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The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health
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Historical perspectives on health

William Stewart Halsted - surgeon extraordinaire: a story of ‘drugs, gloves and romance’

L I Spirling

c/o Ian R Daniels, 1 Cyprus Villas, Junction Road, Dorking, Surrey RH4 3HB, England

I R Daniels

Pelican Centre, Basingstoke RG24 9NA, England, i.daniels{at}pelicancentre.com

As a surgeon William S Halsted’s most notable contributions were in the development of a technique for radical mastectomy, the repair of inguinal herniae and the advancement of bowel anastomoses. However, he will perhaps be best remembered for his introduction of the use of the surgical glove and his reasons were probably the least scientific of all those given. Developed by the Goodyear Rubber Company, the gaunts were made to protect the hands of his scrub nurse, Caroline Hampton, the future Mrs William S Halsted. Another of Halsted’s contributions was the development of topical anaesthesia using cocaine. A consequence of these experiments was the development of addiction to the drug and his later dependence on morphia.

The last century has seen a 360° turn in the reasons why we use gloves. Originally designed to protect the theatre staff from corrosive substances, subsequently to protect the patient from contamination by theatre staff, to today where gloves are worn to protect staff from blood-borne infection agents.

This article introduces William S Halsted, and his story of romance, drugs and the introduction of gloves to medical care.

Key Words: Drug addiction • gloves • Halsted

The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, Vol. 122, No. 2, 122-124 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/146642400212200215
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