born Aug. 25, 1841, Bern, Switz.
died July 27, 1917, Bern
Swiss surgeon.
He was the first surgeon to remove the thyroid gland to treat goitre (1876). He later found that total removal could cause a state resembling cretinism, but that leaving part of the gland in place made this temporary. He introduced a surgical method for reducing shoulder dislocations, as well as many new surgical techniques, instruments, and appliances. A type of forceps and a gallbladder surgery incision named for him are still used. He adopted Joseph Lister 's principles of complete asepsis in surgery. In 1909 he won a Nobel Prize.