Samuel D. Gross: pioneer academic trauma surgeon of 19th century America.

It is appropriate on the 50th anniversary of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma to recall the most influential trauma surgeon in 19th century America: Samuel D. Gross. Gross was an innovative surgeon whose 50-year career as a surgeon caring for injured patients encompassed orthopedics, thoracic surgery, abdominal surgery, and ophthalmology. The dominant influence of Gross over contemporary surgical doctrine was a consequence of his prolific scholarship which included six superbly written texts that passed through a combined total of 15 editions. Gross was a teacher, occupying for 42 years Chairs of Surgery at three medical schools. Gross wore the mantle of political leadership, founding medical societies that continue today as forums for the presentation and review of new treatments for injured patients. Modern academic trauma surgeons could do no better than to emulate the career of Samuel David Gross, the Patriarch of American trauma surgeons.