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Charles Locke Scudder (1860-1948)
David E Clark
Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME
Objective: The name of Charles Locke Scudder (CLS) is memorialized by the “Scudder Oration on Trauma” delivered annually at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress. This investigation sought to document the remarkable life and career of CLS.
Methods: Review of the numerous publications of CLS, other publications related to CLS or his family, and archival material at the Countway Library. Communications with the granddaughter of CLS, and review of family archival material.
Results: CLS grew up in western Massachusetts (attending the same school and church as the younger WEB DuBois), graduated from Yale and Harvard Medical School, and practiced at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He worked closely with Arthur Cabot, Collins Warren, Harvey Cushing, Amory Codman, and Fred Cotton, and married a daughter of the first President of Smith College. CLS and two of his wife’s brothers were active NESS members. In 1900 he first published The Treatment of Fractures, which became a standard textbook for two generations. CLS made important contributions to the literature not only for skeletal and visceral trauma but also for other acute surgery, gastric surgery, congenital pyloric stenosis, and maxillofacial surgery. Most of his 150 publications were single-author, but CLS also led collaborative committees on fracture management for the ACS, NESS, and Massachusetts Medical Society. The current ACS Committee on Trauma (COT) preserves many features he established as Chairman from 1922-1933.
Conclusions: CLS personifies the New England surgical tradition that provided leadership during the formative years of the ACS and a foundation for its COT. Elucidating his biography supports his continued recognition by the ACS, and appropriately celebrates the NESS Centennial .
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