How does John Thackery, MD -- from Cinemax's "The Knick" -- measure up to the surgeon his character is based on, William S. Halsted, MD?
William S. Halsted
- Practiced at six different New York hospitals (but not the Knickerbocker) before accepting William Henry Welch's invitation to become the first chief of surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1886
- Was painfully shy
- In 1884, was first to describe injection of cocaine into the trunk of a sensory nerve to block pain transmission
- Strong advocate for aseptic techniques who introduced the use of rubber gloves in 1890
- Perfected techniques for intestinal suture
- Taught his surgical principles to an elite group of protégés who established surgical residency programs at medical schools across the U.S.
John Thackery
- Practices at Knickerbocker Hospital (which in reality was the Manhattan Dispensary before it was renamed the Knickerbocker in 1913)
- Is self-aggrandizing and rakish
- Anesthetizes a patient using a cocaine epidural
- Performs surgery with his sleeves rolled up like a plumber, maskless and gloveless
- Faults his colleague Gallinger for failing to resect a patient's bowel; his sutures break and the patient develops septicemia
- Takes on the mantle of chief of surgery and mentor to the young surgical staff