1886

Reginald Heber Fitz’s article, Perforating Inflammation of the Vermiform Appendix, delivered at first meeting of American Association of Physicians, described and named appendicitis (Trombley, 62, 67); T. G. Morton (Phila) & Hall first surgeons to perform appendectomy in U.S. (Trombley, 57, 61-63); private home appendectomy was performed in 1888 (Finney, 81-83; Fulton, 129n; DaCosta, 335). Crile commented on “raging controversy” over use of surgery in treatment of appendicitis – whether at time of diagnosis or only after onset of peritonitis and abscess (Crile, I, 81-82). Halsted enrolls in first (pathology, experimental medicine) courses at Hopkins offered by Welch et al. (Crowe, 13).