William Halsted

William Halsted was a pioneering American surgeon in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for revolutionizing surgical techniques and education. He introduced the idea of using anesthesia in surgery, which greatly improved patient care. Halsted also developed the "Halsted technique" for performing mastectomies, emphasizing meticulous surgical precision and the importance of aseptic practices to reduce infections. As a founder of Johns Hopkins Hospital and its medical school, he shaped modern surgical training and practices. Halsted's contributions laid the groundwork for much of contemporary surgery, as well as the training of future surgeons.