The development of academic anesthesiology at the Roswell Park Memorial Institute: James O. Elam, MD, and Elwyn S. Brown, MD.

In the early 1950s, Drs. James Elam and Elwyn Brown were recruited to establish the department of anesthesiology at the Roswell Park Memorial Institute. With substantial financial support from both the New York State coffers and the Institute's director, Dr. George Moore, Elam and Brown were able to create a department of anesthesiology renowned for clinical excellence and basic science research. Their work on carbon dioxide elimination led to a redesigning of the soda lime canisters that is still in clinical use. By popularizing mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing, these two anesthesiologists changed the manner in which emergency aid was given and won international acclaim.