Shelley McKellar's Surgical Limits chronicles the life of one of Canada's most prominent and controversial surgeons, Gordon Murray (1894-1976). McKellar examines candidly and critically the career successes and failures of Gordon Murray, discussing Murray's surgical ingenuity and skill, and how he saved numerous lives through his advances in heart and vascular surgery, his experimental cancer treatment, and his development of a kidney dialysis machine. She also chronicles the 1967 spinal cord controversy, in which he claimed to have reversed paralysis, and the resulting theatrics surrounding the apparent recovery from paralysis of Bertrand Proulx. Murray's determination to challenge the limits of surgery and medicine, McKellar argues, produced noteworthy clinical accomplishments yet also ultimately led to the fall of his career through hubris, poor judgement and his perception of persecution from his colleagues.
McKellar skilfully blends a discussion of Murray's personal and professional life with a cogent analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of his research. At the same time, the biography extends beyond the individual surgeon to larger issues relating to the limits of surgery, the modern medical research endeavour, the surgical character and culture, and the rising power and authority of the surgeon. By presenting the controversial figure of Gordon Murray within the context of the development of Canadian medicine and surgical practices, McKellar's exceptional biography of an extraordinary surgeon makes a major contribution to the history of modern surgery.
Authors
- Bibliography, etc. Note
- Includes bibliographical references and index
- Control Number Identifier
- CaOOCEL
- Dewey Decimal Classification Number
- 617/.092
- Dewey Decimal Edition Number
- 21
- General Note
- Issued as part of the desLibris books collection
- Geographic Area Code
- n-cn---
- ISBN
- 9781442680265 0802037399
- LCCN
- RD27.35.M86
- LCCN Item number
- M35 2003eb
- Modifying agency
- CaBNVSL
- Original cataloging agency
- CaOONL
- Physical Description | Extent
- 1 electronic text (x, 270 p., [40] p. of plates)
- Published in
- Canada
- Publisher or Distributor Number
- CaOOCEL
- Rights
- Access restricted to authorized users and institutions
- System Control Number
- (CaBNVSL)thg00600380 (OCoLC)288095794 (CaOOCEL)418376
- System Details Note
- Mode of access: World Wide Web
- Transcribing agency
- CaOONL
Table of Contents
- CONTENTS 6
- PREFACE 8
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 10
- Introduction: A Surgeon's Life 14
- 1 Rural Beginnings: The Formation of a Surgeon 19
- 2 Toronto Appointment: Heparin and Vascular Surgery 40
- 3 Delivering Miracles: Heart Surgery and an Artificial Kidney Machine 63
- 4 A Private Laboratory, a Second Artificial Kidney, and New Heart Operations 87
- 5 A Cure for Cancer? Sera, Vaccines, and the Theory of Immunity 132
- 6 Making Paraplegics Walk Again: The Spinal Cord Controversy 160
- 7 Time for Rest: Career Reflections 188
- Conclusion: Surgical Limits 226
- APPENDIX: DR GORDON MURRAY'S MEDICAL WRITINGS 232
- NOTES 236
- A NOTE ON SOURCES 302
- INDEX 306
- A 306
- B 307
- C 308
- D 310
- E 310
- F 310
- G 311
- H 311
- I 312
- J 312
- K 313
- L 313
- M 313
- N 316
- O 316
- P 316
- Q 317
- R 317
- S 318
- T 319
- U 320
- V 320
- W 320
- Y 321
- Z 321
- Illustrations 98
