Iiewis filbert Sayre. 
Reprinted from Magazine of Western History, November, 1889, EMINENT MEDICAL MEN OF THE DAY. 
LFAVIS ALBERT SAYRE 
The eminence to which this famous 
representative of the medical profes 
sion of New York has attained, stands 
as the sum of two factors that have 
been conspicuous all through his career : 
A native genius for this particular work, 
that has kept him in it against all di- 
verting calls, and a capacity for mental 
and physical labor that has brought the 
best possible results, whether in study, 
investigation, or the application of 
knowledge in actual practice. Men 
may leap to fame in some professions 
or occupations in a single hour ; in that 
of medicine, years of proved capacity, 
and a first call that might almost be 
said—as in the ministry—to have come 
from a voice higher than any of earth, 
are the essentials to such fame as a 
reputable man would have. Such rec- 
ognition, in its best form, has long 
since come to Dr. Sayre, and the people 
know that it is deserved. 
Lewis A. Sayre was born at Bottle 
Hill—now Madison—Morris county. 
New Jersey, on February 29, 1820. 
He came of a family long and honor- 
ably known in that section of the 
country, his grandfather, Ephraim 
Sayre, having been a quartermaster in 
the Revolution, and a devoted patriot, 
at whose house Washington made his 
headquarters previous to the battle of 
Springfield. His father, Archibald 
Sayre, was a wealthy farmer of Morris 
county, prominent in local affairs, and 
a worthy member of the community. 
The son received his primary education 
at the local academy, and was subse- 
quently placed under the tuition of a 
cousin, Edward A. Stiles, a grad- 
uate of Yale, and, at a later period, 
superintendent of public education for 
New jersey, who at that time presided 
over Wantage Seminary, at Decker- 
town, New Jersey. Young Sayre spent 
two years at that institution, and then 
went to live with an uncle, David A. 
Sayre, a banker, in Lexington, Ken- 
tucky. He attended Transylvania 
University, and after passing through 
the full course of study, was graduated, 
in 1839. 
His uncle had hoped that he would 
devote his life to the ministry, but the 
gifts of nature, and a set purpose, drew 
him in another direction. Medicine 
was his ambition, and going east again he began its study, under Dr. David 
Green, of New York. He then en- 
tered the College of Physicians and 
Surgeons, and in 1842 received the de 
gree of Doctor of Medicine, presenting, 
at graduation, a thesis on “ Spinal 
Irritation,” that was recognized as an 
evidence of unusual ability, and was 
published in the Western Journal of 
Medicine and Surgery. 
Dr. Sayre immediately received the 
appointment of Prosector of Surgery, 
under Prof. Willard Parker, in the insti- 
tution from which he had just grad- 
uated, and in 1852, being compelled 
to resign because of his extensive prac- 
tice, he was appointed Emeritus Pros- 
ector. In 1853 he was appointed 
surgeon to Bellevue Hospital, and in 
1859 surgeon to the Charity Hospital 
on Blackwell’s Island ; and of this in- 
stitution he became consulting surgeon 
in 1873. He was one of the prime 
movers in the organization of the Bel- 
levue Hospital Medical College in 1861, 
and upon the formation of its faculty 
was made professor of Orthopaedic Sur- 
gery and Fractures and Luxations, and 
afterward of Clinical Surgery, which 
chairs he yet fills. 
Dr. Sayre was also one of the foun- 
ders of the New York Pathological So- 
ciety, and active in the formation of 
the New York Academy of Medicine, 
and the American Medical Association, 
and was elected vice-president of the 
latter in 1866, and president in 1880. 
The address delivered by Dr. Sayre at 
the thirty-first annual session held at 
New York in June of that year, and 
published in the transactions of the 
association, is a model of its kind, and 
illustrative of his views upon important 
questions, and his terseness and clear- 
ness of expression. 
In 1866 Dr. Sayre was appointed 
Resident Physician of the city of New 
York, and made great efforts for the 
improvement of the hygienic conditions 
of the city. His reports to the Board 
of Health upon cholera, compulsory 
vaccination, drainage, sewerage, and 
other questions of vital import, show a 
careful consideration of the best inter- 
ests of the community, and a thorough 
knowledge of the subject of hygiene. 
