Howard Atwood Kelly
Encyclopedia
Howard Atwood Kelly was an American
gynecologist. He was one of the "Big Four" founding professors at Johns Hopkins Hospital
. (The "Big Four" were William Osler
, Professor of Medicine; William Stewart Halsted
, Professor of Surgery; Howard A. Kelly, Professor of Gynecology; and William H. Welch
, Professor of Pathology.) Kelly is credited with establishing gynecology as a true specialty.
, New Jersey
and educated at the University of Pennsylvania
, where he graduated B.A.
in 1877 and M.D.
in 1882, and where he was associate professor of obstetrics
in 1888-89. While in Philadelphia
he founded Kensington Hospital for Women.
In 1889 at the age of 31 he was hired to be the first professor of gynecology and obstetrics
at Johns Hopkins University
and gynecological surgeon
at Johns Hopkins Hospital
. During his 30-year career at Hopkins he created new surgical approaches to women's diseases and invented numerous medical devices, including a cystoscope. He was one of the first to use radium
to treat cancer.
and Washington and Lee
universities and from the University of Pennsylvania; he served as president of the Southern Surgical and Gynecological Society in 1907 and of the American Gynecological Society in 1912; and he was elected fellow or honorary member of English
, Scottish
, French
, German
, Austria
n, and Italian
obstetrical and gynecological societies.
The Johns Hopkins Kelly Gynecologic Oncology Service is named for him.
In 1943 a U.S. Liberty ship
was christened the Howard A. Kelly.
Kelly was also an evangelical Christian and was known to share his faith openly. He was a friend of H. L. Mencken
and was frequently referred to in Mencken's writings.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
gynecologist. He was one of the "Big Four" founding professors at Johns Hopkins Hospital
Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Johns Hopkins Hospital is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland . It was founded using money from a bequest by philanthropist Johns Hopkins...
. (The "Big Four" were William Osler
William Osler
Sir William Osler, 1st Baronet was a physician. He was one of the "Big Four" founding professors at Johns Hopkins Hospital as the first Professor of Medicine and founder of the Medical Service there. Sir William Osler, 1st Baronet (July 12, 1849 – December 29, 1919) was a physician. He was...
, Professor of Medicine; William Stewart Halsted
William Stewart Halsted
William Stewart Halsted was an American surgeon who emphasized strict aseptic technique during surgical procedures, was an early champion of newly discovered anesthetics, and introduced several new operations, including the radical mastectomy for breast cancer...
, Professor of Surgery; Howard A. Kelly, Professor of Gynecology; and William H. Welch
William H. Welch
William Henry Welch, M.D. was an American physician, pathologist, and medical school administrator. He was one of the "Big Four" founding professors at Johns Hopkins Hospital. William Henry Welch, M.D. (April 8, 1850 - April 30, 1934) was an American physician, pathologist, and medical school...
, Professor of Pathology.) Kelly is credited with establishing gynecology as a true specialty.
Career
He was born at CamdenCamden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and educated at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, where he graduated B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1877 and M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
in 1882, and where he was associate professor of obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
in 1888-89. While in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
he founded Kensington Hospital for Women.
In 1889 at the age of 31 he was hired to be the first professor of gynecology and obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
and gynecological surgeon
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
at Johns Hopkins Hospital
Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Johns Hopkins Hospital is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland . It was founded using money from a bequest by philanthropist Johns Hopkins...
. During his 30-year career at Hopkins he created new surgical approaches to women's diseases and invented numerous medical devices, including a cystoscope. He was one of the first to use radium
Radium
Radium is a chemical element with atomic number 88, represented by the symbol Ra. Radium is an almost pure-white alkaline earth metal, but it readily oxidizes on exposure to air, becoming black in color. All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive, with the most stable isotope being radium-226,...
to treat cancer.
Recognition
His attainments in his special field brought him many honors. He received the honorary degree of (LL.D.) from AberdeenUniversity of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
and Washington and Lee
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
universities and from the University of Pennsylvania; he served as president of the Southern Surgical and Gynecological Society in 1907 and of the American Gynecological Society in 1912; and he was elected fellow or honorary member of English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, French
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...
, German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n, and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
obstetrical and gynecological societies.
The Johns Hopkins Kelly Gynecologic Oncology Service is named for him.
In 1943 a U.S. Liberty ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
was christened the Howard A. Kelly.
Personal life
He married Laetitia Bredow, daughter of professor Justus Bredow, in 1889; they had nine children.Kelly was also an evangelical Christian and was known to share his faith openly. He was a friend of H. L. Mencken
H. L. Mencken
Henry Louis "H. L." Mencken was an American journalist, essayist, magazine editor, satirist, acerbic critic of American life and culture, and a scholar of American English. Known as the "Sage of Baltimore", he is regarded as one of the most influential American writers and prose stylists of the...
and was frequently referred to in Mencken's writings.
Eponyms
- Kelly's signKelly's signKelly's sign is a clinical sign in which the ureter can be distinguished during surgery due to visible peristalsis which occurs when the ureter is pressed gently.The sign is named after Howard Atwood Kelly....
— If the ureter is teased with an artery forceps, it will contract like a snake or worm
- Kelly speculum — A rectalRectumThe rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in some mammals, and the gut in others, terminating in the anus. The human rectum is about 12 cm long...
speculumSpeculum (medical)A speculum is a medical tool for investigating body cavities, with a form dependent on the body cavity for which it is designed. In old texts, the speculum may also be referred to as a diopter or dioptra...
tubular in shape and fitted with an obturator
- Kelly clamp - Large haemostatic forceps; arguably among the most common and best known surgical instruments ever
- Kelly's stitch — Surgery for the bladder neck to correct stress incontinence of urine
See also
- See Snopes entry on "glass of milk" anecdote in Time Magazine January 25, 1943.