Letter from the War Department, 1943

This 1943 letter to Paul M. Wood, M.D., from U.S. Surgeon General James C. Magee, M.D., offered appreciation for ASA’s efforts concerning anesthesiology’s role during World War II. Perhaps part of Dr. Magee’s admiration for the Society stemmed from commiseration regarding his own troubles in modernizing a medical military system that was inherently resistant to change. It was during this same time that anesthesiology struggled to gain respect as a medical specialty. Despite facing many challenges, Surgeon General Magee is credited with being “greatly responsible for our soldiers being able thus far to emerge from battle with the lowest mortality rate among the wounded in our history." Anesthesiology, of course, passed through its own battles to emerge as one of the most respected specialties in all of medicine.

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