Maurice Howe Richardson (31 December 1851,

Athol, Massachusetts Athol (, ) is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,945 at the 2020 census. History Originally called Pequoiag when settled by Native Americans, the area was subsequently settled by five families in ...

– 2 August 1912) was an American surgeon.

Early life

While a student in

Fitchburg, Massachusetts Fitchburg is a city in northern Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The third-largest city in the county, its population was 41,946 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Fitchburg State University is located here. History ...

, he was a student of Eliza Trask Hill. He qualified MD at Harvard Medical School in 1877.

Career

Richardson was appointed Moseley Professor of Surgery at

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...

in 1907 and Surgeon-in-Chief at

Massachusetts General Hospital Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General or MGH) is a teaching hospital located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the original and largest clinical education and research facility of Harvard Medical School/Harvar ...

, where he specialized in abdominal surgery. He was a Fellow and frequent contributor to the proceedings of the Massachusetts Medical Society. He also was a member of the

American Medical Association The American Medical Association (AMA) is an American professional association and lobbying group of physicians and medical students. This medical association was founded in 1847 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Membership was 271,660 ...

, the

American Surgical Association The American Surgical Association is the oldest surgical organization in the United States. History It was founded in 1880. Their publication, ''Annals of Surgery'', was started in 1885. A collection of the association's papers are held at the Na ...

, and many other professional societies. He is remembered as inventor of the Richardson abdominal retractor. His collaboration with Reginald Heber Fitz led to great improvements in the treatment of appendicitis. His papers are part of the part of the Center for the History of Medicine (Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine) Repository, Harvard University.

Personal life

Richardson married Margaret White Peirson in July 1879; they had six children. The six children were Edward Peirson, Mary Tuckerman, Maurice Howe, Henry Barber, Margaret, and Wyman Richardson. The eldest son Edward Peirson Richardson (1881–1944) became a noted physician and father of the lawyer

Elliot Richardson Elliot Lee Richardson (July 20, 1920December 31, 1999) was an American lawyer and Republican politician. As a member of the cabinets of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford between 1970 and 1977, Richardson is one of two men in United States history ...

. Mary Tuckerman Richardson (1882–1953) married Robert Walcott in 1907. Maurice Howe Richardson, II (1886–1961) became an insurance broker. Henry B. Richardson won two Olympic bronze medals and graduated from Harvard University in 1910. Margaret Richardson married Hall Roosevelt. Wyman Richardson (1896–1953) became a physician and noted author.

References

External links

Maurice Howe Richardson papers, 1869-1913. HMS c167. Harvard Medical Library, Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Boston, Mass.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, Maurice Howe 1851 births 1912 deaths American surgeons Harvard Medical School alumni