History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

338 History of Medical Practice in Illinoissurgeons furnished a directional impetus to the development of plasticsurgery as a distinct specialty by their important work on cleft lip andcleft palate cases, and also by reports of their management of tumor andtraumatic conditions involving the face and oral structures. Their goodwork at such an early date is remarkable, but its value was gradually forgottenuntil recent years. Now again we are convinced that the methods ofcleft palate management advocated by these pioneers are indeed capableof yielding gratifying results.In conclusion it should be emphasized that the path which led to thegrowth of plastic surgery as a full-grown specialty was, in the latter half ofthe 19th century, not a wide or clearly defined highway. But there were anumber of resolute pioneers who pointed the way with a firm and sure step.And there were others who led off at tangent directions whose steps had tobe retraced. There were those also who entered the pathway of plasticsurgery only by accident or as a side excursion. Much credit must be givento men like Drs. Daniel Brainard, David Prince, Moses Gunn, D. W. Halland Daniel Booth for blazing a trail through an unexplored territory.Especially is much credit due to the group of outstanding practitioners inthe field of maxillofacial surgery, among them Drs. Truman W. Brophy,Thomas L. Gilmer, G. V. Black, C. S. Case, H. H. Schuhmann and E. S.Talbot. These "intellectual giants" have indeed left us an example of careful,diligent scientific effort and a heritage of knowledge that should serveas guiding beacons for many years to come. Their work was most significantin bringing together the fields of medicine and dentistry to the mutualbenefit of both. 1717For biographical details concerning these men, the reader is referred to the numerousspecial papers current at that time in the field of dentistry.—Editor