Thomas Drysdale Buchanan Memorial.*

Thomas Drysdale Buchanan, MD, and the Birth of Academic Anesthesiology

“…Although others had taught officially in medical schools, they had not so limited their work, and to T. D. Buchanan goes the credit for being first in this field." 2 The widespread establishment of independent academic anesthesiology departments occurred decades after Dr Buchanan's professorship in anesthesiology was recognized. How did Dr Buchanan come to hold such a position so early?…”

“…7 "You bring me a case for surgery," Dr Holden told the young medical student, "and I will let you give the anaesthetic." 2 By the time Dr Buchanan completed an internship at the Flower Hospital, the teaching hospital of the New York Homeopathic Medical College, he had decided on a specialist career in anesthesia. After his internship, he asked to be appointed staff anesthetist to the hospital, and his request was granted.…”

“…Four years after August Bier’s first successful use of spinal anesthesia in 1898, Dr Buchanan was practicing the technique and incorporating it into his undergraduate teaching curriculum. In his memorial, Dr Wood told the story of Dr Buchanan’s first experience with spinal anesthesia: “Knowing something about the method but not as much as we know today, he used it successfully on a patient who had been run over by a railroad car which amputated both legs … in spite of using cocain [sic] instead of novocain, available today, the anesthetic proved successful.” 2 This patient was probably an emergency admission from the Flower Hospital ambulance district, which included Grand Central Station and its surrounding rail yards.…”

“…1 During the first World War, he established the first US Army training school in anesthesia. 2 When the American Board of Anesthesiology was established in 1938, Dr Buchanan became its founding president, and when the board offered its first specialty examination the following year, Dr Buchanan was awarded the first board certification. 3 In a memorial article about Dr Buchanan, Paul M. Wood, MD, the pioneering historian of anesthesiology, credited him with the 1904 establishment of "a precedent, still in vogue, of having a department of anesthesia headed by a full time professor whose work was limited to the field of anesthesiology.…”

“…1 During the first World War, he established the first US Army training school in anesthesia. 2 When the American Board of Anesthesiology was established in 1938, Dr Buchanan became its founding president, and when the board offered its first specialty examination the following year, Dr Buchanan was awarded the first board certification. 3…”