Wednesday marks exactly 100 years since the death of American surgeon Dr. William Stewart Halsted. It’s a name you may not know, but if you have ever had an operation, you probably have him to thank for its success.

Halsted pioneered many vital hygiene practices and new operations. However, following an experiment gone wrong, he ended up struggling with an addiction to cocaine.

Dr. Gerald Imber is a surgeon himself and the author of the book ‘Genius on the Edge: The Bizarre Double Life of Dr. William Stewart Halsted.‘ He joins Here & Now‘s Scott Tong to discuss Halsted’s complicated life and his lasting impact on American and world medicine.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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