Allen B. Kanavel
Encyclopedia
Allen B. Kanavel was an American
surgeon
remembered for describing Kanavel's sign
. He graduated from the Northwestern University School of Medicine
in 1899. He spent six months in Vienna
, then spent his career at Cook County Hospital
and the department of surgery at Northwestern University School of Medicine. He became professor of surgery at Northwestern in 1919, and was associate editor and later editor of the Journal of Surgery, Gynaecology and Obstetrics. He worked with the United States Army
during the First World War, both in the Surgeon General's office in Washington, DC and in France
in 1918 as assistant to the Chief Consultant in surgery of the American Expeditionary Force
. His interest was infections of the hand, and his 1912 mongraph on the subject was considered a milestone in hand surgery.
Dr. Kanavel died in 1938 in Pasadena, California in a tragic car accident. His adopted sons Richard and David were also in the car, but escaped relatively unharmed. They were on their way to go fishing.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
remembered for describing Kanavel's sign
Kanavel's sign
Kanavel's sign is a clinical sign found in patients with infection of a flexor tendon sheath in the hand, a serious condition which can cause rapid loss of function of the affected finger.The sign consists of four components:...
. He graduated from the Northwestern University School of Medicine
Feinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, located in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois and situated near Lake Michigan and the Magnificent Mile, is one of Northwestern University's 11 schools and colleges...
in 1899. He spent six months in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, then spent his career at Cook County Hospital
John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County
The John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, formerly Cook County Hospital is a public urban teaching hospital in Chicago that provides primary, specialty and tertiary healthcare services to the five million residents of Cook County, Illinois. The hospital has a staff of 300 attending...
and the department of surgery at Northwestern University School of Medicine. He became professor of surgery at Northwestern in 1919, and was associate editor and later editor of the Journal of Surgery, Gynaecology and Obstetrics. He worked with the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during the First World War, both in the Surgeon General's office in Washington, DC and in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1918 as assistant to the Chief Consultant in surgery of the American Expeditionary Force
American Expeditionary Force
The American Expeditionary Forces or AEF were the United States Armed Forces sent to Europe in World War I. During the United States campaigns in World War I the AEF fought in France alongside British and French allied forces in the last year of the war, against Imperial German forces...
. His interest was infections of the hand, and his 1912 mongraph on the subject was considered a milestone in hand surgery.
Dr. Kanavel died in 1938 in Pasadena, California in a tragic car accident. His adopted sons Richard and David were also in the car, but escaped relatively unharmed. They were on their way to go fishing.