• Ira Rutkow.
• Ann. Surg. 2016 Apr 1; 263 (4): 827-33.

ObjectiveTo explore the details of Henry Hollingsworth Smith's (1815-1890) achievement as the first physician to organize in a systematic and chronologic manner the details of the history of surgery in America and prepare a register of men who performed surgical operations.BackgroundThe life of Smith, the earliest of the nation's surgeons to elucidate the history of American surgery, is little known. His boosting the image of the scalpel wielder helped shape the future of the craft, in particular, surgery's rise as a specialty and profession.MethodsAn analysis of the published medical literature and unpublished documents relating to Smith and his work to document the history of American surgery.ResultsDuring the 1850 s, a time when surgery was not considered a separate branch of medicine but a mere technical mode of treatment, Smith's efforts in surgical history provided much needed encouragement to surgeons in their pursuit of professional recognition.ConclusionsAlthough Smith's accomplishment as the nation's first compiler of the history of American surgery has long been forgotten, his effort afforded the men who performed surgical operations their earliest measure of self-respect. As such, Smith belongs in America's pantheon of surgical heroes.

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