medical and surgical historical memory is ethereal unless committed to print. Felix N. Sabates, MD, the first fellowship-trained retina surgeon in Missouri and the Founder and Emeritus-Chair UMKC Department of Ophthalmology has thankfully collected in a single appealing book his witness of international, national, state and city history in both ophthalmology and international relations. This book should appeal to most physicians and all ophthalmologists. In detail it outlines how Sabates’ mentor Charles Schepens, MD, revolutionized the medical and surgical treatment of blinding retinal detachments and trained the world’s first skillful vitreo-retinal surgeons. It should appeal to all Missourians as it chronicles the development of the departments of Ophthalmology at MU-Columbia and UMKC, the latter which Sabates built from the ground up into the internationally respected department it is today. America is a land of immigrants and ultimately our forebears came to the USA in search of freedom, democracy and economic opportunity that were lost or threatened elsewhere. The now prosperous Sabates clan came from Cuba to escape the despotic rule of Communist Fidel Castro. My Irish ancestors came here to escape starvation in the Irish crop famine of the mid-1800’s. Yours I’m sure had an equally compelling story.
There are significant insights in this book on the fate of nations and peoples that do not resist the spread of Communism and murderous, authoritarian political regimes and devalue honesty, patriotism, hard work and family values. As such I can recommend it to all freedom loving women and men.