In our 25th-reunion yearbook, James provided only his home address on East 67th Street in Manhattan. Our 50th-reunion yearbook contained his name with “address unknown.” Our 65th-reunion directory said he was “lost.”
Following his death Feb. 22, 2013, the simple announcement from a New York City funeral home said he was 84 and “was a medical doctor who specialized in pathology.” We lack further information on his life and family.
Investigation reveals that on April 27, 1971, James won a U.S. patent on a surgical instrument for cutting and removing temporary skin sutures, a procedure that traditionally required a doctor to use both hands and two instruments. James’ invention enabled any doctor to use a single instrument and only one hand to remove any suture. Also, it could be manufactured by a high-volume automatic machine using a minimum of parts made from inexpensive materials. So it was (according to his patent application) “economically disposable after single use.”
The class proudly shares memory of this classmate’s worthwhile accomplishment