William E. Ladd, M.D.: Great Pioneer of North American Pediatric Surgery

Abstract

William E. Ladd (1880–1967) lived and worked in a time of an enormous development of medicine and surgery and yet a time when many of the new facts could be understood and utilized by one individual. He was born in the vicinity of Boston to a merchant family who had previously lived in northern New England. His education was at good preparatory schools and then at Harvard University, from which he received an A.B. in 1902 and an M.D. in 1906. During college he rowed on the Harvard crew, an activity which he continued for years, both as a rower and then as the doctor for the crew. Upon graduation from medical school, he received a general surgical training and embarked on a general surgical practice. His early hospital appointments included those at the Boston City Hospital and also the Infants and Children’s Hospitals. He started as assistant in surgery at Harvard and advanced to instructor, assistant professor, clinical professor, and 5 years before his retirement in 1945 (Fig. 1).