Background
William Thompson Lusk was born at Norwich, Connecticut, the son of Sylvester Graham and Elizabeth Freeman (Adams) Lusk. His father was a great-grandson of John Lusk who emigrated from Scotland to Wethersfield, Connecticut, in 1788.
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(After service in the American Civil War, William Lusk wen...)
After service in the American Civil War, William Lusk went on to a stellar career as a New York gynecological surgeon, successfully completing the second Cesarean section operation in that state. From the time he left the Union army until his death, he rarely referred to his war service as a 23-25 year old man. Upon his death, his war letters were discovered and published. In them we find a highly intelligent, articulate, witty, and very observant young man. His letters are rich with detail and commentary. Writing only to intimates, he was extremely frank about commanding officers and battles, which make these letters a treasure. This long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers, tablets, and smartphones. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE by clicking the cover above or download a sample.
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educator military Obstetrician Soldier author
William Thompson Lusk was born at Norwich, Connecticut, the son of Sylvester Graham and Elizabeth Freeman (Adams) Lusk. His father was a great-grandson of John Lusk who emigrated from Scotland to Wethersfield, Connecticut, in 1788.
Lusk received preliminary schooling under Reverend Albert Spooner in Norwich, at Charles Anthon's classical school in New York City, and at Russell's Military Academy, New Haven. In 1855 he entered Yale College. Before the close of his freshman year, however, he was compelled to give up his studies because of an eye affection. Later he resumed his studies, entering upon a medical course at Heidelberg in 1858. After two years there he spent a third year at the University of Berlin. In 1864 he entered Bellevue Hospital Medical College, graduating at the head of his class in 1864. After he had eighteen months of post-graduate study under Sir James Y. Simpson of Edinburgh and Karl Braun of Vienna.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Lusk enlisted in the 79th New York Infantry Highlanders as a private and fought in a number of battles, including first Bull Run, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. He was several times commended for gallantry in action. During the draft riots in New York City he was a captain. In September 1863 he retired to the inactive list. In 1865 he undertook general medical practice at Bridgeport, Connecticut, for one year. Following year he accepted the offer of a junior partnership with Benjamin Fordyce Barker which lasted until 1873.
During this period he was professor of physiology and microscopic anatomy at Long Island College Hospital, 1868-1871; delivered a course of lectures in physiology at Harvard, 1870; and jointly with Dr. J. B. Hunter, edited the New York Medical Journal, 1871-1873. In 1871 he accepted the professorship of obstetrics, diseases of women, diseases of infancy, and clinical midwifery at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, to succeed George T. Elliot, deceased. This chair he retained until his death. From 1889 he was president of the faculty. Among his numerous hospital appointments were those of gynecologist to Bellevue and St. Vincent's, obstetrical surgeon to Bellevue and the Emergency Hospital, consulting obstetrician to the Lying-In and Maternity hospitals and, earlier in his career, visiting physician to the Nursery and Child's Hospital and to the Charity Hospital.
He contributed freely to periodical literature and at the International Medical Congress in 1876 read a paper upholding the germ origin of puerperal fever, which at that time had very few supporters. Succeeding Fordyce Barker as the fashionable obstetrician of the day, he had a large private practice. In 1882 he published his work The Science and Art of Midwifery. It went through eleven printings in thirteen years and it was translated into French, Italian, Spanish, and Arabic. It could have survived the author's death had not his heirs always refused consent to any alteration of the original text in the interest of revision.
(After service in the American Civil War, William Lusk wen...)
(This is a reproduction of a classic text optimised for ki...)
Lusk was a president of the American Gynecological Society in 1894.
Lusk was married twice: on May 4, 1864, to Mary Hartwell Chittenden, and in 1876 to Matilda (Myer) Thorn. Four of the five children of his first marriage survived him, the two sons attaining distinction in medicine and medical education, while a daughter of the second marriage married a well-known professor of gynecology.