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Dr. Howard Lilienthal was born on January 9, 1861 in Albany, New York. After preliminary education, he attended Harvard where he received his Bachelor's Degree, Cum Laude, in 1883 and his M.D. in 1887.
After the house staff examinations at Mount Sinai Hospital in 1887, he had this to say: "It was my good fortune to stand first in the examination for the house staff and when I expressed a preference for the surgical service I found that I had committed what seemed to be the equivalent of a social error for apparently no one had ever thus slighted the medical departments. It was not however disrespect for Medicine but sincere love for Surgery and I have never regretted my choice." An association of 60 years began, during which time he reached the rank of Attending Surgeon in 1899 and Consulting Surgeon in 1922. In addition, he served at Bellevue Hospital, The New York Infirmary, and the Hospital for Joint Diseases.
For twenty-three years, he participated in his Mount Sinai service, lending his genius to its guidance. As early as 1892, he published his first paper on "The Suture of Tendons and Nerves at the Wrist." In fractures with an osteoplastic operation, he was one of the first to demonstrate the advantages of careful x-ray examination. As early as 1902, he expressed his preference for supra-pubic prostatectomy. This was followed by other reports on surgery of the kidney and ureter. His first cholecystectomy in 1896 expressed a preference for primary cholecystectomy in certain cases.
A fine insight into the unselfish teaching nature ofDr. Lilienthal is provided by this quote: "At that time, the patient was, in many instances, a very sick individual. However, this did not apply to all of them. One of the less sick ones, who in addition was slender, was being operated upon by Dr. Lilienthal. The procedure appeared so simple that his assistant, the house surgeon, remarked about it. Dr. Lilienthal responded that he supposed the house surgeon would like to do a cholecystectomy and was assured he would. 'Very well' said Dr. Lilienthal, 'you shall do the next one.' But the next patient admitted was obese, jaundiced and very sick. Just prior to the operation, Dr. Lilienthal, mindful of his promise and also mindful of the best interests of the sick woman said to the house surgeon, 'This is the operation I promised you but the patient is very sick; you let me do it and you shall have the next two cases.' He kept his promise."
By 1914, his interest was directed mainly to problems of thoracic surgery. His intense interest in pulmonary suppuration of all types resulted in his first successful lobectomy on February 17, 1914. Within a few years, he had expanded this series to 31 cases. Later he reported the posterior mediastinal approach for resection of the esophagus. In vascular anastomosis, he was one of the first to use the Carrel method. His profound interest in problems of thoracic surgery earned for him the AATS Presidency in 1923.
One may wonder how such a busy surgeon had time to follow other pursuits, yet he enthusiastically engaged in tennis, hunting and fishing. During the latter activity, he always used barbless hooks in order to return the fish to its native waters. He painted in oils, water colors, and pastels, winning many prizes.
Dr. Lilienthal died on April 30, 1946, after 85 years of rarely equalled productivity.
Dr. Howard Lilienthal
