Forty Years of Surgery in the University of Texas Medical Branch, 1915-1955 Page: 1 of 54

                                
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FORTY YEARS OF SURGERY:   THE UNiVERSiTY OF TEXAS
SDiCAL BRANCH 1915 - 1955
In March, 1915, the Texas Surgical Society was organized with
Dr. James E. Thompson, Chairman of the Surgery Department of
the University of Texas Medical Branch as its first president.
This marked the real beginning of surgery as a specialty in
Texas, 22 years before the establishment of the American Board
of Surgery and only 2 years after the formation of the Ameri-
can College of Surgeons. In the early meetings there was con-
siderable argument over qualifications for membership, but it
was finally agreed that although some excellent men would be
passed over, it was necessary to require that all members must
practice surgery at least to the extent of 65% of their pro-
fessional income. The only other questions on the application
blanks were with regard to Moral standing, Ethical Standing,
and "ls he regarded as a fee splitter?"
The medical school as a division of the University of Texas
had at that time been in operation for 24 years, and although
it had been preceded by the Galveston Medical College and
later the Texas Medical College, with intermittent operation
since 160, still in 1691 when its doors were opened and ad-
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