Cardiologist, Inventor, Levi Watkins of Montgomery, Dies At 70
Dr. Levi Watkins Jr., a noted cardiologist and pioneer at Johns Hopkins Hospital dies at the age of 70. Watkins died from a massive heart attack and stroke Friday night while giving a speech to students at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, He was the first black Chief Resident of Cardiac Surgery at Johns Hopkins. Watkins broke many racial barriers along with groundbreaking contributions to the medical school. His greatest accomplishment was inventing the implantable defibrillator, used by millions today. The defibrillator is a small, battery-powered device that detects arrhythmia in the heart and emits an electric shock to correct it. Watkins was nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to the medical field. He was never selected. Details for his funeral service have not yet been released.
