Averill Abraham Liebow: contributions to pulmonary pathology.

A comprehensive description of the contributions of Averill A. Liebow to the field of pulmonary pathology would be a monumental task. In preparation for writing this addendum to Dr. Lindskog's tribute to Dr. Liebow, the comments and reflections of former students and colleagues were sought to appreciate the flavor of the man, the personality, and the drive which led to so productive a career. A montage of the complete academician-pathologist, teacher, investigator-was assembled. This essay can outline only in part the directions of his research and his far-reaching insight, in Dr. Liebow's words, into the "labyrinths of the lungs." However, it is more likely that his greatest contributions can not be measured by any yardstick. Only in passing will we remind the reader that first and foremost Dr. Liebow was held in highest esteem as a dedicated instructor of the art and science of medicine and perhaps, on an even higher plane, as an educator with vision and wisdom. Dr. Liebow was an adamant proponent of the educational philosophy of the school of Welch and Winternitz. He steadfastly held in oration and print that physicians require "education," not "training," and that the basis of education is opportunity. Opportunity for Dr. Liebow included a concatenation of time for study and self-reflection, time for growth, for physicians parallel growth in both clinical and investigative skills, time for growth as a humanist, and perhaps most important, an appreciation that the bases of the finest foundations of education are hard-work, self-reliance, and self-education.' Therefore, it is not surprising that the career and teachings of Dr. Liebow were profoundly influential in shaping the clay from which future medical academicians and physicians emerged. His particular interest was the lung, but his vast knowledge of this subject was only the tip of the intellectual iceberg. While he specifically stimulated countless chest physicians, surgeons, and pathologists with particular interest in diseases of the lung, his competence across the entire discipline of pathology and endless quest for excellence influenced many students, residents, and colleagues to continue in the academic practice of medicine. "Seek lux et veritas," an oft-spoken phrase in Dr. Liebow's addresses, reflected not only his