ABSTRACT
Chicago in the late 19th century was a training ground for many future leaders in surgery in the United States, but singular among them was John Benjamin Murphy, the subject of this historical sketch. He was born on a farm near Appleton, Wisconsin on December 21, 1857 into a stern Catholic family which, though poor, was devoted to bringing out the best in its children. He studied medicine for a period with Dr. H. W. Reilly, his family physician and first role model.1 With the support of his parsimonious mother he was able to enter Rush Medical College in Chicago, where he graduated in 1879 at age 22. It was there that his independent personality became appar ent, as he was not popular as a medical student because of his fre quent questions in class, which were interpreted as being self-promoting. On graduation he took the examination for appoint ment as an intern at Cook County Hospital and scored the highest grade of all the candidates.2 There he came under the eye of Chris tian Fenger, surgeon and surgical pathologist who had studied in Europe, who advised him to go there for further study as well.3,4 Murphy joined Edward W. Lee in the private practice of surgery in 1881. Lee also encouraged his going to Europe and backed this up with an offer to keep his place open in the practice. Murphy then spent 18 months studying in Vienna, Berlin, and Heidelberg under Theodore Billroth and other continental leaders in surgery and then rejoined Dr. Lee, with whom he worked for five years.2
