The Classic

Russell Hibbs (Fig. 1) was born, the last of ten children, in a small town in Kentucky. After graduation from Vanderbilt University, he attended the University of Louisville for two years and obtained a medical degree. After a period of general practice in rural Texas, he went to New York to continue his education. One year later, he was appointed superintendent and house surgeon at the New York Orthopaedic Dispensary and Hospital, an institution that absorbed his energy and attention during the rest of his career. He was made surgeon-in-chief of this hospital at the age of 30 years. It was largely due to his dedication and surgical skills that the hospital bridged the gap between the era of nonoperative management and the era of more aggressive surgical management of orthopedic diseases. Not the least of his concerns was the development of postgraduate training programs supported by fellowships for surgeons interested in orthopedics. He became professor of orthopedics at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University. Under his aegis, the small institution that he managed grew to become the prestigious New York Orthopedic Hospital. His interest in bone grafting operations and his application of this technique to the treatment of spinal diseases and injuries made a significant contribution to the armamentarium of orthopedics.