Harvey Cushing: France Military Hospital Surgical Unit Head and World War I United States Army Medical Corps Commissioner

Background: This historical account reviews the course and lasting impact of Dr. Harvey Cushing (1869-1939) in neurosurgery.

Methods: The writing of this project was sparked by the discovery of original scientific and bibliographical information about Cushing. It is a thorough review of archival documents about Harvey Cushing and the Cushing family.

Results: Harvey Cushing received his early schooling at the Cleveland Manual Training School, which provided him early access to science and developed his manual dexterity. Along with obtaining a degree at Yale University and training at both Harvard Medical School and The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Cushing collaborated with Louise Eisenhardt, Riva Rocci, Ivan Petrovich Pavlov, William Stewart Halstead, and Sir William Osler. Cushing wrote several monographs including "Blood Vessel Tumours of the Brain," "The Pituitary Body and its Disorders," and "Tumors of the Nervus Acousticus." Cushing served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, worked as the surgical unit head for a French military hospital and treated Lieutenant Edward Revere Osler. Cushing's armamentarium included electromagnets for brain surgery. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and received various accolades. Cushing trained Walter Dandy, Louise Eisenhardt, and Wilder Penfield.

Conclusion: This historical reconstruction provides glimpses into the personality of Dr. Harvey Cushing and his marked impact on neurosurgery and adds to the growing literature on his person.