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Dr. Eugene H. Pool was born in New York City on June 3, 1874. Harvard
conferred his A.B. in 1895 and P & S his M.D. in 1899. He served his
surgicalinternship at New York Hospital, planning afterwards
to follow a career in internal medicine. An invitation from Dr. William Bull to
become his associate in an extensive surgical practice altered Dr. Pool's plan,
whereupon followed seven years of continuous work with Dr. Bull.
In 1907, Dr. Pool became Associate Attending Surgeon to New York
Hospital, becoming later Attending Surgeon, then Senior Attending Surgeon,
serving, in all, more than 35 years at this hospital. Between 1915 and 1947 he
was Professor of Clinical Surgery at both P & S (1915-1938) and Cornell
(1932-1947). In addition, he was Consulting Surgeon to many hospitals. During
World War I, he served with the New York Hospital Unit overseas and advanced to
consultant to' the First Army. He was cited by General Pershing for meritorious
service, besides receiving several decorations..
In 1935, at the request of Governor Herbert Lehman, Dr. Pool directed
the committee which re-wrote the medical provisions of the Workmen's
Compensation Act. Dr. Pool's report was passed as a bill by the State
Legislature and has since served as a model for other states in improving their
own workmen's compensation laws.
Eugene Pool gave freely
of his time and capabilities to numerous organizations and societies, receiving
from these, and others, a long series of honors and awards. His more than 70
published papers encompass a wide range of surgery including the spleen,
thyroid, stomach and duodenum. In thoracic surgery, he contributed significant
observations on the pericardium. Furthermore, it must be noted that he
completed one of the first pneumonectomies in New York.
Dr. Pool's many students attest to his credentials as a teacher. His
record as a surgeon stands unquestioned.
Dr. Pool died on April 9, 1949.
Dr.
Eugene Pool
