Donald Benson Collection

In 1956, Benson was recruited to be an associate professor of anesthesiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and anesthesiologist-in-charge at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was promoted to professor of anesthesiology in 1959. Benson helped to establish a full-fledged residency program in anesthesiology.

Benson did much to introduce the use of ventilators into surgery and clinical care. While at Chicago, he had become familiar with long-term respirators and had worked with a colleague to develop a unique positive-pressure ventilator. Benson was able to bring some of these new ventilators with him to Johns Hopkins and found use for them in heart operations and other extensive surgery.

He played a significant role in the development of a surgical intensive care unit. He began his drive for an intensive care unit in the early 1960s, but it was almost a decade before it became a reality. He also worked closely with William Kouwenhoven and James Jude in the development of closed-chest cardiac resuscitation.

By the late 1960s, anesthesiology at Johns Hopkins, under Benson’s leadership, had matured and several subspecialties had evolved. In recognition of his many contributions to the field, he was elected director of the American Board of Anesthesia.

In 1974, Benson left Johns Hopkins to become professor and chairman of the anesthesiology department at the University of Chicago, where he remained until his death.

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