Norman Bethune

Norman Bethune (1890-1939)

born in Gravenhurst, Ontario
served as a stretcher bearer in a field ambulance unit of the Canadian army in France in 1915
a bout of tuberculosis inspired his interest in thoracic surgery
joined the surgical team at Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital
produced over a dozen new surgical instruments
became disillusioned with medical practice because often patients who were saved by surgery became sick again when they returned to squalid living conditions
visited the Soviet Union, and secretly joined the communist party in 1935
opened a health clinic for the unemployed
promoted reform of the health care system
fought the fascists in Spain in 1936
in Madrid he organized the first mobile blood-transfusion unit
in 1938 he went to aid the Chinese against the Japanese invasion
in China he formed the first mobile medical unit, which could be carried on two mules
died of an infection due to the lack of penicillin, the infection ocurred during surgery due to a lack of surgical gloves
Bethune is regarded as a martyr in China and is referred to as "Pai-ch'iu-en" which means "white weeks grace"
next to his tomb in China there is a statue, a pavillion, a museum, and a hospital dedicated to him
the family home in Gravenhurst is now a museum
played by Donald Sutherland in the biographical film: "Bethune: Making of a Hero"
biography: The Scalpel, The Sword by Ted Allen and Sydney Gordon
for more information see Canada firsts (1992) by Ralph Nader, Nadia Milleron, and Duff Conacher