Robert Battey facts for kids
Robert Battey (born November 26, 1828 – died November 8, 1895) was an American doctor. He is famous for creating a new surgery. This surgery was called Battey's Operation back then. Today, it is known as a radical oophorectomy, which means removing a woman's ovaries. This surgery helped many women with serious health problems.
Robert Battey's Early Life and Education
Robert Battey was born in Augusta, Georgia. His parents were Cephas and Mary Agnes Magruder Battey. He grew up and went to school in Augusta. He also studied at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.
Battey loved learning about medicine. He graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in 1856. Then, he took more courses at Jefferson Medical College, finishing in 1857. That same year, he earned another diploma from the University of Pennsylvania. In 1859, he traveled to Ireland and Great Britain. There, he met a famous surgeon named Thomas Spencer Wells.
Battey's Work as a Surgeon
During the American Civil War, Robert Battey served as a surgeon. He worked for four years with the Nineteenth Georgia Volunteer Regiment. After the war ended in 1865, Battey went back to his medical practice. He settled in Rome, Georgia.
Battey focused on gynecology, which is the study of women's health. He became very well known for a special surgery he developed. This surgery involved removing a woman's ovaries. It was first called ovariotomy, then "Battey's Operation." Today, we call it a radical oophorectomy.
Pioneering a New Surgery
Dr. Battey performed his first successful oophorectomy in May 1869. He removed a large growth from a doctor's wife. This was a big step forward in medicine.
On August 27, 1872, he performed his first "normal" oophorectomy. The patient, Julie Omberg, had diseased ovaries. This surgery was very risky, and many people were watching to see if it would succeed. Luckily, the operation was a success, and Julie Omberg lived to be 80 years old.
Battey also helped start the Gynecological Infirmary in Rome, Georgia. This hospital later grew bigger. It was renamed the Martha Battey Hospital to honor his wife.
In 1873, Battey became a professor of obstetrics at the Atlanta Medical College. He taught there until 1875. He also helped create the American Gynecological Society in 1876. He was even chosen as its president in 1888. Dr. Battey continued to practice medicine and help patients until he passed away on November 8, 1895.
