Robert Abbe 1851–1928

Abstract

Robert Abbe was born April 13, 1851, in New York City, the fifth and youngest son of a New York merchant. He was of the seventh generation of Abbes in America, tracing his ancestry to the Salem, Massachusetts, settlement of 1635. His mother was a Colgate, daughter of the founder of the soap company.

Abbe received his undergraduate training at the City College of New York, graduating in 1870. He demonstrated considerable ability in drawing and was an instructor at the college in this subject and in English and geometry for the next two years. He then entered Physicians and Surgeons, receiving his doctorate in medicine in 1874.

Following internship at St. Luke's Hospital, he traveled abroad, touring a number of European medical centers, and returned to become an attending surgeon at St. Luke's Hospital and the New York Hospital.

Abbe was an innovative surgeon and a prolific writer. His contributions were reflected in many areas, most notably intestinal surgery, thyroid surgery, and plastic and reconstructive operations. Eponymous procedures include lateral intestinal anastomosis (the subject for thisClassics presentation), division of esophageal stricture, and intracranial resection of the fifth nerve for tic doloureux. He was one of the early advocates of radiotherapy in the treatment of malignant conditions. In fact, he developed aplastic anemia, possibly as the result of ineffective protection in the handling of radioactive material.

Abbe died March 7, 1928, at the age of 77.