Training & Practice Management / Formation et gestion d’une pratique
Early History of Orthopaedics in British Columbia Robert W. McGraw M.D., FRCSC COA Past President, 1990
W
e are privileged to practice orthopaedics. Our heritage is rich and enviable. To fully appreciate our coveted corrected orthopaedic tree, we must know its roots. In this entitled age, we should be obliged to pause and reflect on the contributions of our forefathers.
moustache. He moved to Ladysmith, BC and then to Trail, BC where he built the city’s first hospital which later became the C. S. Williams Clinic.
To examine the more than hundred-year history of orthopaedics in British Columbia, it is appropriate to divide the course of its evolution into three phases.
A nurse, Lillian Shepherd, came to Trail from Baie-des-Chaleurs which is where Jacques Cartier landed in 1535. She had been educated in Boston and Ottawa and was as strong-willed as Patterson Sr. himself. While operating, Patterson Sr. lost his temper and threw some instruments. She disapproved and threw the rest of the instruments onto the floor. As a result of this scrimmage, they developed an affection or an affinity and married soon after. They left for Europe where Patterson Sr. obtained his FRCS in Edinburgh. He also made visits to Vienna and Germany before returning to Vancouver (Vancouver General Hospital and St. Paul’s Hospital) where Patterson Sr. began his practice as a specialist surgeon.
1) Pre-World War II. In this edition, I will begin by describing the career of the first orthopaedic surgeon in British Columbia, F. P. Patterson Sr. and will also discuss the lives of four other pioneer orthopaedic surgeons that followed: J. R. Naden, H. H. Boucher, D. E. Starr and F. P. Patterson Jr.
At the time, W. A. McConkey was the first intern at Vancouver General Hospital. His son was A. S. (Art) McConkey, orthopaedic surgeon at St. Paul’s. Art McConkey was the father of orthopaedic surgeon, Pat McConkey, and the grandfather of orthopaedic surgeon, Mark McConkey.
In keeping with any retrospective reflection, there will be omissions for which the writer apologizes. Future editions of the COA Bulletin will cover:
In 1912, Dr. Pete McLennan was to be the first surgeon at VGH. He was instrumental in having a consent form adopted that absolved surgeons of any blame and gave them freedom of action at surgery.
“The farther you look backward, the farther forward you will see.” (Churchill)
2) Post-World War II and the beginning of academic orthopaedics in British Columbia, including the 1950 opening of the University of British Columbia Medical School and the 1951 creation of the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery. 3) The final chapter will review the creation of the only Department of Orthopaedics in Canada in 1984 and, as a consequence, the creation of 10 divisions within the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of British Columbia. The son of an Irish shipbuilder and an English mother, F. P. Patterson Sr. was born in St. Martins, New Brunswick in 1876. He was an excellent student with high marks in algebra, astronomy and bible study. The latter was a surprise to many interns and nurses who were subjected to his wrath and profanity when he was a surgeon. He obtained his medical degree from McGill when he was 21 years old. Patterson Sr. failed in an attempt to start a practice F. P. Patterson Sr. (the first in St. Martins because of his orthopaedic surgeon in British young looks, in spite of a large Columbia)
Vancouver General Hospital public ward and semi-private ward COA Bulletin ACO - Summer / Été 2017
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