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Ira M. Rutkow, MD, MPH, DrPH

Arch Surg. 1998;133:914.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

It is the rare surgeon who has adequate artistic abilities that allows them to communicate information not only by the written word but also by sketching patients with distinctive clinical problems. The personal drawing of a surgical procedure or pathological problem can serve as an important future footnote in reminding the surgeon of the case having visually recorded it for later review. For scalpel bearers with such talent it is also not unusual to find that their private diaries and/or surgical journals will contain drawings that provide further unique insights into their professional doings.

The most prominent modern surgical personality, who could also be considered an outstanding illustrator was Harvey Cushing (1869-1939). A resident under William Halsted (1852-1922) and later professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, Cushing's artistic capabilities could be traced to the influence of a high school teacher who . . . [Full Text of this Article]