Pioneer Surgery in Kentucky: A Sketch

"Pioneer Surgery in Kentucky: A Sketch" by David Wendel Yandell is a historical narrative that explores the origins of surgery in Kentucky through the lives of its leading practitioners. It tells the stories of medical innovators like Dr. Walter Brashear, who broke ground with the first successful hip-joint amputation in America, and Dr. Ephraim McDowell, celebrated for his revolutionary work in ovarian tumor removal. The book outlines not only their landmark surgical achievements but also the personal struggles, professional hurdles, and the primitive medical environment they navigated. The tone of the book provides unique perspectives into the initial methods of surgery that transformed into what would become the foundations of today's medical world.