In 1876, Dr. Sayre was appointed by 
the American Medical Association a del- 
egate to the International Medical 
Convention, held at Philadelphia, in 
the same year. In that learned 
body he read a paper on “ Morbus 
Coxarius ” or hip-joint disease, having 
been the first American surgeon who 
performed the operation for the rem- 
edy of this affection, with a successful 
result. Dr. Sayre also at this time per- 
formed the operation before the con- 
gress, at the conclusion of which Prof. 
Lister remarked, “I feel that this 
demonstration would of itself have 
been a. sufficient reward for my voy- 
age across the Atlantic.” His first 
operation was performed in 1854, 
and reported in the New York jour- 
nal of Medicine, for January, 1855. 
Although others had tried before him, 
this was the first successful operation 
in America, and was, indeed, a success 
in every respect, the deformity being slight, and motion perfect. He has 
since performed this difficult operation 
seventy-three times. 
In 1871, Dr. Sayre made a visit to 
Europe, and widened and extended his 
professional fame upon that side of the 
sea. By special invitation, he lectured 
upon hip-joint disease and its remedy 
before several medical societies, who 
extended a warm welcome, and greeted 
his demonstrations with marked enthu 
siasm. 
Of late years he has given much at- 
tention to the treatment of Potts’ dis- 
ease, and lateral curvature of the spine. 
His method being by suspension of the 
body, and the application of plaster 
of-Paris bandages, in Potts’ disease, 
from which the most astonishing results 
have been obtained. In lateral curva- 
ture the same treatment with the ad- 
dition of proper gymnastic exercises, is 
followed by the greatest success. 
In 1877 he was appointed by the 
American Medical Association, a 
delegate to the British Medical Asso- 
ciation, held at Manchester, England, 
in the same year. The fame of his 
wonderful success in the healing of 
spinal affections had preceded him, and, 
as upon former occasions, he was invited 
to lecture before the leading medical so- 
cieties and attheprincipal hospitals. In 
London he gave lectures upon, and de- 
monstrations of, his mode of treatment, 
at the University College Hospital, 
Guy’s, St. Bartholomew’s, St. Thomas’ 
and the Royal Orthopaedic. He subse- 
quently accepted invitations from Liver- 
pool, Manchester, Birmingham, and 
Cork, at each of which places he lectured 
and gave demonstrations, being afforded 
abundant opportunities for public tests 
of the value of his mode of treatment 
and appliances, and being greeted with 
great cordiality by his professional 
brethren. At one of his lectures be- 
fore the British Medical Association, 
he received the most flattering acknowl- 
edgements of that body, in an editorial 
comment by the British Medical Jour- 
nal of August 18, 1877, as follows :— 
“ Resolutions were carried by accla- 
mation warmly thanking him for the 
generous and devoted course which he 
pursued in spending so large an amount 
of time and trouble in bringing under 
the notice of the profession in this 
country the methods and details of 
proceedings, by which he carried out 
his treatment of angular and lateral 
curvature of the spine, which consti- 
tutes a new era in that department of 
surgery, and of which the already 
proved success entitles us to say that 
this method of treatment will prove an 
inestimable boon to thousands of per- 
sons now and hereafter.” 
The Lancet, of July 4, 1877, in con- 
cluding a most complimentary notice of 
his demonstrations and lectures at the 
University College Hospital of London, 
said : 
“ We are not blind to the fact that 
much of the success obtained is due to 
Dr. Sayre’s own rare physiological and 
mechanical skill, but his principles are 
as sound physically as their application 
is mechanically expert, and we thank 
him most heartily for the trouble he has taken in England to illustrate and 
enforce them.” 
A correspondent of the Alcdicai 
Record', September 5, 1877, speaking 
of Dr. Sayre’s demonstration at Man- 
chester, says : “ He spoke an hour 
and a half, in a manner which de- 
lighted these men amazingly. They 
expressed their gratification in the 
most complimentary terms which could 
be employed. They declared, and 
with great earnestness, that Prof. 
Sayre, by his lectures and demonstra- 
tions, had effected a permanent revo- 
lution in the surgical treatment . of 
spinal deformities, and the unanimous 
thanks of the Association were ten- 
dered him amid applause which was 
little less than deafening.” 
While abroad upon this occasion Dr. 
Sayre prepared “An Illustrated Treatise 
on Spinal Disease and Lateral Curva- 
ture,” which he dedicated to the medi- 
cal profession of Great Britain, in 
grateful acknowledgement of their gen- 
erous and cordial reception. 
