Samuel David Gross (1805–1884) (Fig. 1), a native of Easton, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of Jeff erson Medical College in Philadelphia, wrote his fi rst book [1] in 1828, just two years after he received his M.D. degree. Th e book, which was the fi rst American treatise on orthopedic pathology and surgery, was an instant success, but Gross’s attempt to establish a surgical practice was a failu...

Some scholars outside historical scholarship view history as a past, that only has relevance when it is needed or ‘past’ that should totally be forgotten. Such people see these academic disciplines as archaic if not completely useless. Others hold it in low esteem. This may not only be seen as misconception of history, as a process and discipline, it has as well affected the unity, progress, pe...