Henry Stanley Plummer

Abstract

Henry S. Plummer (1874–1936), son of a Minnesota general practitioner, was one of the early physicians to join the Mayo brothers, after which he played a formidable role in developing the infrastructure known as Mayo Clinic. He foresaw the value of an integrated group practice and need for specialization. He designed the clinic buildings, modernized the clinical laboratory, introduced x-rays to the practice, and created the modern medical record.

Professionally, Plummer made important clinical contributions to managing esophageal disorders, but is perhaps best remembered for seminal contributions to the diagnosis and management of hyperthyroidism. He described two types—adenomatous (nonhyperplastic) and exophthalmic (hyperplastic) goiter. His demonstration that preoperative administration of Lugol’s iodine made surgery of severe exophthalmic goiter a safe procedure which reduced surgical mortality to less than 1 % was a remarkable discovery, saving countless lives. Plummer’s thyroid practice evolved into a multidisciplinary team which included surgery (Dr. Charles Mayo), pathology (Dr. Louis Wilson), biochemistry (Dr. Edward Kendall), and metabolic physiology (Drs. Walter Boothby and Irene Sandiford). Dr. William Mayo said “the hiring of Henry Plummer was the best day’s work he ever did for the Clinic.”