John Wild died last week. He lived, and enjoyed the ride, for 95 years. I love him dearly…although…I never once met him, or for that matter, his name never even crossed my lips…until last week! But, I love Dr. John J. Wild, and here’s why……
Dr. Wild was instrumental (perfect word) for developing a piece-of-equipment that changed the course of my life and countless millions, it was high frequency sound waves, or ultrasound. Today the ultrasound equipment used for diagnostic scans, fetal-development monitoring and HIFU ablation, all derived from Dr. Wild,  demonstrated that ultrasonic echoes could produce images of soft tissues found inside the body.
During WWII, Dr. Wild, stationed in London, sought a non-invasive method to evaluate bowel trauma that patients suffered during the Blitz. He became very familiar with an echo-testing technique that used sound waves to detect cracks in the armor plating of tanks.
In 1946, after immigrating to the U.S. he began to work at the University of Minnesota. At a nearby air base, the Navy was studying the use of ultrasound echo signals to simulate enemy terrain for pilot radar training. Dr. Wild worked with animals and began applying this concept (ultrasound echo signals) to tissues! Sound energy could echo off of soft tissue! With his buddy William Reed, an electrical engineer, together they built the first ultrasound instrument.
This fantabulous piece-of-equipment could translate ultra-sonic signals into visual images and provide a look-see into the human body. Now, there was a non-invasive method for detecting cancerous from noncancerous tissue! And the rest, they say, is history/herstory!!!
Dr. John Wild (how apropos) was a bit if a maverick, a forward thinker, and, as his wife said, “universal recognition of his achievements and vision was slow to materialize.” He was often at odds with those that second-guessed him, and looked over his shoulder, always questioning the direction of his work. Dr. Wild wrote, “I think I must have come into this world with a propensity for making chaos out of order, since I always seem to be upsetting those concerned with maintaining conventional levels of orderliness and humbleness. In my ultrasonic work I have met many people who did not believe the evidence of their own eyes!”  Gawd I love him!!!
I never knew of Dr. John Wild until last week, but I guarantee you this, I love him and will carry him in my heart…forever!!
Geeez, now I am wondering how many other brainiac-inventors have changed (positively) the coarse of our lives, and we live our lives completely oblivious of “them” and their great works!…hmmmmm, I wonder??