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This is the first of five articles reviewing the historical origins of some of the more commonly used surgical instruments and takes ''time out'' to remind current surgeons about the surgical pioneers on whose shoulders they now stand and whose inventions they now use.
''IF I HAVE seen further, it is by standing on the I shoulders of giants.''-Sir Isaac Newton
Although some have argued for the abandonment of eponyms in favor of more descriptive nomenclature,1 many of our surgical instruments bear the names of their innovators. The operating rooms, which were originally the locale of many inventions, are nowadays awashed with eponyms that are so widespread that their historical origins or originators are forgotten or not recognized.2 This is the first of five articles reviewing the historical origins of some of the more commonly used surgical instruments and takes ''time out'' to re- mind current surgeons about the surgical pioneers on whose shoulders they now stand and whose inventions they now use.
The Mayo Family-a Medical Dynasty
Dr. William Worrall Mayo and his two sons, Drs. William James and Charles Horace Mayo, formed a medical dynasty whose dedication to advancements in medicine and surgery and the pursuit of social justice laid the foundation for establishment of the world class Mayo Clinic.3, 4 Dr. William Worrall Mayo's travels from England to the United States and his extensive background in chemistry, fashion, farming, law, and of course medicine permitted him to become one of the most progressive physicians and, as a result, the father of modern U.S. health care.3-5
William Worrall Mayo (1819 to 1911) was born in the English village of Eccles, near Manchester, and was the son of James and Anne Mayo3, 6 (Fig. 1). Little is known of his early life in England, but he was told that his ancestors migrated from the Low Countries to escape persecution and that several of his Mayo ancestries were esteemed English physi- cians.3 Hisfather,JamesMayo,wasaskilledcar- penterwhodiedin1826whenWilliamwasonly7 years old.3 That same year, an economic downturn caused social and political uprisings, which led Anne Mayo to move the family to Sanford in search of better opportunities.3 Several biographers have speculated that witnessing these political and social events helped de- velop young William's strong social conscience.3, 5 Despite coming...