A History of Surgery at Cook County Hospital

Once upon a time, specifically ranging from 1866 until the end of the 1950s, almost all of the attending staff at Cook County Hospital (CCH)—and thus the instructors who prepared physicians for their roles in the world—were unpaid volunteers. In all large public teaching hospitals, like CCH, appointment to the staff was both an honor and public recognition of the appointee’s status, his or her reputation among his or her peers. Prior to the advent of all-fulltime salaried positions in the 1970s and 1980s, nearly all of the attending staff were non-paid volunteers. Consequently, for all of CCH history up to that point, the list of surgical faculty is a virtual “Who’s Who” of Chicago surgeons.

This book examines the development of the medical disciplines that historically fell under the aegis of the department of surgery at CCH and other similar institutions. The individuals who taught successive new generations of surgeons were not necessarily famed in their time. Already respected, however, they gained legendary status as their former students realized just how effectively these men had taught them. From relevant anecdotes about individual interactions with these instructors to a collection of “quotable quotes” and historical vignettes and personal experiences from physicians and nurses, this books looks at a unique time and collection of individuals who conspired to achieve something remarkable. It is more than a history of a building on Chicago’s west side—it is an inside look at the people who made Cook County Hospital a center of top-flight medical education and world-class care through the years.

David J. Dries, MD, University of Minnesota Medical School: “This history provides excellent insights into one of the prominent public hospitals in the United States. Despite limited budgets and complex medical problems, surgery staff at Cook County Hospital compiled a remarkable academic record during the growth of this institution throughout the 20th century. Medical historians and students of surgical care, particularly for injury, will enjoy this peek at their roots.”

Dr. Ken Johnston, The Daily Journal Kankakee: “Every medical doctor has a unique education and training history, places and people: university, medical school, residency program, special mentors and attendings, other residents; 40 percent of all contemporary American physicians have had some medical education at Cook County Hospital (CCH), possibly as brief as a weekend board review or as long as a 7-year internship, residency and fellowship.…Every soul who ever walked in the door has at least one story, and History of Surgery is a compilation of the stories of a group of doctors at a specific important time and is worth a read for anyone with interest in Chicago medicine.”

David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons: “The editors are to be commended for their efforts to compile a comprehensive, compelling, and loving reflection on an institution to which the surgical profession and patients around the world are deeply indebted. I would encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about the history of our profession and the ACS to read the book.”

Patrick D. Guinan, MD, MPH, is a Clinical Assoc. Professor in the Dept. of Urology, University of Illinois, College of Medicine in Chicago. He completed his internship at Cook County Hospital in 1962 and the Urology Residency at CCH in 1969. In 1975, he received a Masters in Public Health from Columbia University. He served as Director of Urology of the Chicago Dept. of Health, 1970-75; Chair, Division of Urology at CCH, 1975-85 and at UIC, 1978-85. He is now Chairman of the Board of the Hetkoen Institute.

Kenneth J. Printen, MD, completed his internship at CCH, 1961-62 and was drafted for military service, 1962-64. He returned to CCH and finished the surgical residency in 1968. At the University of Iowa, College of Medicine he rose to Professor of Surgery (1969-87). He returned to Chicago and became Chief of Dept. of Surgery, St. Francis Hospital. Since 1987, he taught at Loyola, Northwestern, Chicago Medical School, and the University of Illinois Metro Residency. He retired from the Army Reserve as a Brigadier General in 1984.

James L. Stone, MD, was a Surgical Intern at CCH, 1974-75, followed by Surgical Residency, 1975-76 and a Cook County-UIC Neurosurgery Residency, 1976-80. He remained as faculty in Neurosurgery at UIC and attained Assoc. Professor and Chair of the Neurosurgical Division at CCH in 1987. In 1992, he was appointed Professor of Neurological Surgery at Loyola, and later Rush, until his retirement in 2003. He acted as Interim Head at CCH in 2004 until he rejoined UIC as Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurology. Dr. Stone remains active in the clinical practice of neurosurgery and neurophysiology at UI and the affiliated Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital as well as a voluntary appointment in Neurosurgery at CCH.

James S.T. Yao, MD, PhD, completed a rotating internship at CCH, 1961-62 and stayed on for General Surgical Residency, 1962-67. He furthered his training in vascular surgery at St. Mary's Hospital Medical School. At the same time, he received a Ph.D. in vascular physiology from the University of London. He returned to Chicago in 1973 to serve as Attending Surgeon at Wesley Memorial Hospital (now NMH) and on the faculty of Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. He was appointed Magerstadt Professor of Surgery in 1985 and served as Chief of Division of Vascular Surgery, 1988-97 and Chair of Dept. of Surgery, 1997-00. Dr. Yao is now retired as an Emeritus Professor of Surgery at Northwestern.