13.07.2015 Views

History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

CHAPTER XVIPLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVESURGERYByFREDERICK W. MERRIFIELD, D.D.S.,ANDM.D.,WALTER W. DALITSCH, D.D.S., M.D. *PLASTICsurgery has been def<strong>in</strong>ed as "that specialty which deals withthe restoration <strong>of</strong> defects,congenital or acquired, and improves bothfunction and esthetic effect." (A. J.Barksy) The boundary l<strong>in</strong>es <strong>of</strong> thespecialty from the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g were vague and for many years encroachedupon almost every other surgical doma<strong>in</strong>.Review <strong>of</strong> the Early LiteratureIn the early days <strong>of</strong> the period 1850 to 1900, plastic surgery played am<strong>in</strong>or role <strong>in</strong> the overall scheme <strong>of</strong> <strong>medical</strong> care. To appreciate its statusas a ris<strong>in</strong>g specialty <strong>in</strong> the State <strong>of</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>ois dur<strong>in</strong>g this period, it is necessaryto review the surgical literature. The Transactions <strong>of</strong> the Ill<strong>in</strong>ois StateMedical <strong>Society</strong> conta<strong>in</strong>ed few reports <strong>of</strong> corrective and reparative procedures,usually <strong>in</strong> connection with general surgery;direct references toplastic surgery, as such, were found rather <strong>in</strong>frequently, and descriptions<strong>of</strong> operations and procedures <strong>of</strong> a plastic character were <strong>of</strong>ten <strong>in</strong>cluded aspart <strong>of</strong> the annual Report on Surgery. The follow<strong>in</strong>g chronological recordillustrates the slow but gradual <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>terest and knowledge <strong>of</strong> thisspecialty, as reflected <strong>in</strong> the pages <strong>of</strong> the Transactions <strong>of</strong> the Ill<strong>in</strong>ois StateMedical <strong>Society</strong>.* Dr. Merri field, because <strong>of</strong> his tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the fields <strong>of</strong> dental and general surgery, isem<strong>in</strong>ently qualified to present to the pr<strong>of</strong>ession the borderland specialty <strong>of</strong> plasticsurgery. He is Emeritus Pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>in</strong> both fields at Northwestern University MedicalSchool and holds positions on the staffs <strong>of</strong> several hospitals <strong>in</strong> Chicago. He is also Director<strong>of</strong> the Cleft Lip and Palate Institute <strong>of</strong> Northwestern University.Dr. Dalitsch, a co-Director with Dr. Merrifield <strong>of</strong> the Cleft Lip and Palate Institute,has both the M.D. and D.D.S. degrees. He is a member <strong>of</strong> the surgical staff <strong>of</strong> CookCounty Hospital and attend<strong>in</strong>g surgeon <strong>of</strong> several other Chicago hospitals. He is amember <strong>of</strong> the American Board <strong>of</strong> Oral Surgery. Formerly lie was associated with theUniversity <strong>of</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>ois.—Editor329

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!