American Surgery, An Illustrated History

Ira M Rutkow

Lippincott Williams and Wilkins,£52.93, pp 656

ISBN 0 316 76352 7

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When you think about it, much of surgical teaching is based on history, particularly teaching done in the operating room. Surgical residents learn early in their training that it is not necessary to repeat mistakes made in the past, and that every useful operation has evolved through a process of trial and error. The concept of standing on the shoulders of giants is not lost on the present generation of surgeons. When asked …