Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 12, 431-442, Copyright © 1965 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

Harvey Cushing and Anaesthesia

¹ Department of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Montreal Neurological Institute and McGill University, Montreal

Harvey Cushing, the great American neurosurgeon, made four important con tributions to the specialty of anaesthesia He was one of the first to introduce anaesthesia records, he was responsible for the introduction of blood-pressure measurement into operating-room practice, he developed the technique of pre-cordial monitoring of patients undergoing surgery,and he was an authority local anaesthesia, coming the term "regional anaesthesia" These aspects of Cushing's career have been discussed because of their inherent value,and because they lead us to an understanding of the nature of a great physician A mark of his genius was the thoroughness with which he approached his desiie to understand every aspect of it led to his making important contributions to specialties outside his own Not only did Harvey Cushing make neuro-surgery safe, but this master surgeon also did much to improve the conditions of anaesthesia in his day His contributions to anaesthesia are of lasting value,and the practice of anaesthesia today owes much to him.