RUNNING HEAD:THE LIFE OF HARVEY CUSHING 1

THE LIFE OF HARVEY CUSHING

Alexander McNemar
Allegany College of Maryland
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ABSTRACT

Harvey Cushing was born in cleveland,Ohio on April 8,1869, and then attended medical school

at the Yale School of Medicine. After this, Cushing attend a training in surgery at the hospital

connected to his medical school. After this, Cushing went to the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and

became the first dedicated Neurosurgeon, and started the first dedicated department. While at the

hospital, Cushing developed many of the basic tools that are still used today to perform basic

neurological surgeries. Cushing also discovered a disease named after himself that affects the

pituitary gland, and fathered the department of endocrinology. At the end of his career, Cushing

returned to Connecticut, where he died in 1939.

Harvey Cushing was born on April 8,1869 to parents Kirke Cushing and Bessie Williams

who all lived in Cleveland Ohio with his nine siblings. While in Cleveland Ohio, Cushing

attended Central High School, graduating with high honors. After High school, Cushing chose to

study health sciences at Yale University, graduating with a BA in 1891. After completing his

undergraduate program, Cushing proceeded to the Harvard Medical School, graduating with his

Doctor of Medicine in 1895. During his time at the medical school, Cushing made his first

medical breakthrough- the development of the first continuous heart and respiratory anesthesia
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monitoring system. . Prior to his starting of Neurosurgery, Cushing studied surgery at the

school of medicine, completing this program and becoming a professor of surgery at the

university. To further his training, Cushing studied more general surgery at the Johns Hopkins

Hospital , traveling to Europe and becoming a specialist surgeon in his field. After his trips to

Europe and training at Hopkins in General Surgery,Cushing returned to Hopkins to start the field

of Neurological Surgery.

Prior to Cushing’s arrival at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, the field of Neurological surgery

was non-existent. When Cushing arrived back at the hospital from Europe, Cushing noticed that

the rates of mortality were high among patients with diseases of the central nervous system.

Because of this, Cushing decided to develop treatments for these condition through surgical

interventions. While at Hopkins, Cushing developed more on his theories of anesthesia, and

created and refined instruments that are crucial to safe and effective neurological surgery.

These instruments include the basic head blocks, and diathermy, crucial to the safe stopping of

blood flow at the site of surgery. Also at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Cushing helped to develop

the basic principles of nerve blocking, which is a critical form a local anesthesia. Because of

Cushing’s tremendous contributions to the development of Neurosurgery, and the refinement of

anesthesia, Cushing was given many opportunities to teach. Cushing turned down these offers,

until he became an older age and could no longer operate. Cushing then decided to teach at

the Harvard Medical School, lecturing on various topics in medicine and surgery.

After Cushing left the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Cushing went to teach at Harvard

Medical School, speaking on his contributions, and educating future generations of

Neurological Surgeons and medical leaders. Additionally, while at Harvard Cushing

began to develop an interest in the pituitary gland. Cushing developed an interest in the

Pituitary Gland’s role in disease manifestation and progression. By studying the Pituitary
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Gland and defining its role in the body, Cushing essentially created and pioneered the

medical speciality of endocrinology. Cushing later moved back to Connecticut where he

attended college, and settled down, still working,until his death. Cushing died in the

presence of his wife and children.