William Stewart Halsted, surgeon / by W.G. MacCallum; introduction by Dr. W.H. Welch.

MacCallum, W. G. (William George), 1874-1944.

Date:: 1930

Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: William Stewart Halsted, surgeon / by W.G. MacCallum; introduction by Dr. W.H. Welch. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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simple, unostentatious except in the medical world where he towered, a great and dominating figure, the full scope of his genius and the tremendous extent and value of his ser¬ vices to mankind were neither generally known nor generally appreciated. To the Johns Hopkins Hospital, the institution to whose reputation and upbuilding he had so enormously contributed, his death is a staggering blow. Along with Osier and Welch he laid the foundations upon which the Hopkins so solidly rests today. Although Mrs. Halsted was with him throughout his last illness and until he died, she was exhausted and could not go, a week later, to Brooklyn where, on September 17, 1922, his ashes were buried in Greenwood Cemetery. Dr. Welch wrote to her afterward, on October 13, Dear Mrs. Halsted : I have been considering the inscription for Dr. Halsted’s gravestone at Greenwood Cemetery. I visited Greenmount Cemetery in Baltimore to see what is customary and have consulted with several friends who would be informed. I find that in recent years it is customary even for those who are distinguished, or have held prominent positions, to put noth¬ ing on the gravestone except the name and dates of birth and death. I think, however, that the position held by Dr. Halsted in the Johns Hopkins should he added, even if the custom seems to be to omit titles, degrees and positions held. I have, therefore, written Mrs. Terry suggesting the following: Wil]iam stewaTt Halsted, M. D. September 23, 1852-September 7, 1922 Professor of Surgery in the Johns Hopkins University. I said to Mrs. Terry that I should submit this to you but that I thought you would agree and would like it to be simple.