Near Eyota in Olmsted County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Medical Pioneers of Minnesota
Dr. William W. Mayo and his two sons, William J. (Dr. Will) and Charles H. (Dr. Charlie) Mayo, working at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, achieved notable success in the new field of surgery during the 1890s. As the sons' skills grew, their practice expanded, until by 1904 the two doctors were operating on over 3,000 patients each year. New laboratories, improved medical record keeping, advanced training for physicians in many specialties, and quality medical diagnosis and care in well-equipped modern hospitals followed, bringing the Mayo Clinic a worldwide and still growing reputation.
Benefiting from cooperation and competition with the Clinic, the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis earned its own national reputation. Dr. Charles N. Hewitt, of Red Wing, who led early efforts to conquer typhoid, smallpox, and other deadly infectious diseases by means of vaccination and sanitation regulations, was a regular public health lecturer at the University. In the 1930s Dr Owen H. Wangensteen revolutionized abdominal surgery with the invention of gastric suction procedures. The medical school also pioneered in open heart surgery, introducing the heart pacemaker and artificial heart valves. In recent years it has played a major role in organ transplantation. These and other contributions have given rise to a concentration of fine hospitals and clinics and a sophisticated electronics industry producing pacemakers, valves, and other devices to heal the sick and prolong life.
Erected 1993 by the Minnesota Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the Minnesota Historical Society series list.
Location. 43° 57.376′ N, 92° 17.105′ W. Marker is near Eyota, Minnesota, in Olmsted County. Marker can be reached from Westbound Rest Area (Interstate 90 at milepost 222), 3˝ miles west of State Route 42, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10999 Highway 90 E, Eyota MN 55934, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Before The Freeways (here, next to this marker); The Mayo Memorial (approx. 9.6 miles away); Birth of the Minnesota Education Association (approx. 9.7 miles away); Chatfield (approx. 9.8 miles away); Conley Maass Downs Building (approx. 9.9 miles away); History of Silver Lake (approx. 9.9 miles away); Roosevelt Honors Mayos (approx. 10 miles away); Geology of Minnesota (approx. 10 miles away).
More about this marker. The rest area is identified by the State of Minnesota as the Marion Westbound Rest Area, but it is between Eyota and Marion. Since I was traveling Westbound, I encountered Eyota first.
Also see . . .
1. Timeline history of the Mayo Clinic. (Submitted on May 17, 2021.)
2. History of the University of Minnesota Medical School (Wikipedia). (Submitted on May 17, 2021.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 2, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 16, 2021, by Susan Van Den Bosch of Genoa City, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 474 times since then and 62 times this year. Last updated on August 1, 2021, by J. Gale of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 16, 2021, by Susan Van Den Bosch of Genoa City, Wisconsin. 3. submitted on August 1, 2021. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.