Melvin Starkey Henderson
Encyclopedia
Melvin Starkey Henderson (1883–1954) was an American orthopedic surgeon, who was born in St. Paul, Minnesota (USA).
. He returned to the US and interned at the County Hospital in St. Paul, and in 1907 went to work in Rochester, MN
as a surgical assistant with the Mayo brothers practice, William James
and Charles Horace Mayo
. He worked closely with Will Mayo, and in keeping with his preference and skill as a "bone surgeon", it was decided that the young Dr. Henderson would limit his practice to a precise specialty. In 1911, Dr. Henderson went abroad to the UK, to work under Sir Robert Jones
in Liverpool
, England and then Sir Harold Stiles in Edinburgh
, Scotland, both recognized as experts in the new field of specialized orthopaedic surgery. Upon his return to Rochester, he then proceeded to organize and head the new section of orthopaedic surgery at the Mayo Clinic
, until he retired in 1948. He spent his medical career in Rochester, working closely with the Mayo brothers in the early years, contributing to The Mayo Clinic's growth into the major medical practice
it has gone on to become, and witnessing the small city's expansion.
During his tenure, he consulted and advised many associates. Always a visionary, he accepted a meeting in 1940 with Sister Elizabeth Kenny
. Although she was already denounced by many physician
s and surgeon
s, including the AMA
president, as an "ignorant quack
seeking money for her own gain", Dr. Henderson chose to make his own opinions. Instead of dismissing her and her experience as just a untrained nurse of polio patients, Dr. Henderson referred her to an associate in Minneapolis, MN. There, she was finally given a chance to demonstrate her work to doctors Miland Knapp and John Pohl
, who headed the polio treatment centers and told her that she should "stick around". However, Dr. Henderson's wife, Mabel, was also a strong personality of St. Paul pioneer stock (Starkey), and a nurse called to training as a first graduate of St Mary's Nursing School class begun following disastrous tornado
es in the Rochester area, which may have contributed to Dr. Henderson's open mind.
Dr. Henderson operated on many famous athletes, actor
s, personalities from around the world, as well as, provided free surgery
to patients as needed. He kept precise research notes on his surgeries and outcomes, and published numerous articles for medical journals. He presented his work at many medical organizations, developed surgical techniques, and equipment. He is recognised for his research on synovial chondromatosis
, a disease affecting the thin flexible membrane around a joint called the synovium
. The disorder is also known as Reichel's syndrome, Henderson-Jones syndrome, or Reichel-Jones-Henderson syndrome, named after Doctors Friedrich Paul Reichel
, Hugh Toland Jones and Melvin Starkey Henderson.
Dr. Henderson was involved in many national and international organizations, and was a founder and first President of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons, when it was established at the Kahler Hotel in Rochester, Minnesota, on June 5, 1934. Describing the organization of the board, the closed, socially elite Eastern establishment of surgeons, withheld endorsement, "After all, in the opinion of the East Coast establishment, Dr. Henderson (who was born in St. Paul, was educated in Canada
, and had his beginning with the Mayo brothers as a clinical assistant riding a bicycle around Rochester, making house calls on the Mayo brothers' patients) was a mere upstart." He was 31 years old and had already been President of the American Orthopaedic Association and Clinical Orthopaedic Society, as well as prominent in the American Medical Association and other organizations. Dr. Henderson was one of three of the first 15 AAOS presidents (the other two being Drs. Philip D. Wilson and John C. Wilson, Sr.) who had a son who succeeded him professionally as both President and as the Director of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Mayo Clinic. He was greatly respected for his organizational abilities, particularly at the Board, whose objectives were uncertain in the beginning and required his careful quidance. Dr. Henderson served on the Trustee Board for the Mayo Clinic, and many other professional and charitable foundations.
Throughout his busy career, Dr. Henderson remained a gifted amateur photographer. Disappearing into his darkroom
when he had the opportunity, he later entered his photographs to document his family, friendships, and professional associates into his scrapbook
s. Also an early fan of the movie camera, beginning in the 1920s, he documented many activities in hundreds and hundreds of feet of old black-and-white 16mm movie reels of the Mayo family and fellow associates, his travels, and of his family, all in the possession of his family today.
Dr. Henderson died in 1954 in Rochester, Minnesota, from cardiac disease when he was 71 years old.
Sons: Melvin Starkey Henderson, Jr; Edward Drewry Henderson, MD
Home: Constructed his family home on First Avenue, in Rochester area to become known as "Pill Hill" due to all the Mayo physicians choosing to live there.
Biography
Upon his father's death, he went to Winnipeg, Manitoba to live with relatives, the family of Edward Drewry and owner of the Drewry Brewery. There he received the generous financial support to continue his undergraduate college and medical degrees from the University of TorontoUniversity of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. He returned to the US and interned at the County Hospital in St. Paul, and in 1907 went to work in Rochester, MN
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
as a surgical assistant with the Mayo brothers practice, William James
William James Mayo
William James Mayo, M.D. was a physician in the United States and one of the seven founders of the Mayo Clinic. He and his brother, Charles Horace Mayo, both joined their father's private medical practice in Rochester, Minnesota, USA, after graduating from medical school in the 1880s...
and Charles Horace Mayo
Charles Horace Mayo
-External links:*...
