Dr. Ansbacher Saves Life of Child, 1942

Dr. Ansbacher Saves Life of Child

Bainbridge News & Republican, Dec. 31, 1942

A story that could come from the pages of a modern best-seller or from the plot of a real film-human interest tale, is contained in an article submitted to the News this week by Prof. F.J. Casey who ran across it while reading the December edition of "This is the National Broadcasting Company," a service magazine of the NBC.  The article, as it appeared in the paper, reads:

"Morgan Beatty, NBC newscaster, has come face to face with trouble more than once.  One of the most nerve-shaking assignments in Morgan's life came two years ago when his new-born son was facing death from continuous bleeding, a disorder attending birth.  The doctors were helpless.  The Beattys had already lost one child that way.  Suddenly, Morgan recalled having heard something about the mysterious vitamin K.  He set out at 11 P.M. and scoured Washington and Baltimore trying to find some doctor who knew about this vitamin and how it should be administered.  By 4 A.M. he had gotten instructions for its use.  Thirty-six hours later the child had recovered.  Today the boy is well and strong.  He is named after Dr. Stefan Ansbacher, discoverer of the life-saving vitamin."

 

With this statement on the naming of the boy, the article ends, but what it does not include is the following fact:  Mr. Beatty, in his frantic search for some doctor who could tell him where vitamin K could be obtained, called the home of Dr. Ansbacher, who was out.  However, on his return home and after being relayed the urgent message Mr. Beatty had left for him, Dr. Ansbacher immediately began an intensive search, tracing Mr. Beatty and the hospital where the dying child lay.  Succeeding in this, the former local man contacted the Squibb Institute in New Brunswick where he was then employed and made swift arrangements to have the miracle vitamin K, the discover of which was largely due to his efforts, rushed by plane to the hospital.  As the item states, the vitamin arrived in time to save the baby's life and soon afterward Dr. Ausbacher was notified that the boy had been christened in his honor by a grateful mother and father.

 

The knowledge of the now-revealed incident has been in the possession of Bainbridge [Chenango Co. NY] friends of Dr. Ansbacher for some time but due to his wishes was not publicized until the mentioned magazine, with a nose for keen heart drama, printed its story.

 

While in Bainbridge, Dr. Ansbacher was employed in the Borden Research Laboratory, leaving that position to accept an offer to head the Squibb Institute Research laboratory in New Jersey.  Since leaving this village, his many, varied accomplishments have won him national recognition by leading scientists and institutes. 

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