Page:A cyclopedia of American medical biography vol. 1.djvu/76

 lxvi INTRODUCTION

The founding of the New York Laryngologieal Society marked a distinct epoch in the history of laryngology in America as well as in the world at large. Of even greater importance was the founding of the American Laryngologieal Association. This, unquestionably the first national association in laryngology in the world, stood alone for more than ten years, after which time its example was followed in England and much later in France, Germany and other countries in Europe. Mem- bership to it is limited and its aim has been to uphold the highest ideals of ethics and of scientific work. The volumes of its annual trans- actions now number thirty-two, every year of the society's existence being thus represented and the whole offering an accurate exhibition of the progress of laryngology and rhinology in the United States.

Another factor in the advancement of the specialty has been the section in laryngology of the American Medical Association. This has given opportunity for a wide variety of effort and has furnished a medium through which any reputable member of the profession could present his inventions or ideas. More recently, other associations have been formed. Of these the American Laryngologieal, Rhinological and Otological Society, founded in 1894, is the largest and most important.

In the literature of laryngology, America has been among the fore- most. In pre-laryngoscopic days the work of Horace Green easily ranks first. The introduction of the laryngoscope marked a great accession of literature, and it was not long before more extensive works began to appear. The writings of such early authors as Turck, Czermak and Fauvel dealt with only small parts of the whole science of laryngology, and while good work in this direction was done, notably by Mandl, Stoerk and others in Europe, it remained for three English-speaking authorities to place the sciences of laryngology and rhinology upon a firm scientific basis. These men were Prof. J. Solis-Cohen, of Philadelphia, Sir Morell Mackenzie, of London, and Prof. Francke H. Bosworth, of New York. Dr. Cohen's book, published in 1872, gave a full exposition of the science up to the date of its publication. It was more comprehensive than anything which had yet appeared. Morell Mackenzie's treatise was published in 1880. This was not only the most complete work of its kind to date but contained an exhaustive bibliography. In 1881 appeared the work of Dr. Francke H. Bosworth, in which the subject of rhinology which was being extensively entered into by American authori- ties, especially by Dr. Bosworth himself, was carefully considered and presented. Somewhat later came the excellent text-books of Prof. Ernest L. Shurly, of Detroit, and of Prof. E. Fletcher Ingals, of Chicago. In the last twenty years these have greatly multiplied. Prominent among them are the books of Sajous, Charles H. Knight, Braden Kyle, and Grayson. Among the contributors to the original literature of the subject not