Despite outward appearances, it was actually not until the latter decades of the 19th century that the surgeon truly emerged as a specialist within the whole of medicine to become a recognized and respected clinical practitioner

As professor of surgery at the newly opened Johns Hopkins Hospital and School of Medicine, Halsted proved to be a complex personality, but the impact of this aloof and reticent man would become widespread.

• As professor of surgery at the newly opened Johns Hopkins Hospital and School of Medicine, Halsted proved to be a complex personality, but the impact of this aloof and reticent man would become widespread.

He introduced a new surgery and showed that research based on anatomic, pathologic, and physiologic principles and the use of animal experimentation made it possible to develop sophisticated operative procedures and perform them clinically with outstanding results.

• He introduced a new surgery and showed that research based on anatomic, pathologic, and physiologic principles and the use of animal experimentation made it possible to develop sophisticated operative procedures and perform them clinically with outstanding results.

Halsted proved, to an often leery profession and public, that an unambiguous sequence could be constructed from the laboratory of basic surgical research to the clinical operating room.

• Halsted proved, to an often leery profession and public, that an unambiguous sequence could be constructed from the laboratory of basic surgical research to the clinical operating room.

Most importantly, for surgery's own self-respect, he demonstrated during this turn-of-the-century renaissance in medical education that departments of surgery could command a faculty whose stature was equal in importance and prestige to that of other more academic or research-oriented fields such as anatomy, bacteriology, biochemistry, internal medicine, pathology, and physiology.

• Most importantly, for surgery's own self-respect, he demonstrated during this turn-of-the-century renaissance in medical education that departments of surgery could command a faculty whose stature was equal in importance and prestige to that of other more academic or research-oriented fields such as anatomy, bacteriology, biochemistry, internal medicine, pathology, and physiology.

As a single individual, Halsted developed and disseminated a different system of surgery so characteristic that it was referred to as a school of surgery. More to the point, Halsted's methods revolutionized the world of surgery and earned his work the epithet halstedian principles, which remains a widely acknowledged and accepted scientific imprimatur.

• As a single individual, Halsted developed and disseminated a different system of surgery so characteristic that it was referred to as a school of surgery. More to the point, Halsted's methods revolutionized the world of surgery and earned his work the epithet halstedian principles, which remains a widely acknowledged and accepted scientific imprimatur.

Halsted subordinated technical brilliance and speed of dissection to a meticulous and safe, albeit sometimes slow performance. As a direct result, Halsted's effort did much to bring about surgery's self-sustaining transformation from therapeutic subservience to clinical necessity.

• Halsted subordinated technical brilliance and speed of dissection to a meticulous and safe, albeit sometimes slow performance. As a direct result, Halsted's effort did much to bring about surgery's self-sustaining transformation from therapeutic subservience to clinical necessity.

Despite his demeanor as a professional recluse, Halsted's clinical and research achievements were overwhelming in number and scope. His residency system of training surgeons was not merely the first such program of its kind; it was unique in its primary purpose.

• Despite his demeanor as a professional recluse, Halsted's clinical and research achievements were overwhelming in number and scope. His residency system of training surgeons was not merely the first such program of its kind; it was unique in its primary purpose.

Above all other concerns, Halsted desired to establish a school of surgery that would eventually disseminate throughout the surgical world the principles and attributes that he considered sound and proper. His aim was to train able surgical teachers, not merely competent operating surgeons.

• Above all other concerns, Halsted desired to establish a school of surgery that would eventually disseminate throughout the surgical world the principles and attributes that he considered sound and proper. His aim was to train able surgical teachers, not merely competent operating surgeons.

There is little doubt that Halsted achieved his stated goal of producing “not only surgeons but surgeons of the highest type, men who will stimulate the first youth of our country to study surgery and to devote their energies and their lives to raising the standards of surgical science.” So fundamental were his contributions that without them, surgery might never have fully developed and could have remained mired in a quasi-professional state.

• There is little doubt that Halsted achieved his stated goal of producing “not only surgeons but surgeons of the highest type, men who will stimulate the first youth of our country to study surgery and to devote their energies and their lives to raising the standards of surgical science.” So fundamental were his contributions that without them, surgery might never have fully developed and could have remained mired in a quasi-professional state.