OBITUARY

John A. Boswick, M.D.

1926 - 1999

Dr John A. Boswick, 73, known internationally for his work in several medical specialties, died October 6, 1999 in Wickoff, New Jersey after a long illness. Early in his career Dr. Boswick became prominent because of his developments and accomplishments in hand surgery and burns; later he developed expertise in the field of wound care and defining protocols for testing pharmaceuticals. His consulting tO' the pharmaceutical industry continued until shortly before his death in spite of his difficult illness.

Bom in Galatia, Illinois, Dr Boswick received his master's and medical degrees from Loyola University in Chicago. He was the founding director of the Sumner Koch Burn Unit at Cook County Hospital in Chicago which he headed until 1972 when he moved his medical activities to Denver, Colorado. In Colorado he was Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado and Chief of Hand Surgery at University Hospital. In 1984 he went into private practice of hand surgery in Denver and in 1996 he retired from active medical practice and moved to New Jersey.

Dr Boswick served on numerous boards and professional organizations. He was selected as a delegate to assist the World Health Organization in establishing burn and trauma care throughout the world for victims of disasters and he headed a team to Kuwait after the Gulf War to assess the damage to Kuwait medical facilities. He was a consultant to the VA Hospitals in Denver and in San Antonio, Texas.

He wrote extensively and was the author of many papers and book chapters, as well as,.editor of six books on the subjects of trauma, burns, and hand surgery.

Dr Boswick was a member of many medical organizations including Alpha Omega Alpha, the American Association for Surgery of Trauma, the American Burn Association (Founding Member and Past President), the American College of Surgeons (former Secretary to the Board of Governors), the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, the International Society for Burn Injuries (Founding Member and Past Secretary General), the Wound Healing Society (Founding Member), and others.

In 1983 he helped found the International Burn Foundation and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors from inception (1983) until his death. The quadrennial prize given by the Foundation is named in part after Dr Boswick (Tanner-Vandeput-Boswick Burn Prize).

He had recently celebrated his fiftieth wedding anniversary with his wife, June Cannon Boswick, who survives him. He is also survived by two daughters, Cathy Boswick of Smithtown, New York, and Jane Boswick of Princeton, New Jersey, a son John (Kate) Wyckoff, New Jersey, and four grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters and one brother.

In memory of Dr John Boswick donations may be sent to:

For further information contact: Marilyn Blanton, Secretary, International Burn Foundation, P.O. Box 24386, Denver, CO 80224.

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