As a lecturer, Dr. Sayre’s style is 
very vigorous and clear, terseness and 
simplicity adding to its impressiveness, 
while his ready logic and power of 
illustration, with his rich fund of humor 
and fancy, stamp him as one peculiarly 
endowed for imparting instruction. 
His many professional writings are 
marked by the same characteristics, 
and seldom fail to convey the full 
meaning of the author. 
The following are some of his prin- 
cipal contributions to medical litera- 
ture : - - 
“ Chorea induced by Mental Anx 
lety.” “Cases of Chronic Abcess in 
the Cellular Tissue of the Peritoneum.’’ 
“Spina Bifida, the Tumor removed by 
Ligature.’’ “Case of Perforation of 
the Rectum, followed by an extensive 
Recto-Faecal Abcess and Caries of the 
Coccyx, and Sacrum.” “Exsection 
of the Head of the Femur and Removal 
of the Upper Rim of the Acetabulum 
for Morbus Coxarius.” “Treatment 
of Croup by Inhalation of Steam.” 
“ Lead Palsy from the Use of a Cos- 
metic.” “ Mechanical Treatment of 
Chronic Inflamation of the Joints of 
the Lower Extremities.” “ Partial 
Paralysis from Reflex Irritation caused 
by Congenital Phymosis.” “A simple 
Dressing for Fracture of the Clavicle.” 
“On Anchylosis.” “Clinical Lectures 
on Disease of the Hip-Joint.” “Spi- 
nal Anmmia, with Partial Paralysis and 
Want of Co-ordination from Irritation 
of the Genital Organs.” “Report on 
Fractures.” “ Report on Potts’ Dis- 
ease, or Caries of the Spine treated by 
Extension and Plaster-of-Paris Band- 
age.” “On Disease of the Knee- 
Joint.” “ On the Deleterious Results 
of a Narrow Prepuce and Preputial Ad- 
hesions.” “Spondylitis and Rotary 
Lateral Curvature of Spine.” “On 
the Necessity of Cutting Contractured 
Tissues in Cases of Deformity be- 
fore traction is attempted.” Other 
papers than these might be men- 
tioned, but enough have been named 
to show the variety of his surgical labors, 
and the width of the field in which he 
has so successfully worked. Dr. Sayre has also published “A 
Practical Manual of the Treatment of 
Club-foot,” which is highly esteemed 
and has already passed through several 
editions’ and “Lectures on Orthopaedic 
Surgery and Diseases of the Joints,” a 
large volume of some five hundred 
pages, illustrated by nearly three hun- 
dred wood cuts, which is regarded as the 
leading authority in that department of 
surgery, and which has not only reached 
its second edition, but has been trans- 
lated into French and German, and is 
now being translated into Spanish. 
Some years ago, the British Medical 
Journal (which is probably the highest 
authority recognized by the medical 
world), in speaking of a recent German 
translation of this work, said :— 
“Dr. Sayre’s methods have now 
such universally recognized currency 
and value throughout English-speaking 
countries, and are so well known and 
largely practiced throughout Europe, 
that it is surprising these valuable lec- 
tures have not before been translated 
into German. Time, which tries all 
things, has set its seal of emphatic and 
general approval both on the principles 
and methods which Dr. Sayre has in- 
geniously devised, ably illustrated and 
successfully carried into practice. 
“He has removed a great mass of 
painful, tedious and almost incurable 
complaints into the region of curable 
and easily managed affections. He 
has substituted a simple and practical 
method, within the reach of every prac- 
titioner, for costly, complicated and 
heavy mechanical devices which were 
accessible only to the few, and which 
only imperfectly and occasionally ful- 
filled their objects. Few men have in 
their generation accomplished so much 
for the relief of humanity, and his 
name will go down to posterity, with 
that of Marion Sims, as among the 
most distinguished benefactors whom 
the American medical profession has 
produced for the glory of medicine and 
the good of mankind during this cen- 
tury.” 
Dr. Sayre’s wonderful success is not 
only recognized abroad, but tributes of 
a high character are paid him contin- 
ually here at home,,in these later days. 
Out of the many that might be chosen, 
we select one, from the presidential 
address, delivered by Dr. E. H. Brad- 
ford, before the Orthopaedic Associa- 
tion, and published in the Boston 
Medical Journal of September 26, 
1889. After giving a history of ortho- 
paedic surgery from the beginning, he 
said : 
‘‘It is scarcely necessary to mention 
the name of Dr. Sayre in connection 
with the subject of orthopaedic surgery. 
