HMS Newsletter Summer 2021 Edition
A Message from HMS President
Dr. Bernard Kosto
Medicine has a long list of incredible inventions and life-changing discoveries brought about by accident. Serendipity cannot be left out of the mix when it comes to innovation in medicine.
Fortune shone on Alexander Fleming when he left out an uncovered petri dish and found penicillin in the contaminated container. Connecticut’s Horace Wells attended a public show where the performers, high on nitrous oxide, were unfazed by bumps and bruises. Because he extracted teeth, he knew surgery without pain would be a medical miracle. And it was!
We at the Hartford Medical Society remember Dr. Horace Wells and honor his discovery. We want to give you the opportunity to follow in his footsteps and see Hartford from his perspective. Our walking tour will give you that chance. Many thanks go to Dr. Bill MacDonnell, our board member, who helped us develop the Horace Wells walking tour you can read about in this issue. We hope the story will inspire you to visit some beautiful locations in our great city.
Also a part of the history of the Hartford Medical Society are the Doctors Crary. Their legacy continues to allow our Society to operate today. If you visit Cedar Hills Cemetery for the Wells tour, Dr. David Crary Jr.’s grave is just around the corner. Be sure to visit and share your thanks.