pg_0001

Medical data is for informational purposes only. You should always consult your family physician, or one of our referral physicians prior to treatment

In Memoriam:

Frederick H. Binf

ederick H. Binf

ederick H. Binfor

ord

, M.A.

February 9, 1920 May 15, 1999

by Perry A.Chapdelaine,Sr.

The Roger Wyburn-Mason and Jack M. Blount Foundation

for the Eradication of Rheumatoid Disease

aka The Arthritis Trust of America/

The Rheumatoid Disease Foundation

One of my best friends and a business partner in house con-

struction died May 15, 1999. He was also a board member, original

founder of this foundation, and very loyal supporter of its goals.

Frederick H. Binford fortunately did not suffer long, but he did

suffer, leaving behind a large number of loyal friends, a loving twin

sister, Mary Margaret Baily, a brother, Richard Binford, M.D. and

ten nieces and nephews.

I met Fred at Stanford University one summer. As Senior Project

Director of a National Science Foundation Computer Assisted In-

struction program I had the task during that summer of visiting

Stanford University and doing some work on development of auto-

mated drill instruction routines for arthmetic and higher mathemat-

ics. I was the only integrated faculty member in the mathematics

department of two universities — University of Tennessee and

Tennssee State University — during the terrible integration-battle

years. One of these schools was “all White,” and the other was “all

Black.” The National Science Foundation had bestowed the gener-

ous sum of nearly half a million dollars under my guidance at the “all

Black” school, then called a “developing institution.”

Unfortunately my grant school erroneously did not see fit to

pay my salary during my stay that summer at Stanford University,

and I had no means of supporting my ten children and wife or of

even getting back home to Nashville, Tennessee.

On describing my predictment to Mr. Frederick H. Binford,

whom I’d just met, he spontaneously handed me the money for

airfare home, saying, “Pay me back when you get the funds.”

Such was my friend Frederick H. Binford, M.A., a person who

decided not to finish his dissertation at Stanford University in com-

pliance with his Ph.D. because his new major professor had denied

the importance of his PhD. dissertation while, at the same time,

stealing it for his own use.

What made Fred unique?

Fred was dedicated toward peace and rationality and espe-

cially toward helping folks. That was his whole life, his philoso-

phy, his way of living, and his relationship with others.

His father was president of Guilford College, a Pennsylvania

Quaker College. Inculcated at an early age to follow the peaceful,

rational Quaker way, Fred was the positive living embodiment of a

Quaker in modern times.

During World War II he was a conscientious objector and was

based in a civilian public service camp in California.

He taught in two Quaker Boarding Schools, Friends Academy,

Locust Valley, NY, George School, Newton, PA, Tennessee State

University, Fisk University, and Woodstock School in India.

At Fisk University Fred taught physics, but it was during his

sojourn teaching in India for several years where he probably picked

up the microorganism that caused his death at age of 79.

Fred began to complain about tiredness several years ago. At

first doctors diagnosed the problem as a borderline anemia. During

this past year Fred was resting more, but never shirking his school

duties, as he saw them, which usually meant spending endless hours

helping individual students with their understanding of mathemat-

ics and physics. How he could spend so much time on such routine

assistance was a situation to amaze all, but also was a tribute to his

strong Quaker belief and need to help others.

Later Fred was diagnosed as having Myeloma Dysplasia, a

condition where his bone marrow could no longer produce a suffi-

cient quantity of mature red and white blood cells.

We all of us urged Fred to quit school last year for the purpose

of seeking a solution to his problem, but Fred felt his students

needed him, and so he hung on, taking from time to time blood

transfusions to see him through.

During the first course of blood transfusions Fred felt great.

His body was receiving fresh blood that could carry oxygen to his

cells and enable his body to function properly.

Soon, though, his body began to exhibit serious symptoms of

allergic reactions to other folks’ blood.

His joints would swell up and ache, very much like Gouty

Arthritis, a wrong diagnosis that was also provided Fred early dur-

ing his sickness.

Well, the diagnosis was not entirely wrong because Fred had

had some gout off and on for some years, Gouty Arthritis being

caused by a mycoplasma, just as many other forms of arthritis are.

But this diagnoses completely overlooked the allergy response

his body was having to other folks’ blood, attributing his condition

solely to Gouty Arthritis.

Fred’s joints would become very painful, and he’d have to rest

more and use a cane, also holding his joints away from objects that

might very lightly touch them.

Within a number of days the swelling and pain would disap-

pear and Fred, with much renewed energy, would be working even

more hours to catch up with helping his students. During this short

recovery period it would seem that Fred was his old self again.

Unfortunately, the use of other folks’ red and white corpuscles

would suddenly come to an end, and the fatigue would start all over

again, as would the next blood transfusion. Within several days —

usually — the swelling and joint pain would begin again, renewing

the cycle. At one time Fred, who’d been very healthy throughout a

long, useful life, commented that “Now I know how arthritics suf-

fer, and more thoroughly understand why you set up The Arthritis