His fame in this regard is world-wide ; 
one achievement alone would be suffi- 
cient for his renown—the well-known 
plaster corset; but it is not for this, 
or for his able advocacy of excision, 
for which alone are due our special 
thanks, so much as to the one great 
fact of the influence he has excited. 
It is to him we owe the wide-spread 
nterest which brings help to us from 
all over the country. Orthopaedic sur- 
gery is no longer—thanks to the energy of Dr. Sayre, his brilliancy as a writer 
and a teacher —a neglected branch of 
surgery. The surgeon no longer looks 
upon the treatment of orthopaedic cases 
as a forlorn hope of despairing surgical 
•duty, or as a matter to be relegated to 
the commercial instincts of the maker 
of trusses. . . . Dr. Sayre has not 
only promoted the cause of the treat- 
ment of deformities; he has broadened 
the field of general surgery.” 
He is also the inventor of several in- 
struments which have proved efficient 
aids to the surgeon, among which is 
the uvulatome, club-foot-shoe, scrotal 
clamp, flexible probe, improved tra- 
cheotomy tube, and various splints 
and appliances for use in orthopaedic 
surgery, which have proved of the high- 
est value to the profession and of re- 
markable utility in the treatment of 
deformities. 
During Dr. Sayre’s first visit to Eu- 
rope, in 1871-1872, he was created a 
Knight of the Order of Wasa by Charles 
IV., of Sweden, in recognition of his 
valuable services to science, the king 
being personally cognizant of the accu- 
racy of his method of diagnosis, and 
the success of his modes of treatment 
through the skill displayed by him in 
the case of a member of the royal fam- 
ily, whom he was called upon to attend. 
The Medical Society of Norway con- 
curred in this action of the Swedish 
monarch by electing Dr. Sayre an 
honorary member. 
Dr. Sayre is yet engaged in the vari- 
ous labors of his profession, with a 
skill that has been heightened by years 
of experience and a vigor that has been 
strengthened by the success that has 
followed his labors in the past. In 
practice, in teaching to others the 
knowledge he has learned, and with his 
pen, he is benefitting mankind through 
divers channels, and adding to the fame 
that was long since secure. In addi- 
tion to the positions already enumer- 
ated, he is consulting surgeon to St. 
Elizabeth’s Hospital and to the North- 
western Dispensary; and a member of 
the American Medical Association ; the 
New York Academy of Medicine ; the 
County Medical Society; New York 
County Medical Association ; New 
York State Medical Association ; the 
New York Pathological Society, of 
which he has been President; an hon- 
orary member of the New Brunwsick 
Medical Society; and also an honorary 
member of those great European 
bodies, the British Medical Associa- 
tion, the Medico-Chirurgical Society 
of Edinburgh, and the Medical So- 
ciety of St. Petersburg, Russia. He 
has been too busy in his profession 
to accept any positions of a civic or 
political character, except a service 
from 1845 to 1861 as surgeon general 
of the first division of the New York 
Militia. 
Dr. Sayre’s great success in his pro- 
fession, as has already been said, is 
due primarily to a natural gift made 
effective in hard work ; while the spe- 
cial features of that success are an ac- 
curacy of observation, clearness and 
decision in making his diagnosis, 
promptness in execution when ueces- sity requires, and the courage to do 
what he thinks ought to be done, and 
to abide by the consequences. A con- 
versationalist of the highest order, so- 
cial in his intercourse with his friends, 
approachable by all, a student and 
thinker as well as a worker, and glad 
to do all the good that lies within his 
power, he has been and is one of the 
leaders in the great world of medicine 
and surgery. The position to which 
he has attained can be described in no 
better words, and certainly from no 
greater authority, than to quote the 
conclusion of the remarks made by the 
eminent Dr. S. D. Gross of Philadel- 
phia, before the class of Bellevue 
Hospital Medical College, on January 
io, 1880, as stenographically reported 
by G. F. Gundrum. Dr. Gross said : 
“ Dr. Sayre has done wonders in the 
field of surgery. He has not only 
made a fame for himself through- 
out the civilized world, but has 
also made a fame for the nation. I 
shall probably not be here when he 
shall pass away, to write his biography 
—as I am a number of years older than 
he—to tell the world of his wonderful 
achievements ; but he will need none, 
for the world is already his biographer. 
It has erected to him a monument 
more durable than marble or brass !”