CD Contributors
Don Sweet
Dr Sweet is a world renowned authority in Musculoskeletal Pathology. He is the Chairman and Registrar of the Orthopedic Pathology Department at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C. He has authored and co-authored many articles, and chapters in this field. His most remarkable attributes are in orthopaedic education. He is a gifted speaker whose unique talent is to impart conceptual models that allow the listener to understand clearly the pathophysiology of musculoskeletal disorders. By linking cellular dynamics to tissue responses, Dr Sweet encourages a complete understanding of growth and development and the basic categories of disease. The tools used to impart this information include the clinical, radiological and pathological data from cases referred to the AFIP; a registry of cases from all organ systems that now number close to 3 million.
Dr Lent Johnson, Dr Sweet's predecessor and mentor, deceased in 1998, was the genius who formulated initial models, based on the concept of viewing the disease manifestations of each case as a reflection of time, place and quantity. He was a most intense man, imbued with the spirit of God, driven by his nature to share his knowledge with others. He was able to unravel the natural history of each orthopaedic disorder by assembling intellectually the analyzed core clinical, radiologic, and pathologic information, which allowed him to develop his models of disease. Dr Johnson's complete understanding of biochemistry and cellular biology allowed him to predict, in monographs published in the 1960's, mechanisms of disease that are now being heralded as "new discoveries" by cellular and genetic biologists.
Dr Sweet has built on Dr Johnson's work, adding his own observations, and refining concepts. Philosophically sharing Dr Johnson's concept of imparting his knowledge to orthopaedists and basic scientists world wide, Dr Sweet's commitment to orthopaedic education is evidenced by his agreeing to participate in this educational endeavor from its onset; thus showing unique generosity in time and resources. The result is that the COA Annual Basic Science Course has been allowed to exist, and indeed flourish. The course is a true co-operative venture between Canadian orthopaedic surgeons and basic scientists, and the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Dr Sweet has earned a debt of gratitude from the COA, and some 500 participants of the first 11 years of the course.
