Surgical history: Frank G. Slaughter, M.D., FACS: Medical novelist and surgeon writer

Abstract

"The curiosity of the public about things medical is probably greater than on any other single subject-except perhaps sex." This quote by Frank Gill Slaughter, M.D., is indicative of the foresight, intuitiveness, and intelligence of one of themedical profession'smost prolific and successful surgeon writers.His primary genrewas historical fiction, and he incorporated medical and surgical history into nearly all of his writingswith a "surgeon-hero" consistently the lead character. Slaughter published 65 books between 1941 and 1987 and sold 75 million copies in 23 languages. Slaughter received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1930 and completed general surgery training at Jefferson Hospital in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1934. He moved to Jacksonville, Florida, in 1934, where he would remain for the rest of his life, exceptingmilitary service inWorldWar II. He became a Fellow of theAmerican College of Surgeons in 1938 andwas certified by theAmerican Board of Surgery in 1940. Slaughter died in 2001 at the age of 93. This contribution examines the keen intellect and prolific authorship of this important and significant surgeon writer and medical novelist.