A Legacy with Long -evity: Commemorating Crawford W. Long, M.D.

“In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the discovery of ether anesthesia…the noble achievement of a great son of this grand old school,” the University of Pennsylvania (crest, upper left) posthumously awarded this medallion (lower right) not to William T. G. Morton, but to a quiet, country physician from Georgia, Crawford W. Long, M.D. The glowing orations from that day are preserved in the copy of Penn ’sUniversity Bulletin held in the Wood Library-Museum Collection. Inscribed to Long, “First to Use Ether as an Anaesthetic in Surgery, March 30, 1842,” the medallion accepted by his daughter Frances Long Taylor in 1912 is now displayed in the John Morgan Building as part of the University of Pennsylvania Art Collection in Philadelphia. A fierce advocate of his legacy, Long’s d aughter would pen his biographyCrawford W. Long and the Discovery of Ether Anesthesia in 1928, eventually inspiring the United States ’ annual celebration of Doctor’s Day each March 30. This year will be the 180th anniversary of Long’s anesthetic! Many thanks to this humble man not interested in fame, fortune, or priority, and whose legacy is fondly and prominently celebrated each spring. (Copyright © the American Society o f Anesthesiologists’ Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology.www.woodlibrarymuseum.org)
Source: Anesthesiology - Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: research