100 Years of Innovation: Mayo Clinic and the History of the Specialty of Anesthesiology

Anesthesiology is the medical specialty that focuses on the care of patients before, during, and after surgery, otherwise known as perioperative care. The primary focus of the specialty is the prevention and easing of pain of a patient, while monitoring their vital signs and maintaining their vital functions.

Mayo Clinic’s Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine was officially formed on April 1, 1924, in Rochester, Minnesota. Most associate the establishment of the department with the arrival of Dr. John Silas Lundy to Mayo Clinic. In its first century, the department has played pivotal roles in important developments that have advanced the specialty. There have been many leaders in the specialty that have been a part of Mayo Clinic’s history.

The focus of this exhibit is to share the history of the first one hundred years of the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at Mayo Clinic, alongside the history of the specialty of anesthesiology. You can learn more about the first 100 years of the department on the newly launched historical webpage on Mayo Clinic’s History & Heritage website by visiting https://history.mayoclinic.org/.