He served with the military during World War II, and remained at Columbia University as an Instructor and Professor until 1951, when he became the second full-time faculty member in the Department of Medicine at the University of Colorado. Although he retired from the University in 1977, he spent his later years writing and editing publications in the field of ultrasound. Dr. Holmes, a Professor Emeritus, remained involved with the University until his death, and he will be honored with the University of Colorado Medal in recognition of his achievements, at the 1982 commencement exercises.
Dr. Holmes, a kidney expert, built the first kidney dialysis machine before commercial equipment was available. He was responsible for making dialysis treatment available to rural patients outside the hospital setting. He established the Rocky Mountain Kidney Foundation in Denver to provide education and information on kidney ailments. Dr. Holmes was also a member of the medical team that performed the first kidney transplant in the mid 1960's. and built the first artificial kidney. Some of his later work combined ultrasound and kidney studies for research on polysystic kidney disease.
In addition to being a kidney expert, Dr. Holmes was an expert on organic phosphorus chemical compounds, such as pesticides and nerve gas. He set up safety procedures and a clinic to treat those exposed to nerve gas at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal northeast of Denver. At the clinic, he studied the permanent and prolonged effects of nerve gas, and in 1973, at his insistence, the nerve gas at the arsenal was detoxified.
Often called the "Father of Ultrasound," most of us remember Dr. Holmes for his pioneering efforts in the field of clincal ultrasound. Dr. Holmes became involved in ultrasound during his first years in Denver, after the Navy had perfected sonor submarine detection by sound waves. The first design of a pulse-echo machine was the brainchild of Dr. Douglas Howry of Denver. His design consisted of a Heathkit Oscilloscope as the display system, an amplifier from surplus U.S. Air Force radar equipment, and a power supply from a hi-fi record player. In 1951, Dr. Holmes became involved with Dr. Howry through a grant from the Veterans Administration Hospital in Denver to build ultrasound equipment. The first "viable" scanner was built in 1952 at the Denver VA Hospital Research Laboratory. In order to get contact for the sound, patients had to be emersed in a cattle watering tank. Through the dedicated research of Dr. Holmes, Dr. Howry, and others, ultrasound technology advanced far enough to get patients out of the water; a highly sophisticated technology was being developed to create a new industry in ultrasound equipment. When the Journal of Clinical Ultrasound was created in March 1973, the first issue was dedicated by Dr. Holmes to Dr. Howry.
By 1973, ultrasound studies were being conducted worldwide, and researchers in the field were finding it difficult to publish the results of their work. JCUprovided a forum for the developments in the field of clinical ultrasound. In the first issue, Dr. Holmes stated that: "The primary purpose of the Journal must always remain that of publishing, under one cover, well-selected original articles to further advance the application of ultrasound in medicine. First consideration will be given to original articles that appear to have the greatest interest to all readers. However, we hope to maintain a proper balance in subject matter from clinical applications to basic development." Now in its tenth volume year, the Journal of Clinical Ultrasound still remains true to Dr. Holmes' goal.
Dr. Joseph Holmes' death is a loss to the medical community of unestimable value. He was well liked by all who knew him. His wife Mary passed away last year in San Francisco, and he is survived by three sons, Robert H., Joseph M., and John C., a brother David, and five grandchildren.
The death of Dr. Holmes reminds us all how far we have come, and how far we still have to go. This great man, who was the creator of an entirely new diagnostic field will continue to inspire the readers and authors of the Journal of Clinical Ultrasound for many years to come.