. He worked closely with Will Mayo, and in keeping with his preference and skill as a "bone surgeon", it was decided that the young Dr. Henderson would limit his practice to a precise specialty. In 1911, Dr. Henderson went abroad to the UK, to work under Sir Robert Jones
Robert Jones (surgeon)
Sir Robert Jones, 1st Baronet, KBE, CB was a British orthopaedic surgeon who helped to establish the modern specialty of orthpaedic surgery in Britain....
in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England and then Sir Harold Stiles in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland, both recognized as experts in the new field of specialized orthopaedic surgery. Upon his return to Rochester, he then proceeded to organize and head the new section of orthopaedic surgery at the Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
, until he retired in 1948. He spent his medical career in Rochester, working closely with the Mayo brothers in the early years, contributing to The Mayo Clinic's growth into the major medical practice
Medical practice
A medical practice or practice of medicine is the practice of medicine, as performed by a medical practitioner—a physician...
it has gone on to become, and witnessing the small city's expansion.
During his tenure, he consulted and advised many associates. Always a visionary, he accepted a meeting in 1940 with Sister Elizabeth Kenny
Elizabeth Kenny
Elizabeth Kenny was an unqualified Australian nurse who promoted a controversial new approach to the treatment of poliomyelitis in the era before mass vaccination eradicated the disease in most countries.-Youth:...
. Although she was already denounced by many physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s and 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...
s, including the AMA
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
president, as an "ignorant quack
Quackery
Quackery is a derogatory term used to describe the promotion of unproven or fraudulent medical practices. Random House Dictionary describes a "quack" as a "fraudulent or ignorant pretender to medical skill" or "a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to have skill, knowledge, or...
seeking money for her own gain", Dr. Henderson chose to make his own opinions. Instead of dismissing her and her experience as just a untrained nurse of polio patients, Dr. Henderson referred her to an associate in Minneapolis, MN. There, she was finally given a chance to demonstrate her work to doctors Miland Knapp and John Pohl
John Pohl
John Pohl is a retired American professional ice hockey center.-Playing career:Pohl played for the University of Minnesota where he helped lead the team to the 2002 NCAA National Championship. He also was a standout player at Red Wing High School in Red Wing, Minnesota, where he grew up; during...
, who headed the polio treatment centers and told her that she should "stick around". However, Dr. Henderson's wife, Mabel, was also a strong personality of St. Paul pioneer stock (Starkey), and a nurse called to training as a first graduate of St Mary's Nursing School class begun following disastrous tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
es in the Rochester area, which may have contributed to Dr. Henderson's open mind.
Dr. Henderson operated on many famous athletes, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
s, personalities from around the world, as well as, provided free surgery
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...
to patients as needed. He kept precise research notes on his surgeries and outcomes, and published numerous articles for medical journals. He presented his work at many medical organizations, developed surgical techniques, and equipment. He is recognised for his research on synovial chondromatosis
Synovial chondromatosis
Synovial chondromatosis is a disease affecting the synovium, a thin flexible membrane around a joint. It is also known as Reichel's syndrome or Reichel-Jones-Henderson syndrome, named after Friedrich Paul Reichel, Hugh Toland Jones and Melvin Starkey Henderson.-Symptoms:Patients usually complain of...
, a disease affecting the thin flexible membrane around a joint called the synovium
Synovium
Synovial membrane is the soft tissue found between the articular capsule and the joint cavity of synovial joints....
. The disorder is also known as Reichel's syndrome, Henderson-Jones syndrome, or Reichel-Jones-Henderson syndrome, named after Doctors Friedrich Paul Reichel
Friedrich Paul Reichel
Friedrich Paul Reichel was a German surgeon.1881 - 1885: Assistant 1882: Doctor of medicine...
, Hugh Toland Jones and Melvin Starkey Henderson.
Dr. Henderson was involved in many national and international organizations, and was a founder and first President of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons, when it was established at the Kahler Hotel in Rochester, Minnesota, on June 5, 1934. Describing the organization of the board, the closed, socially elite Eastern establishment of surgeons, withheld endorsement, "After all, in the opinion of the East Coast establishment, Dr. Henderson (who was born in St. Paul, was educated in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and had his beginning with the Mayo brothers as a clinical assistant riding a bicycle around Rochester, making house calls on the Mayo brothers' patients) was a mere upstart." He was 31 years old and had already been President of the American Orthopaedic Association and Clinical Orthopaedic Society, as well as prominent in the American Medical Association and other organizations. Dr. Henderson was one of three of the first 15 AAOS presidents (the other two being Drs. Philip D. Wilson and John C. Wilson, Sr.) who had a son who succeeded him professionally as both President and as the Director of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Mayo Clinic. He was greatly respected for his organizational abilities, particularly at the Board, whose objectives were uncertain in the beginning and required his careful quidance. Dr. Henderson served on the Trustee Board for the Mayo Clinic, and many other professional and charitable foundations.
Throughout his busy career, Dr. Henderson remained a gifted amateur photographer. Disappearing into his darkroom
Darkroom
A darkroom is a room that can be made completely dark to allow the processing of light sensitive photographic materials, including photographic film and photographic paper. Darkrooms have been created and used since the inception of photography in the early 19th century...
when he had the opportunity, he later entered his photographs to document his family, friendships, and professional associates into his scrapbook
Scrapbook
Scrapbook can refer to:* Scrapbooking, the process of making a scrapbook* Scrapbook , a Mac OS application* Scrapbook , a Switchblade Symphony album* Scrapbook * ScrapBook, a Firefox extension...
s. Also an early fan of the movie camera, beginning in the 1920s, he documented many activities in hundreds and hundreds of feet of old black-and-white 16mm movie reels of the Mayo family and fellow associates, his travels, and of his family, all in the possession of his family today.
Dr. Henderson died in 1954 in Rochester, Minnesota, from cardiac disease when he was 71 years old.
Personal life
Married: Mabel Christensen, of St. Paul, MNSons: Melvin Starkey Henderson, Jr; Edward Drewry Henderson, MD
Home: Constructed his family home on First Avenue, in Rochester area to become known as "Pill Hill" due to all the Mayo physicians choosing to live there.